Before the Red Sox can enjoy Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran representing in the 94th MLB All-Star Game next week, they had to process the fact that, somehow, it’s been a quarter of a century since Fenway Park’s last midsummer classic.

Few nights in baseball history compare to what took place in Boston 25 years ago Saturday. The 1999 All-Star Game saw Ted Williams come home for what turned out to be the last time before his passing, Nomar Garciaparra still Red Sox royalty, and Pedro Martinez dominated a lineup of juiced-up National League sluggers. Most players on the current team are too young to even remember it. The average age of this year’s Red Sox roster is 27.4 years old, and several players, including Ceddanne Rafaela (23), Brayan Bello (24), and Triston Casas (24), weren’t even alive, but the Herald asked coaches and the few players old enough what they remember.

“I can’t believe it’s already been that long,” Rob Refsnyder said, the sentiment shared by everyone interviewed.

Jason Varitek was in his first full season as Boston’s catcher. He has “vivid memories” of the energy in the city and at the ballpark in the weeks leading up to the event, and watching that night.

“Huge excitement. Jim Rice was taking BP through the weeks before that to get ready for it, because he had a charity thing,” Varitek said. “But the excitement around all the players that were going to be there, not just the new All-Stars. It was a really exciting time here.”

Before MLB played the final All-Star Game of the 1900s, Kevin Costner introduced the 41 living members of the All-Century Team – among them Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Harmon Killebrew, Brooks Robinson, Warren Spahn, and Carl Yastrzemski – as they took their places on the field, lining the league’s oldest diamond.

The evening’s festivities are remembered for what is likely the greatest game delay in baseball history. After the All-Star rosters were introduced and Donna Summer sang the national anthem, the center field garage door opened to reveal the last member of the All-Century team: the greatest hitter in Red Sox history. As the uncovered golf cart drove ‘Teddy Ballgame’ along the right-field warning track and first-base line to the mound, he tipped his cap to the emotional crowd of 34,187.

“How cool that was,” Refsnyder said of the Williams moment. “I remember watching with my family, and it was such a cool All-Star Game. I don’t know why I remember it so well, I think Ted Williams going around the field and all the players and Hall of Famers.”

Leaning on Padres All-Star Tony Gwynn, Williams (a San Diego native) threw the ceremonial first pitch to Carlton Fisk. Then they were surrounded by All-Century and All-Star players. And who would dare interrupt this rare convergence of past, present, and future baseball? The game would just have to wait.

“Whoever the producer of that game was, probably was very upset, but at the same time, why get upset, you know?” said manager Alex Cora, in his second year in the Majors at the time. “The guys took their time to talk to all these people, and that’s what makes it special. That’s what makes organizations like this, the Yankees, the Dodgers, the Giants so special, because we embrace the living legends.”

“Actually, I just saw a clip of Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr., and all those guys,” said reliever Chris Martin. “Those are the guys I grew up watching and idolized.”

Then, the game itself.

“Pedro striking out everybody, the world,” pitching coach Andrew Bailey said with a smile. “Obviously, that’s an electric moment in Fenway history and for Pedro.”

Martinez struck out five of the first six batters, including the side in the top of the first, en route to MVP honors and a 4-1 Team AL victory.

“Bringing out Ted in the golf cart, and the excitement around that when they were out on the field, him talking to Nomar about smelling the wood burning on the bat,” Varitek said, “And then what Pedro did to electrify it even more, with the cast of characters that he had to face, and the electricity he brought to the mound, real special day.”

“I watched the All-Star Game as a kid every year,” said reliever Chase Anderson. “Getting a couple socks, making it a ball, throwing to my dad’s recliner, working on my pitches, trying to emulate the guys on the TV. I remember Pedro starting that game and absolutely dominating.”

Liam Hendriks has never watched the ’99 game, but it holds meaning for him nonetheless.

“We didn’t get baseball in Australia,” the pitcher said, explaining that he could only watch the occasional MLB game on the TVs at a local gym. “But the ‘99 All-Star Game holds a special place in a lot of Australians’ hearts because that was the first time we ever had an Aussie, Dave Nilsson.”

At the time, previous ownership was planning to level baseball’s oldest cathedral and attempt to replicate it in larger, more modern form (an impossible task, as evidenced by the new Yankee Stadium). Boston hadn’t hosted the All-Star Game since 1961, and with the new millennium just months away and possibly a new ballpark, how could the contest take place anywhere but Fenway?

“Even playing here, you don’t really get the full effect, the fan aspect of it,” said Martin. “Walking out and seeing the Monster from the stands is, it’s weird to say, but it’s a different feeling than actually being on the field. Probably got to be one of the best places to watch a baseball game.”

(Better than a certain Bronx ballpark, certainly. “I’m not a huge fan of Yankee Stadium, just being honest. I’ve played there, and just, there’s nothing super-exciting to it,” Martin said.)

“No place like it,” Anderson said. “I’m glad they didn’t tear it down. It’s fun to come to work here every day.”

“I’m glad it’s still here,” said Cora. “I bet that night, for whoever was part of that and was here for that, to do it here, in this venue and with all those guys, it was a great night for baseball.”

America’s Most Beloved Ballpark hasn’t hosted since. In 2022, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Boston was in the running for the ‘25 or ‘27 All-Star Game, but awarded ’25 to Atlanta last November. Philadelphia is hosting in 2026, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

It’s difficult to imagine any All-Star Game feeling the way ‘99 did and still does; it contained multitudes, feeling simultaneously like bittersweet goodbye and thrilling hello.

“It’s a magical moment, I think one of the greatest All-Star Games in history,” Bailey said. “Those lineups, back in those days, they were outrageous. That’s kind of my childhood ‘falling in love with baseball’ era.”

“I think everybody saw what the event was, the magnitude of the players, the All-Star group that was there, the players from the past, I doubt they’ll be able to pull something off like that again,” said Varitek, though he added that really wants Fenway to host another one. “We gotta.”