​Being selected to the MLB All-Star Game is an honor that sticks with a player forever. The game itself provides lifelong memories that remain even after a player’s career is over. But a strong first half in just one season can earn someone the distinction of being an MLB All-Star for the rest of his life.Over the years, the Chicago White Sox have had their fair share of obscure names represent them in the Midsummer Classic.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn 2026, outfielder Tristan Peters is definitely the most unexpected of the bunch. Peters was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations back in December, and he was 26 years old on Opening Day with zero career hits to his name. He proceeded to hit .301 with an .832 OPS in the first half of the season. Peters has 20 doubles, six home runs, and 36 RBIs. He just hit for the cycle, and his 2.9 fWAR is tied with players like Byron Buxton and Juan Soto.So while his All-Star selection might have been unexpected, it was inarguably deserved. Yet I cannot help but think about how we may look back on this first half from Peters a few years from now.Perhaps Peters will become a perennial All-Star and will be a franchise center fielder for the White Sox, building a name for himself in Chicago baseball lore. But we have also seen our fair share of players cement their legacies with an All-Star appearance after an outlier start to a season, just to fade into a distant memory.Only time will tell which path Peters takes, but what better time than now to reflect on the most obscure White Sox All-Star selections in recent memory?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFive players come to mind as particularly random All-Stars, either because they never repeated that success or because it’s simply difficult to remember what they did to make the All-Star team in the first place.James Baldwin is probably the easiest name to forget was ever an All-Star. He had a decent rookie season as a 24-year-old back in 1996, then spent three consecutive seasons in Chicago’s rotation with an ERA north of 5.00.In 2000, Baldwin started the season 10-1 with a 3.11 ERA through June 16. While he was knocked around a bit before the All-Star break and entered the game with a 4.28 ERA, his strong start to the season stood out. Paired with the fact that the 2000 White Sox had a 10.5-game lead in the AL Central and a 55-32 record at the break, it was enough for Baldwin to be recognized alongside Ray Durham and Magglio Ordóñez as one of the team’s All-Star representatives.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn 2001, Baldwin was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his age-30 season with the Seattle Mariners in 2002 was his final year as a regular piece of an MLB starting rotation. Baldwin retired with a career record of 79-74 and a 5.01 ERA. But he will forever be known as an MLB All-Star because of that strong start to the 2000 season.Carl Everett is widely recognized as a very good MLB player. He made a nam