All-star game: Difference between revisions

[[File:Pro Bowl 2007 action.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.25|Action during the [[2007 Pro Bowl]], the all-star game of the [[National Football League]]. Note different team insignias on helmets.]]

An '''all-star game''' is an [[exhibition game]] that purports to showcaseshowcases the best players (the "stars") of a [[sports league]]. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, but sometimes dividing the players by an attribute such as [[nationality]]. Selection of the players may be done by a vote of the coaches and/or news media; in professional leagues, fans may vote on some or all of the roster. An all-star game usually occurs at the midpoint of the [[Season (sports)#Regular season|regular season]]. An exception is [[American football]]'s [[NFL]] [[Pro Bowl]], which occurs at the end of the season.

All-star games are usually organized like regular games, but are often played with less emphasis on victory. Competing goals are to give many players time in the game and to avoid injury. In [[ice hockey]], for example, there is no serious [[checking (ice hockey)|checking]], while in [[American football]] no [[blitz (gridiron football)|blitzing]] is allowed. In basketball, there is virtually no defense played until the final quarter.; Howeverinstead, the Australian [[State of Origin series]] does involveinvolves physicality that often leads to on-field scuffles.

The term "all-star" is mainly used in North America. All-star games are rare in international sports, (such as [[association football]]), where games between national teams are more popular than all-star games would be. In the United Kingdom, all-star teams are usually denoted with the [[Roman numeral]] corresponding to the number of players allowed on the field – for example, a [[soccer]] or [[cricket]] ''XI'', a [[rugby league]] ''XIII'' and a [[rugby union]] ''XV''.{{citation needed|date=June 2015}}

[[Major League Baseball]] organized the first professional league all-star game as part of the [[Century of Progress|1933 World's Fair]] in [[Chicago]]. It was the brainchild of [[Arch Ward]], then sports editor for the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.<ref name="almanac">"[http://baseball-almanac.com/asgmenu.shtml All-Star Game History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815082531/http://baseball-almanac.com/asgmenu.shtml |date=2000-08-15 }}", Baseball Almanac.</ref> Initially intended to be a one-time event, its great success resulted in playing the game annually. Ward's contribution was recognized by Major League Baseball in 1962 with the creation of the "Arch Ward Trophy", given to the All-Star Game's [[most valuable player]] each year.<ref>Newman, Mark. "[http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060710&content_id=1550905&vkey=allstar2006&fext=.jsp All-Star MVP Awaits Your Vote] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140326102953/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060710&content_id=1550905&vkey=allstar2006&fext=.jsp |date=2014-03-26 }}", [[MLB.com]], July 10, 2006.</ref>

* [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game]] ([[National League (baseball)|National League]] vs. [[American League]])

*** SinceThe [[2018 NBA All-Star Game|2018]], itto hasthe 2023 All-Star games, followed a fantasy draft format, similar to the 2011–2015 format of the NHL All-Star Game (see below), involving the selection of players by a combination of fan, player, and media voting. The vote leaders for each conferences are then named as team captains for each all-star team, who then select players from the rest of the all-stars, regardless of the conference they play in.

*[[Double-A All-Star Game]] (1991–2002; baseball; players from [[American League]]-affiliated teams vs. players from [[National League (baseball)|National League]]-affiliated teams)

* [[A-Leagues All StarsStar Game]] – A selected team from the best of the Australian football (soccer) league. The [[A-League]] All Stars play an international club annually.

* [[Philippine Basketball Association All-Star Weekend|Philippine Basketball Association All-Star Game]] (varying team compositions, with the current format being NorthTeam A vs. SouthTeam B, it follows a fantasy draft format where the top two vote-getters will be the team captains of both teams, the remaining players will be selected from a 24-man list via draft.)

*[[East–West Shrine GameBowl]]

* [[Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic]] – the oldest continually held high school all-star game in the country. It isdefunct, played annually in Louisville, Kentucky at Freedom Hall and featuresfeatured top high school boys basketball players from across the country.

*[[Lions Club All-Star High School Football Classic]] ([[Erie County, New York]] vs. [[Niagara County, New York]])