s a dream sequence to close out the century, only the Red Sox winning the World Series probably could surpass what will take place tonight on Yawkey Way with the 70th All-Star Game, the first in Boston in 38 years and the last to be played in Fenway Park.
Ted Williams, the 80-year-old Red Sox Hall of Famer who inspired fiction's Roy Hobbs to wish that when he walked down the street people would say, ''There goes the greatest hitter who ever lived,'' will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. On the receiving end will be Carlton Fisk, the New Hampshire block of granite whose 1975 World Series home run off the left-field foul pole reverberates yet through New England.
Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, the slender native of the Dominican Republic whose brilliance has reclaimed a niche for fearless pitchers in a game dominated by muscle-popping sluggers, will be on the mound as the starting pitcher for the American League All-Stars. His first pitch, to Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds, will be thrown to the backdrop of thousands of flashbulbs popping.
''He's halfway to 30 wins,'' Baltimore Orioles pitcher Mike Mussina marveled of Martinez, who has an outside shot at becoming the first pitcher since Detroit's Denny McLain in 1968 to win 30. ''That would be a tremendous accomplishment. Except for the days he's playing against us, I hope he takes a run at it.''
And playing behind Martinez will be the people's choice at shortstop, Nomar Garciaparra, who in his third season with the Red Sox has yet to cause Williams to reconsider the stunning proclamation he made this spring at his hitters museum, when he said, ''Boy, I'm looking at someone who is going to be as good as anyone who has ever played the game. I say that, and boy, I believe it, too. And the best thing about it is he's a terrific kid.''
Williams is not alone among Hall of Famers with admiration for Garciaparra. During batting practice yesterday afternoon, Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson, a player known for his ferocious will who later became the game's first African-American manager, approached Garciaparra with pen in hand and a piece of hotel stationery.
''Can I have your autograph?'' Robinson asked Garciaparra, who looked shocked. ''Seriously, I want your autograph.''
After Garciaparra obliged, Robinson said that he'd never before asked a ballplayer for an autograph.
''This autograph is for me,'' Robinson said. ''I've admired him ever since he came in the major leagues. I just love the way he plays the game and how much fun he has when he plays the game.''
Red Sox pitching coach Joe Kerrigan maintains that you have to go back 30 years to find such an overpowering pitcher as Martinez and such a complete position player as Garciaparra on the same team. ''There hasn't been anything like them,'' Kerrigan said, ''since Juan Marichal and Willie Mays.''
Marichal, now the minister of sport in Martinez's Dominican Republic, and Mays are in the Hall of Fame.
Standing alone as the star of the first rank will be the 87-year-old ballpark itself, which with a fresh application of lipstick and a new coat of makeup should prove irresistible yet again, even if the wrecking ball looms in the not-too-distant future.
''This is probably an important moment for a lot of us,'' said Ken Griffey Jr., the splendid center fielder for the Seattle Mariners who received more All-Star votes than any player in the American League. ''And as we go out there, maybe we'll take something, chip some paint off the wall, stick it in the bag, and take it home.
''There's something that I will take out of this ballpark before I leave.''
Ron Coomer of the Minnesota Twins, one of 24 first-time All-Stars and whose qualifications rank among the most modest of players here, said playing at Fenway would make this a cherished occasion. ''The smell of this stadium is very unique,'' Coomer said. ''Old beer, stale hotdogs, and peanuts. A great smell.''
There had been some uncertainty about Garciaparra's participation here, after he aggravated a strained left groin and missed the Red Sox' last nine games before the All-Star break. But despite the reservations expressed by Red Sox manager Jimy Williams, who is here as a coach for American League manager Joe Torre, Garciaparra said he felt compelled to play.
''It's very special,'' said Garciaparra, who overtook Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees and Omar Vizquel of the Cleveland Indians in the fan balloting, then took out ads in the Sunday Boston papers, thanking the local fans for their support.
''The fans here, the people of Boston have been so great to me, I love playing for them, day in, day out, going out there for them. Then, to have an event like this, to be able to go out there again for them, it's special.
''There will not be an opportunity to do it again in Fenway Park, and the fact that it is in Boston, and the last game of the century, I wanted to play.''
Garciaparra dismissed concerns that he was risking aggravating his injury. ''If we [the Red Sox] had a game today, I'd be dressed and ready to go,'' Garciaparra said. ''A lot of people don't realize it's an exhibition game. This is like a workout. I won't be playing a full nine. I'll probably just play an inning or two, whatever. It will be a good test.''
Garciaparra made the All-Star team as a rookie reserve in 1997, when he had one at-bat and flied out. But he also won the rookie Home Run Derby, and graduated last night to the main event, in which he took on such celebrated sluggers as Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs.
''Hey, we'll all be even,'' Garciaparra joked, ''until we take our first swings.''
Garciaparra hit two homers and was elminated after the first round.
Garciaparra spent much of the afternoon yesterday answering questions about the other elite young shortstops in the American League: Jeter and Alex Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners. Jeter was added as a reserve by Torre. Rodriguez, the AL starter in each of the last two years, missed 32 games and was left off the team, even though he had 19 home runs, more than both Garciaparra and Jeter.
As often as they are linked together, they might as well just shuffle the name cards. Derek Garciaparra. Alex Jeter. Nomar Rodriguez.
Tell me, one reporter said to Garciaparra at the media interview session, which one of you is the best-looking?
Garciaparra laughed. ''Them,'' he said. ''That's all I can tell you. Them.''
Baltimore Orioles ironman Cal Ripken, in the twilight years of a career in which he served as the prototype for shortstops such as Garciaparra who can field, hit, and hit for power, smiled when asked about the three gifted successors to his throne.
This is Ripken's 17th All-Star appearance, more than any other player.
''Jeter, Nomar, and A-Rod, they're going to be here for a long, long time,'' Ripken said. ''They'll be sitting here 17 years from now, discussing the same things I am now.''
Michael Madden of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.
