The 1942 Midsummer Classic was originally scheduled to be played in Brooklyn , Larry MacPhail moved the game to Polo Grounds due to its larger capacity and the fact that the proceeds from the game were to aid the war effort. The 1942 All Star Game was played on July 6, 1942 at the Polo Grounds in New York , New York . United States had been at war for seven months by the time the tenth Midsummer classic was played in 1942. The first war-time game was a twilight affair which started at 7:22 p.m. after a blackout test. American League manager Joe McCarthy and National League manager League manager Leo Durocher went at the game with different philosophies. Durocher used virtually his whole Squad, all twenty-two players, while McCarthy played only eleven. McCarthy used only two pitchers, while Durocher used four. Lou Boudreau led off the first inning with a home run and Tommy Henrich doubled. Mort Cooper looked impressive when he retired Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, but Rudy York sliced a line drive down the right-field line and into the Bleachers.

The run scored by the Nationals came in the eighth inning when Mickey Owen pinch-hit one into the left field stands. However, he had not and would not hit another home run during the entire season. The three inning rule regarding pitchers was suspended because the winning team was scheduled to play an All-Star team made up of Army and Navy serviceman. The American League maintained their lead and went on to win for the seventh time in ten All-Star Games. The winner of the 1942 Midsummer Classic (the American League) went on to play a military All-Star team on July 7, 1942 and proceeds from that game went to the Army-Navy relief fund. On July 6, 1942 , the Military enlistment and the draft had not yet begun the serious depletion of big-league teams that would take place over the next several years. However, enough players had entered the service to warrant a game July 7 in Cleveland between the winning All-Star team and Service All-Stars, with proceeds going to the Army-Navy relief fund. The American League won the match with 3-1 score against the National League.