All-Star Idols: Wacky Voting Fills Final Slots

Hart, Longoria are in after crazy campaigns by fans
By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 11, 2008 8:34 AM CDT
All-Star Idols: Wacky Voting Fills Final Slots
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria secured the last spot on the American League All-Star team by racking up 9 million votes in the online balloting.   (AP Photo)

With one spot left in each league after the All-Star rosters were populated last week, it was time for America to do what it does best: inspire local fans to vote dozens, even hundreds of times. Milwaukee plastered hearts everywhere, Yankees fans slapped on fake mustaches, and Philadelphia staged a voting marathon. The New York Times reveals what worked.

In the NL, the "I Hart New York" campaign gathered around 8 million votes for the Brewers' Corey Hart, boosting him above David Wright (with a lackluster "Vote Wright Now" slogan) and Pat Burrell (for whom die-hard Phillies fans spent three days tirelessly clicking). In the AL, Tama Bay's Evan Longoria won with 9 million votes; Longoria T-shirts proved more effective (though less awesome) than the faux 'staches donned by Jason Giambi fans. (More baseball stories.)

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