1942 in sports - Definition and Overview

See also: 1941 in sports, other events of 1942, 1943 in sports and the list of 'years in sports'.

Many sporting events did not take place because of World War II.

Baseball

• January 4: Hall of Fame election: Rogers Hornsby is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, getting 78 percent of the vote. Further selections of 19th century players are delayed.

• January 15: President Franklin D. Roosevelt gives baseball the go-ahead to play despite World War II. FDR encourages more night baseball so that war workers may attend. Ironically, the Cubs, who had signed contracts to install lights at Wrigley Field, drop their plans because of the military need for the material. There will be no lights at Wrigley for 46 more years.

• World Series: St. Louis Cardinals defeats New York Yankees, 4 games to 1.

• The Winnipeg Maroons win the Northern League championship. It would also be their last.

Football (Australian Rules)

• Victorian Football League - Essendon wins the 46th VFL Premiership (Essendon 19.18 (132) d Richmond 11.13 (79))

Births

• January 17 - Cassius Clay, later Muhammed Ali, heavyweight boxing champion
• May 18 - Nobby Stiles, football player
• September 25 - Oscar Bonavena, Argentinian boxer (d. 1976)

Deaths