Night moves in North Philly

Elbie Fletcher

First baseman Elbie Fletcher, the former Harrisburg Senator who in 1934 at age 18 becomes the youngest position player in City Island history, becomes the first former Harrisburg Senator player to start in an All-Star Game as he represents the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League's 5-3 loss to the American League 81 years ago tonight at Philadelphia.

With a Tuesday night crowd of 31,938 looking on, the contest at North Philly’s Shibe Park also is the first All-Star Game to be played at night.

Fletcher goes 0-for-2 in the 1943 game with a groundout and flyout before being replaced by the Phillies’ Babe Dahlgren.

Dahlgren also is the first baseman who replaces Lou Gehrig as the Yankees’ first baseman in 1939 before, coincidentally, replacing the Navy-bound Fletcher as the Pirates’ first baseman in 1944.