For one day in the South, baseball was king.

Living here for the past four years, I can attest that football is the overwhelming majority of any sport, and baseball — pro, not college — is in the miniscule minority.

Yet, on Aug. 3 — the game was suspended from Aug. 2 — at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee, more than 91,000 fans watched a baseball game between Atlanta and Cincinnati. The Braves won the game, 4-2.

In this version of my Yesterday column — reminiscing about sports and pop culture in the 1960s, 70s, 80s and sometimes before and beyond — I’ll reflect on some games that broke the mold and traditional sites and formats with an all-star theme.

For your thoughts, who was the former Phillies’ manager who pinch-hit in a game against the Reading Phillies? What was pro basketball’s “Supergame” in the 1970s? What former Phillie hit two inside-the-park homers in one game?

And did you watch “All-Star Wrestling?”

Other Stops ... Last year, MLB hosted a game at Rickwood Field in Alabama to honor Negro League connections between San Francisco and St. Louis — and also the late Willie Mays for his Alabama playing roots.

In 2016, you may recall the Fort Bragg game on its base in North Carolina between Miami and Atlanta, where MLB spent $5 million to convert a closed golf course into a 12,000-seat stadium.

And there also has been the classic Field of Dreams game in Iowa in 2021 and 2022.

You may have been in the stands at Williamsport, which began hosting MLB games during the Little League World Series in August, beginning in 2017. The Phillies were there in 2018 and 2023.

Since 1966, MLB has hosted games periodically throughout the globe.

Closer to Home ... Aside from Williamsport, you may have made a stop at Reading for the Phillies’ annual exhibition game that began in the late 60s and continued until 2000. It usually was held in April on an early day off or sometimes May.

Two interesting memories from the game were former manager Danny Ozark, who pinch-hit and flew out in the 1976 game, and then newly-signed Mike Schmidt — who played shortstop — hitting a walk-off homer for Reading in the 1971 game.

Schmidt finished the year at Double-A Reading, where he hit .211 in 74 games before he was promoted to Triple-A Eugene the following season. In September of 1972, Schmidt was a September call-up.

Rapid-Fire Trivia ... In 1972, against what team did Mike Schmidt hit his first career home run? Can you name the pitcher? Don’t look now, but the answer is below. See if you can get it.

On the Hardwood ... In May 1971, the first NBA-ABA All-Star game was held at the Astrodome in front of more than 16,000 onlookers.

It was the billed as the “Supergame.”

Bill Russell coached the NBA team and Larry Brown headed the ABA squad in the inaugural showdown won by the NBA, 125-120. The Knicks’ Walt Frazier was the game’s MVP for his 26-point performance. Philly’s Billy Cunningham had five points, and the Nets’ Rick Barry led the ABA with 20 points.

It was a “neat” concept of mixing both games’ rules. In the opening half, the NBA’s 24-secnd shot clock and ball were used, while in the second half the ABA’s 30-second clock, their three-point shot — yes, they had one — and their vintage red-white-and blue ball were implemented.

The following season, the game was played again, this time at the Nassau Coliseum, and the NBA won a tight 106-104 contest. Detroit’s Bob Lanier took home top honors with his 15-point, seven-rebound showing.

A third game was slated for 1974 at the Providence Civil Center and would be part of ABC’s Wide World of Sports. However, the game was canceled when NBA owners won an arbitration, blocking their players from participating.

The game was scheduled to be shown on ABC, even though CBS won the league’s broadcast rights that year.

I know I must have watched it, but I can’t recall any details.

More Hardwood ... In June of 1971, another NBA-ABA tilt was held in the Martin Luther King Jr. Benefit Game in Indianapolis.

This was a different concept organized as an East vs. West theme, that utilized players from both leagues together geographically.

Unfortunately, the game only drew a little more than 6,000 and the West pulled out a 111-100 victory. The West’s Connie Hawkins was the game’s MVP.

The game began in August of 1968 — three months after King was assassinated — and was organized by Oscar Robertson, who was a Cincinnati Royal (how may players can you name from that team?)

There were 27 NBA greats who basically played a pickup game on a court in New York City.

On the Gridiron ... In 1976, the final College All Star Game — pitting a team of collegiate stars against the defending Super Bowl champions — took place at Chicago’s Soldier Field with the Steelers winning a 24-0 shortened contest due to rain and lightning. Over the years, Chicago was the prime site for the event.

Late in the third quarter, players were ordered to their locker rooms, and fans stormed the field. Stadium security and Chicago police officers couldn’t control the chaos that resulted in one of the goal posts being torn down. There was also reportedly 18 inches of water on various parts of the field.

Overall, there were 42 College All-Star Games in which the defending pro champions won 31, the All-Stars won nine, and there were two ties.

On the Pond ... Since 2002, the NHL has taken its game outdoors in the forms of the Heritage Classic, Winter Classic and the Stadium Series. The Flyers have participated in 2012, 2017, and 2019. It you were at any of them, you probably had to be layered in clothing.

Some of you may have a recollection of two exhibition games in the 1950s. One involved the Detroit Red Wings playing inmates in Marquette Branch in a fenced-off, open air ice rink.

Another one was when the Bruins played against a local team in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland.

Any Rangers’ fans may think back to 1991 when their team played the Kings during a preseason game at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, marking the first sanctioned outdoor NHL game.

All-en on This One ... One of baseball’s unique moments involved former Phillie Dick Allen, who had the distinction of hitting two inside-the-park homers for the White Sox in an 8-1 victory over the Twins in 1972. Allen, who had five RBIs, hit both off Bert Blyleven.

Who was the ex-Phillie in right field for the White Sox in that game? It was Jay Johnstone, who went 0-for-4.

Allen went on to win the American League MVP that season, hitting .308 with 37 homers and 113 RBI — both league highs — as well as an AL-leading 99 walks.

By the way, Johnstone hit just .188 with four homers and 17 RBIs. He was nearly out of baseball when the Cardinals released him in late March of 1974 before the Phillies signed him a week later.

WWWF/WWE WRAP ... Each week, I’ll rekindle some thoughts about a former wrestler we likely watched.

Do you remember “All-Star Wrestling” (I believe on Channel 29) on a late Saturday morning? Most of them were taped at the Hamburg Field House from 1971-1986. You could also find the show on New York’s Channel 9.

It introduced us to Vince McMahon, usually in a powder blue or red sports jacket, and normally legendary grappler Antonia Rocca as well as other co-hosts.

Rocca was famous for thanking McMahon for “this beautiful bouquet of wrestling,” and then stating that he was “going to take his shoes off.” Never quite got that one.

One of the major highlights of the show were the interviews, usually about halfway through the hour show.

Think back about a marquee villain or villains accompanied by the legendary managers Lou Albano, The Grand Wizard, or Freddie Blassie. They would boast about how they would win the championship or tag-team championship in an upcoming match.

That would be followed by the rather low-key response from their good-guy opponent, and their response sometimes could get animated as well.

It was must-watch TV.

Rapid-Fire Trivia Answer ... Schmidt hit his first career homer against the Expos on Sept. 16, 1972. He accounted for all the Phils’ runs, belting a three-run homer off Balor Moore in a 3-1 victory.

In that game, Craig Robinson started at shortstop (Larry Bowa later replaced him), Terry Harmon at second, Bill Robinson in center, Roger Freed in right, and Joe Lis at first. Tim McCarver was the Expos’ catcher.

Talk about stepping back in time.

Closing Thought ... Did you get the answers on ESPN’s ‘Stump the Schwab” show?

Your thoughts are always welcomed; email them to tnsports@tnonline.com