Yankees owner George Steinbrenner made quite the entrance last night, waving to the crowd as he rode in on a golf cart before the All-Star Game.

Steinbrenner, 78, got a loud ovation when he was introduced during pregame ceremonies. He kept his aviator sunglasses on the whole time as he traveled along the Yankee Stadium warning track.

Steinbrenner's cart pulled up near the mound, where he delivered baseballs to Yankees Hall of Famers Goose Gossage, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson for the ceremonial first pitches.

Steinbrenner bought the Yankees in 1973 and the team has won six of its 26 World Series titles during his tenure.

Fitting farewell

As a gesture to the rich history of Yankee Stadium, the pregame ceremony featured the largest gathering of baseball stars. Forty-nine Hall of Famers were included, joining the present-day All-Stars at their positions on the field.

"The All-Star Game is so special, in and of itself, but when you add the fact that it is being played at such a historic ballpark like Yankee Stadium, it makes it that much more special," Cal Ripken Jr. said.

Lincecum hospitalized

Tim Lincecum was hospitalized with flulike symptoms, preventing the young San Francisco Giants star from attending his first All-Star Game. Lincecum was taken from his hotel to New York Presbyterian Hospital after feeling ill and was released later in the afternoon after getting treatment for flulike symptoms and dehydration. One of three pitchers in Giants history to win 10 of his first 11 decisions, Lincecum (11-2) leads the major leagues with 135 strikeouts and is fourth among starters with a 2.57 ERA.

Paying homage

Plenty of All-Stars talked about a pilgrimage to Monument Park this week, the historic site just past the outfield wall at Yankee Stadium, where some say the ghosts of Ruth, DiMaggio and Gehrig still reside. But only the American League side, dressing in the home clubhouse, could pay homage to Thurman Munson's locker shrine. Two down from where Yankees captain Derek Jeter dresses, Munson's locker remains empty 29 years after the All-Star catcher was killed in a plane crash.

Hotel guest

Josh Hamilton awoke the day after his dreamlike performance in the Home Run Derby and turned on the TV in his hotel room in midtown Manhattan and found the end of the movie "The Natural" playing. Just then he received a visitor. It was time for a random drug test. "Right when [Robert Redford's character] was about to hit the home run, the [drug-testing] guy came in," Hamilton said. "I said, 'Hold on. I've got to watch this.' "

Big ratings

More homes were tuned in to Monday night's Home Run Derby than have ever watched the event. The contest on ESPN was seen by nearly 6.2 million households, breaking the record of more than 5.7 million set in 1999, the network said.