It was more than a Major League Baseball All-Star Game and other festivities when the spectacle came to Pittsburgh in 1994.

I remember my stepbrother Dave Zook and I — along with a few of Babe Ruth players — driving out to Three Rivers Stadium for the Home-Run Derby and other contests the day before the All-Stars took the field.

The game was a celebration of professional baseball in Pittsburgh. Just 21 months after winning the Pirates’ last division championship in 1992.

The atmosphere was joyous and electric. Pittsburgh had a chance to shine, and it did.

I remember sitting in the upper deck and watching long ball after long ball sail into the seats. It was 30 years ago, so excuse me if I don’t remember the hitters. It was held on a sunlight afternoon, which is a rarity these days.

I found an old video on YouTube of ESPN’s broadcast of what was called All-Star Monday and the event was known as the Gatorade Home Run Derby that particular year. Veteran broadcaster Chris Berman said the stadium was filled with an “enthusiastic and large crowd” that was anxious to watch the best in baseball … pitch, catch, throw, and, of course, hit. The crown jewel was the Home Run Derby during a season in which baseballs flew out of ballparks at a record pace.

The way baseball bashers were hitting the ball it wasn’t out of the question to see a fourth river flow out of Three Rivers Stadium.

I was curious to see who won the derby, and it was Seattle’s Ken Griffey Jr. , who is the winningest participant of all time, taking home the top prize in 1994, 1998 and 1999. He participated in eight derbies from 1990 through 2000.

As far as the game itself, I watched it on TV the next night and saw the National League erase a two-run deficit to tie the American League and then win, 8-7, in extra innings, thus setting off a wild celebration.

Atlanta’s Fred McGriff hit a game-tying home run, and in the 10th inning, the late Tony Gwynn bounced a single up the middle before Montreal’s Moises Alou belted a walk-off double that drove in Gwynn. He beat the throw and the tag of Ivan Rodriguez at the plate.

Gwynn was waved home by third base coach and Pirates manager Jim Leyland.

Leyland, then the face of Pirates’ baseball, received a wild and loud ovation that lasted at least five minutes during the pre-game announcement of both teams.

“That’s Pittsburgh,” Leyland said. “I was the local manager and I had pretty good rapport with the fans. It was in our park. I was so grateful. Honestly, it’s one of my biggest thrills.”

The fans and crowd were a huge reason for the atmosphere and excitement.

To me, the derby was more exciting than the game itself. The most exciting play in baseball remains the home run. So, what could be better than to watch a home-run hitting contest at the All-Star Game featuring some of the greatest sluggers in the game today.

Since 1991, eight to ten players, were chosen to participate in a three round contest to determine the Home Run Derby Champion. Each player received ten outs per round as they attempted to hit as many home runs as they could.

Griffey might have had an edge simply because he did this before. In 1993, Griffey was in the finals against Juan Gonzalez, of the Texas Rangers, and fell just short in a playoff.

In 1994, Griffey owned the derby, besting McGriff. Rounding out the top eight were Oakland’s Ruben Sierra, Chicago White Sox’s Frank Thomas, Houston’s Jeff Bagwell, Colorado’s Dante Bichette, Cleveland’s Albert Belle and Los Angeles Dodger Mike Piazza, who remains my all-time favorite baseball player.

It will be interesting to see who steals the show this year at Truist Park in Atlanta.

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Greg Williams is a reporter and Weekend Editor for The Sentinel. A Mifflin County native, he has been writing for The Sentinel since 1991.