Once in a lifetime: former players recall their only at-bat in All-Star game competition (Part 1 of 2 Articles).

SINCE 1933, THERE HAVE BEEN 251 players who stepped into the batter's box only once in an All-Star game during their major league careers.

In that 71-year span, the mid-summer classic has been center stage for some of the game's greatest hitters, starting with Babe Ruth, continuing through Willie Mays, Start Musial, Ted Williams and Hank Aaron, and moving on to such current stars as Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Alex Rodriguez.

While the players who batted only once in an All-Star game during their careers may not rank in the pantheon of "greatest hitters," they all were given a brief opportunity to show their skills in a special best-of-the-best inter-league matchup which marked the 70th anniversary of its inaugural last July 15 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Some were successful in making the most of this singular opportunity; some Were not. Here are the remembrances offered by 10 of those players whose lone All-Star at-bat became a once in a lifetime experience.

Max West, 1940 Boston Bees:

West had a seven-year career in the big leagues that was interrupted by his three and a half years of military service in World War II. West played 826 games, hitting .254 with 77 home runs. His finest season came in 1939 when he hit .285 with 19 homers and 82 RBI. In 1940, he was selected to his only All-Star team.

"The All-Star game was no big deal in those days," West, 86, said. "Casey Stengel (Boston manager), Eddie Miller and myself had to leave the game around the fifth inning in order to catch a train to Chicago for a series against the Cubs."