October Legends and Americana Ending November 14th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/15/2015
The 1942 All-Star Game at New York's Polo Grounds marked the last time fans would see true big league baseball for years. That winter Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and now the U.S. was fighting a war on two fronts. Within months of the All-Star Game the National Pastime would be almost unrecognizable as the war effort drained all the familiar names from big league rosters. This last All-Star Game played on July 6, 1942 was delayed by rain and as such was the first to played entirely at night under lights. The war loomed large over the game as both teams rushed to finish before Manhattan's 9:30pm air raid blackout curfew took effect. The America League won the game 3-1 and it wasn't until 1946 that America would witness an All-Star gathering of this magnitude again. More than a third of the National Leaguers on this ball are Hall of Famers: Carl Hubbell, Mel Ott, Pee Wee Reese, Arky Vaughn, Leo Durocher, Enos Slaughter, Johnny Mize, Ernie Lombardi, Hal Newhouser and Bill McKechnie. Also found on the ball are dozens of National League standouts including Johnny "Double No-Hitter" Vander Meer, Whitlow Wyatt, Pete Reiser and Mort Cooper. The Official National League ball shows toning from age and a coat of shellack is evident. Parts of the surface shows scuffing and chipping. The blue and black fountain pen signatures have faded since 1942, but the key players are still readily visible to the eye. A great piece of baseball history from the last summer before all the best players went to war. Letter of Authenticity from JSA.