Denver's Coors Field is a paradise for hitters. The seats at the scenic Coors Field are painted purple to indicate an elevation of exactly one mile. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images). Getty ImagesThe 2021 All-Star Game is sure to be a wild slugfest, if history serves as a guide.Denver's Coors Field hosted the game. The teams scored 21 runs together, which is the most ever recorded in All-Star history. Three of the 31 hits were home runs.ADVERTISEMENTThe American League beat the National League pitching to win 13-8. 15 of those who played were also elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.In All-Star history, which began in 1933, neither league has scored more that 13 runs. It was done three times by the AL in 1993, 1992 and 1998, but it only has a three-run advantage over the Senior Circuit (373-373).The National League had a long winning record but the AL has reversed it with a 7-game winning streak. This gives the AL a 45-43 overall edge with two ties and a 45-43 overall advantage. Due to wartime travel restrictions, there were no games in 1945. There were no games in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The NL could rebound this year, but teams that bat last at Coors Field often have a huge advantage. There are 81 home games for the Rockies. They have won twice from nine-run deficits and three times from eight-run deficits. They allowed seven runs and hit seven home runs in one match.On Oct. 1, 2007, the Rockies hosted San Diego Padres in a winner take all tiebreaker, a 163rd National League Wild Card game. This was the wildest game ever played at the park. With two outs in eighth, the Rockies led 6-5. A Matt Holliday error allowed the Padres tie the score. It was 6-6 up until the 13th when Scott Hairston scored a two-run homer in the top of frame against Jorge Julio.Trevor Hoffman was unable to convert the save. Holliday scored a triple to tie it again after he was hit by Troy Tulowitzki and Kaz Matsui. After Hoffman intentionally walked Todd Helton, Jamey Carrick hit a sacrifice fly in right field to score Holliday ahead of Brian Giles' throw. The Rockies won the game 9-8 to reach the playoffs. They won three more wild card spots, but never won a division championship.One year later, Colorado allowed Miami (now Florida) Marlins five runs in the first, six in fourth and four in seventh. But, Colorado managed to climb out of a nine run hole to win 18-17 with two runs in bottom of ninth. They combined for 35 runs and 43 hits, 20 of which were extra bases. Eight teams cleared the far fences.Denver's elevation was taken into consideration when the $300 million stadium was designed. Coors Field fences are 10 percent further than other ballparks from home plate because a baseball that reaches 400 feet in New York (sea-level) will travel 440 feet in the Mile High City. The result was that the outfield became the largest in major leagues. This allowed more balls to be dropped for doubles and threes. Dimensions: 347 feet to the left, 415 to the center and 350 to the right.ADVERTISEMENTThe average game at Coors Field was 8-7 in 1999, when a record-breaking 303 home runs were scored during the 81 home games. The Rockies had 24 hits against the Montreal Expos a year later.Larry Walker, a hometown favorite, was one of 15 All-Stars who reached the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images). Getty ImagesThe Rockies had eight batting champs, including Larry Walker, three times, and nine players who hit for the cycle with singles, doubles, triples, home runs and triples in their first 18 years. Nolan Arenado, now with St. Louis won three home run crowns while Walker, Andres Galarraga and Dante Bichette each won one.ADVERTISEMENTThe place is loved by the hitters, but they have difficulty maintaining their power production on the road. For example, from 2012-15, the Rockies ranked last on the road in runs scored, while being the league's top scorer at home. These divergent splits led to writers hesitant before electing Walker to The Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020. This was the last year Walker was eligible.Walker will be inducted Sept. 8, after the ceremony was delayed by the pandemic. Walker was also the only Rockies player to win the Most Valuable Player Award in 1997.Hank Aaron (another former MVP) could have increased his home run totals if his career had been extended to the Coors Field era. Aaron, who was just shy of his 87th Birthday, died in January. He will be honored prior to the 2021 game that had been originally scheduled for Atlanta.Aaron, a long-time star with the Atlanta Braves was named an All-Star 25 more times than any other player. He still holds the career record for runs batted in and total bases.Hank Aaron, a former All-Star who was honored in Denver's 2021 All-Star Game, will be honored. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images. *** Local Caption. Hank Aaron Getty ImagesADVERTISEMENTIn 1998, Walker was retired after 22 years. The All-Star teams included Walker, the home team hero, as well as future Hall of Famers Ivan Rodriguez and Cal Ripken Jr. and Ken Griffey Jr. from the American League, and Mike Piazza and Craig Biggio from the American League, Chipper Jones and Chipper Jones from the National.Alomar was awarded the All-Star Game MVP Award that year. He was also one of three home run-hitting players, along with Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Alex Rodriguez. Maddux was the Nationals' starter against David Wells, but Bartolo Colon was the winner.History will tell us that a large portion of the current All-Stars will win plaques at Cooperstown Gallery. Walker will become the first Colorado player to be enshrined.Pitchers dislike Coors Field, unlike Walker and his fellow sluggers. They tire faster in the thin air and have trouble throwing curves. They also find it difficult to throw breaking pitches with their normal bite, much to their dismay. The Rockies are having a hard time getting free-agent pitchers signed and must pay premium prices in order to get their signatures.ADVERTISEMENTCoors Field was the first major-league baseball park to have an underground heating system that melts snow. It also had the first humidor installed to dampen balls during games. The humidor, which was room-sized and installed before 2002's campaign, has decreased home run frequency compared to other parks. However, it has not affected batting averages by more than 10%. This preserves Coors Field's reputation as the most hitter-friendly stadium in the game.The Rockies are attracting fans despite not winning a division title or losing their only World Series appearance (swept by Boston Red Sox in 2007), Opening Day attendance at the Mile High Stadium was 80,227. Full season attendance is 4,483,350. The current capacity of Coors Field, which is one of the largest in the major leagues, is 50,144.Climate changes can be swift and unexpected for spectators, even within the ballpark. The Rockies were snowed out in April and September. They played in 23-degree weather against Atlanta Braves on April 23 2013.ADVERTISEMENTThis year's game will offer fans the opportunity to enjoy rare local food such as Rocky Mountain oysters (a tender portion of a bull), and they can also sit exactly one mile above the sea level (5,280ft) in purple-painted seats on the 20th row. From many locations in Coors Field, they can see the Colorado Rockies' snow-capped peaks.The stadium is located in Lower Downtown and is easily accessible from the center of the city. You can also get to the stadium by bus or light-rail.
