Traditionally, the managers of the winning pennant baseball teams of the previous year would have managed their respective leagues. However, with the firing of 1964 Yankees manager Yogi Berra, and the resignation of '64 Cardinals manager Johnny Keane (who then managed the Yankees), the second place managers (Al López of the White Sox and Gene Mauch of the Phillies) would manage their respective teams. In the National League, there had been a tie for second place, but Reds manager Fred Hutchinson had died in November 1964, making it unnecessary to break the tie.
After only five batters, the National League owned a 3–0 lead. Willie Mays hit a leadoff home run to left field off Milt Pappas, followed by a Willie Stargell single and a two-run Joe Torre homer.
Stargell's two-run homer in the second inning off Mudcat Grant made it 5–0. The NL was coasting until a four-run fifth inning against Jim Maloney, which included a pair of two-run homers by Dick McAuliffe and Harmon Killebrew, tying the game at 5-all.
The winning run scored in the seventh versus Sam McDowell on a walk to Mays, single by Hank Aaron, ground out by Roberto Clemente and infield hit by Ron Santo. Saving the game for the NL with two innings of relief was Bob Gibson, who, with Tony Oliva in scoring position after a ninth-inning double, struck out Killebrew and Joe Pepitone to end the game.