Addie Joss Benefit Game

Addie Joss Benefit Game

Addie Joss in 1902
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E All-Stars 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 5 15 0 Cleveland Naps 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 8 2
Date	July 24, 1911
Venue	League Park
City	Cleveland, Ohio
Managers	Jimmy McAleer (All-Stars) George Stovall (Cleveland Naps)
Umpires	Rip Egan and Tom Connolly
Attendance	15,272
Time of game	1:32

The Addie Joss Benefit Game was an exhibition baseball game played between the Cleveland Naps of the American League and an all-star team composed of players from the league's other teams at League Park in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 24, 1911. The game was planned as a benefit for the family of Addie Joss, a pitcher for the Naps who died in April. The all-stars defeated the Naps, 5–3, and the game raised $12,914 for the Joss family ($422,288 in current dollar terms).

Following Joss's death, Cleveland's management announced their plans to put on a benefit for his widow and two young children. Star players from other teams volunteered to form an all-star team to play against the Naps. Paid attendance was 15,272, and many players and team owners contributed money to the Joss family as well. The benefit game preceded the creation of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, first contested in 1933, which raises money for the players' pension fund.