The 1942 Major League Baseball season was contested from April 14 to October 5, 1942. The
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
and
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
were the regular season champions of the
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
and
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
, respectively. The Cardinals then defeated the Yankees in the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
, four games to one.
In the National League, the
Brooklyn Dodgers had a record of 104–50, but finished two
games behind
In most North American sports, the phrase games behind or games back (often abbreviated GB) is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division.
Example
In the below standings fr ...
the Cardinals; the Dodgers tied the
1909 Chicago Cubs, who had a record of 104–49, for the most wins in an MLB regular season without reaching the postseason.
Awards and honors
*
Baseball Hall of Fame
**
Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby Sr. (April 27, 1896 – January 5, 1963), nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1915–1926, 193 ...
*
Most Valuable Player
**
Joe Gordon
Joseph Lowell Gordon (February 18, 1915 – April 14, 1978), nicknamed "Flash" in reference to the comic-book character ''Flash Gordon'', was an American second baseman, coach and manager in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yank ...
(AL) – New York Yankees (2B)
**
Mort Cooper
Morton Cecil Cooper (March 2, 1913 – November 17, 1958) was an American baseball pitcher who played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played from 1938 to 1949 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Braves, New York Giants, and Chi ...
(NL) – St. Louis Cardinals (P)
*
The Sporting News Player of the Year Award
''Sporting News'' Player of the Year Award refers to a set of awards given to the player of the year in various sports as adjudged by '' Sporting News'':
Awards include:
* ''Sporting News'' College Football Player of the Year, beginning in 1942
...
**
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 1 ...
– Boston Red Sox (LF)
*
The Sporting News Most Valuable Player Award
**
Joe Gordon
Joseph Lowell Gordon (February 18, 1915 – April 14, 1978), nicknamed "Flash" in reference to the comic-book character ''Flash Gordon'', was an American second baseman, coach and manager in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yank ...
(AL) – New York Yankees (2B)
**
Mort Cooper
Morton Cecil Cooper (March 2, 1913 – November 17, 1958) was an American baseball pitcher who played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played from 1938 to 1949 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Braves, New York Giants, and Chi ...
(NL) – St. Louis Cardinals (P)
*
The Sporting News Manager of the Year Award
The ''Sporting News'' Manager of the Year Award was established in 1936 by ''The Sporting News'' and was given annually to one manager in Major League Baseball. In 1986 it was expanded to honor one manager from each league. In 2021 the winners we ...
**
Billy Southworth
William Harold Southworth (March 9, 1893 – November 15, 1969) was an American outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player in and and from to for five big-league teams, Southworth took part in almost 1,200 games, fell j ...
– St. Louis Cardinals
Standings
American League
National League
Postseason
Bracket