<P> Eighty - nine Major League Baseball All - Star Games have been played since the inaugural one in 1933 . The American League (AL) leads the series with 44 victories; two games ended in ties . The National League (NL) has the longest winning streak of 11 games from 1972--1982; the AL held a 13 - game unbeaten streak from 1997--2009 (including a tie in 2002). The AL previously dominated from 1933 to 1949, winning 12 of the first 16 . The NL dominated from 1950 to 1987, winning 33 of 42 with 1 tie, including a stretch from 1963 to 1982 when they won 19 of 20 . Since 1988 the AL has dominated, winning 24 of 31 with one tie . In 2018 the AL took their first lead in the series since 1963 . </P> <P> The "home team" has traditionally been the league in which the host franchise plays its games, however the AL was designated the home team for the 2016 All - Star Game, despite it being played in Petco Park, home of the National League's San Diego Padres . This decision was made following the announcement of Miami as host for the 2017 All - Star Game, which was the third consecutive year in which the game is hosted in an NL ballpark . The criteria for choosing the venue are subjective; for the most part, cities with new parks and cities who have not hosted the game in a long time--or ever--tend to get the nod . In the first two decades of the game there were two pairs of teams that shared ballparks, located in Philadelphia and St. Louis . This led to some shorter - than - usual gaps between the use of those venues: The Cardinals hosted the game in 1940, and the Browns in 1948 . The Athletics hosted the game in 1943, and the Phillies in 1952 . </P>

Who wins the all star game more often