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Stan Musial

 
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Stanley Frank Musial
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Musial
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Musial (credit: Pictorial Parade-EB Inc.)
(born Nov. 21, 1920, Donora, Pa., U.S.) U.S. baseball player. Musial played his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals (1941 – 63), starting as a pitcher but switching to the outfield and ultimately to first base. A left-handed batter, "Stan the Man" became one of the game's great hitters. His lifetime totals of hits (3,630), runs (1,949), and times at bat were second only to those of Ty Cobb, his total of runs batted in (1,951) was the fourth-highest of all time, and his total of extra-base hits (1,477) was only surpassed later by Hank Aaron. Popular among fans for his unfailing graciousness, he became a Cardinals executive after retirement.

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Biography: Stan Musial
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Stan Musial (born 1920), one of baseball's greatest hitters, enjoyed an extraordinary career with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1941 through 1963. Called "Stan the Man" because of his intimidating presence at the plate, Musial won seven batting championships and three Most Valuable Player awards.

Accommodating to fans and the media both during and after his playing career, Musial was considered one of the game's most gentlemanly and down-to-earth ambassadors. He came from rural Pennsylvania, never graduated from high school, and sometimes stammered in public. His love for baseball overcame all obstacles, however, and he became known nationwide as a symbol of batting excellence. "I was a poor boy who struck it rich in many ways through the wonders of baseball," Musial said in his autobiography.

Meteoric Rise

The Cardinals' greatest player was born Stanislaus Musial in Donora, a mill town in southwestern Pennsylvania's Monongahela Valley on December 21, 1920. His father, Lukasz Musial, was a shy Polish immigrant who worked in the shipping department of a local mill. The parents of his mother, Mary Lancos, had migrated from Czechoslovakia, and her father was a coal miner. Mary and Lukasz Musial had four girls before their son, Stanislaus, was born in 1920. Stan also had a younger brother, who played minor league baseball after World War II.

Musial, a bashful boy, became interested in baseball because he had a neighbor who played semi-pro ball. "I could always hit," Musial told the Sporting News. "I learned to hit with a broomstick and a ball of tape and I could always get that bat on the ball." Musial, who batted and threw left-handed, acquired the habit of hitting to the opposite field while playing for the Donora Zinc Works team in 1937. At the hometown field, trolley tracks shortened the distance to the left-field fence, so Musial tried to aim that way. The ability to go the opposite way became one of his greatest weapons.

Musial was 16 and a flame-throwing but erratic pitcher when he signed his first professional contract. Pittsburgh never courted him. Instead, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, whose owner Branch Rickey was known for his scouting system. In the winter of 1937-1938, Musial starred on Donora High School's basketball team. The next two summers he pitched for Williamson, WV, in the Class D Mountain States League of the low minors. In 1939, the Williamson manager, Harrison Wickel, reported to the Cardinals that Musial, who had struck out 85 batters and walked 84 others in 91 innings, was the wildest pitcher he had ever seen. He recommended Musial be released. But an injury to an outfielder forced Musial into the lineup, and he batted .352.

After the 1939 season, Musial married his high school sweetheart, Lillian Labash. They would have an enduring marriage and four children: son Dick and daughters Gerry, Janet and Jeanie.

In 1940, playing for Class D Daytona Beach in the Florida State League, Musial hit .311, playing the outfield between pitching assignments. During one game he injured his shoulder trying to make a diving catch in center field. It ruined his pitching arm, and his career seemed in jeopardy. But the Cardinals organization had recognized his remarkable hitting ability.

In 1941, Musial went from being an unknown, minor league player to a hitter who won a regular job in the major leagues. He was quickly promoted from Class C Springfield (Missouri), where he hit .379 with 24 home runs in 87 games, to Class B Rochester (New York). After Rochester finished its season, Musial was called up to St. Louis. He had six hits in a doubleheader and hit .426 in 12 games. No one ever asked him to pitch again.

The Cardinals' Man

The next season, Musial was installed in left field for the Cardinals. At 21, he was the youngest player on a youthful, carefree squad. "There were more small-town and farm boys then and fewer college men," Musial recalled in his autobiography, Stan Musial: "The Man's" Own Story. "They horsed around more, cut up with hillbilly songs and musical instruments. … I never had the courage to try my harmonica outside my hotel room, but I could make my share of noise with that slide whistle and coat hanger. I always thought it helped to laugh it up before a game, not to become too tense."

Led by Musial's hot bat, the loose, inexperienced Cardinals surprised everyone by winning 106 games, including 43 of their last 52, to claim the National League pennant. Then St. Louis beat the favored Yankees in the World Series, and Musial was on a world championship team in his first full season.

Musial was disliked by Brooklyn Dodgers' fans, who bestowed his nickname. Groaning when he came up to bat in key situations, they would yell: "Oh no. Here comes that Man again." From then on, he was always "Stan the Man." Musial didn't find out till after he retired that Dodgers' shortstop, Pee Wee Reese, often used to steal his bat before games.

Musial had an unorthodox batting stance. He crouched down to make the strike zone smaller, held his hands back until the last possible instant, and punched many of his hits the opposite way. "A lot of guys saw my hitting style and said I'd never hit in the big leagues," Musial recalled. In fact, Musial feasted on all types of pitching. "I learned early to hit the curveball," Musial wrote in his autobiography. "From the beginning I was a natural fastball hitter, so they started throwing me curves, so many of them that I sharpened up against the breaking ball."

Musial contended that the most important aspects of hitting were relaxation and concentration. "It's necessary to have mental tenacity at the plate, but to avoid physical tension," he wrote. "If I freed my mind of all distracting thoughts, I could tell what a pitch was going to be when it got about halfway to the plate." In a later interview, Musial told the Sporting News he could always tell when a pitcher was going to throw him a fastball, his favorite pitch to hit: "I had a sixth sense. I don't know what else you call it, but it never deceived me."

The Cardinals had been a decent team, but with Musial batting third in the lineup they became a perennial power-house. Led by Musial's league-leading .357 average in 1943 and his .347 mark in 1944, the Cardinals won two more pennants during years when baseball's player ranks were being depleted by World War II. The Cardinals lost the World Series to the Yankees in 1943 and to their cross-town rivals, the St. Louis Browns, in 1944.

Musial was drafted in 1945, joined the Navy, and served on a ship repair unit in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He played baseball every afternoon on a base team to entertain service personnel. Without Musial, the Cardinals faltered in 1945. Musial returned in 1946 and resumed his incredible hitting, leading the league with a .365 mark and taking St. Louis to the World Series again. The Cardinals defeated Boston in a thrilling seven-game series billed as a showdown between Musial and Red Sox slugger, Ted Williams, to whom Musial was often compared. The Cardinals would never win another pennant during Musial's long tenure, though they came close several times.

In 1948, Musial had his best year, batting .376 with 39 home runs and 131 runs batted in and a league-leading .702 slugging percentage. That year, he became the first National League player to win the Most Valuable Player award three times. Musial was a hitting machine-dependable and productive. He excelled at the two most important aspects of batting-getting on base and driving in runners. He liked light, thin-handled bats that he could whip around quickly. He would scrape the handles all season to thin the bats even more. Players around the league feared his screaming line drives.

Quiet and shy, Musial kept his opinions to himself. He generally stayed away from controversy. But when the Cardinals took advantage of his easygoing demeanor to hold down his salary, he staged several holdouts. Baseball experts agreed he and Williams were the best hitters of their era, and two of the best in baseball history. However, compared to later players like Mickey Mantle, who spent their careers in the New York limelight, Musial was relatively underpaid and under-recognized by the public.

Enjoyed the Game

Playing outside a major media market throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s, Musial symbolized the workaday ballplayer who loved baseball and delighted loyal fans with his steady play. He became an institution in St. Louis, opening a restaurant in 1949 and remaining in the public eye throughout his career and after his retirement.

In May 1954, Musial hit five home runs in a doubleheader at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. About that time, Musial, never blessed with great speed, began playing more games at first base than in the outfield. He was never known as an outstanding fielder, but he worked hard to become an adequate one. His hitting, however, overshadowed all else. For 16 consecutive seasons, Musial batted over .300. Only Ty Cobb had more years in a row hitting .300. Musial led the National League in hitting seven times, and only Cobb and Honus Wagner won more batting titles.

After he failed to hit .300 in 1959, Musial considered retirement. However, to the surprise of many, he played four more seasons, getting frequent rests to nurse a myriad of injuries. He returned to the outfield to make room for first baseman Bill White. In 1962, at the age of 41, Musial played left field and hit .330. "I was having too much fun hitting to want to quit," Musial recalled.

In 1963, his last season, Musial contributed as the Cardinals mounted a furious drive at the end of the season. He hit his last major league home run to tie the score in a key game against the Dodgers, but the Cardinals' pennant bid fell short. In his last day as a Cardinals player, Musial had two hits after being honored in pre-game ceremonies. "My heart is filled with thanks for so many who made these 22 years possible," he told the crowd.

Musial finished with 1,951 runs batted in, fourth on the all-time list, and with 6,134 total bases, second-highest in history. He also ranked in the Top Ten in career hits (3,630), runs scored (1,949), doubles (725), walks (1,599), and games (3,026). Though not a bona fide power hitter, he finished with 475 home runs. He led the league in hits six times, in doubles eight times, in triples five times, in runs five times, and in runs batted in twice.

Retirement

After his retirement, "Stan the Man" remained a popular figure in St. Louis, running his restaurant and speaking frequently. When the Cardinals opened a new stadium, local baseball writers staged a testimonial dinner and raised $40,000 to erect a statue of Musial at the ballpark. In 1969, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. His career had spanned the era from before World War II to the 1960s. "I believe I played in the most exciting era of baseball," Musial recalled in his autobiography. "I saw the game change from day to night, from regional to national, from long train trips to short plane flights, from cabbage leaves under the cap in hot weather to air-conditioned dugouts….

"I say baseball was a great game, is a great game, and will be a great game. I'm extremely grateful for what it has given me-in recognition and records, thrills and satisfaction, money and memories. I hope I've given nearly as much as I've gotten from it."

Further Reading

Broeg, Bob, and Stan Musial, Stan Musial: "The Man's" Own Story, as told to Bob Broeg, Doubleday, 1964.

American Heritage, October 1992.

Sporting News, July 28, 1997.

 
Columbia Encyclopedia: Stanley Frank Musial
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Musial, Stanley Frank (myū'zēəl), 1920-, American baseball player, b. Donora, Pa. At 17 he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National League, and after three years in the minor leagues joined (1941) the Cardinals. One of the game's great hitters, "Stan the Man" won the National League batting championship seven times (1943, 1946, 1948, 1950-52, 1957) and the league's Most Valuable Player award three times (1943, 1946, 1948). In 1963 he retired with a lifetime batting average of .331. He hit 475 home runs and for many years held the National League record for base hits (3,630). He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.
Wikipedia: Stan Musial
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Stan Musial

Outfielder / First baseman
Born: November 21, 1920 (1920-11-21) (age 88)
Donora, Pennsylvania
Batted: Left Threw: Left 
MLB debut
September 17, 1941 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
September 29, 1963 for the St. Louis Cardinals
Career statistics
Batting average     .331
Hits     3,630
Doubles     725
Home runs     475
RBI     1,951
Slugging percentage     .559
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Member of the National
Empty Star.svg Empty Star.svg Empty Star.svg Baseball Hall of Fame Empty Star.svg Empty Star.svg Empty Star.svg
Induction     1969
Vote     93.2% (first ballot)

Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial (born November 21, 1920), born Stanisław Franciszek Musiał, (pronounced /ˈmjuːziəl/), is a retired American professional baseball player who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1941 to 1963. A 24-time All-Star selection, Musial accumulated 3,630 hits and 475 home runs during his career, was named the National League's Most Valuable Player three times, and was a member of three World Series championship teams.

Musial was born in Donora, Pennsylvania, where he frequently played baseball in both informal and organized settings, eventually playing on the baseball team at Donora High School. Signed to a professional contract by the St. Louis Cardinals as a pitcher in 1938, by the time Musial made his Major League debut on September 17, 1941, he had been converted into an outfielder. Musial quickly established himself as a consistent and productive hitter, leading the National League in six different offensive categories in 1943 while concurrently earning his first MVP award. After winning his second World Series in 1944, Musial missed the entire 1945 season while serving with the United States Navy.

Receiving his nickname of "The Man" from Brooklyn Dodger fans in 1946, Musial continued his consistent hitting and annual All-Star appearances. In 1948 Musial finished one home run shy of winning baseball's Triple Crown. After struggling offensively in 1959, Musial utilized a personal trainer to increase his productivity until deciding to retire in 1963. Musial served as the Cardinals' General Manager in 1966 and 1967, in addition to overseeing various businesses both before and after his playing career, such as a restaurant. Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969 on his first ballot, Musial was selected for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999.

Contents

Early life

Musial was born in Donora, Pennsylvania, the fifth of Lukasz and Mary Musial's six children (four girls and two boys).[1] Musial's father was a Polish immigrant who chose the name Stanislaus for his first son, though his father always referred to Musial using the Polish nickname "Stashu".[1] Musial frequently played baseball with his brother Ed and other friends during his childhood, and considered Lefty Grove his favorite ballplayer.[2][3] Musial also had the benefit of learning about baseball from his neighbor Joe Barbao, a former minor league pitcher.[4] When Musial enrolled in school, his name was formally changed to "Stanley Frank."[1]

At the age of fifteen, Musial joined the Donora Zincs, a semi-professional team managed by Barbao.[5] In his Zincs debut, Musial pitched six innings and struck out thirteen batters, all of them adults.[5] Musial also played one season on the newly revived Donora High School baseball team, where one of his teammates was the grandfather of future major league player Ken Griffey, Jr.[6][7] Comparing Griffey Jr. to Musial, baseball statistician Bill James wrote of Griffey Jr: "The second-best left-handed hitting, left-handed throwing outfielder ever born in Donora, Pennsylvania on November 21."[8]

Musial also played basketball, and was offered a scholarship in that sport by the University of Pittsburgh.[5][6] Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals had scouted Musial as a pitcher, and in 1937, offered him a professional contract after a workout with their Class D Penn State League affiliate.[9] Musial's father initially resisted the idea of his son forgoing college to pursue baseball, but reluctantly gave his consent after lobbying by both Musial and his mother.[10] Musial also credited his school librarian Helen Kloz for pointing out that baseball was Musial's dream, and advising him to pursue it professionally.[11] In what was then a common practice, the Cardinals did not file the contract with the Commissioner's office until June 1938. This preserved Musial's amateur eligibility, and he was still able to participate in high school sports, leading Donora High School's basketball team to a playoff appearance.[12] Musial then reported to the Cardinals' Class D team in Williamson, West Virginia.[13][14]

Career

Musial's rookie year with Williamson was a period of adjustment, both on and off the field. Musial learned more about strategy, including signs, pickoff attempts, and backing up bases.[15] He posted a 6-6 record and a 4.66 ERA, to go along with a .258 batting average.[16] Off the field, Musial confronted feelings of homesickness, while learning to live comfortably and independently on his $65-a-month salary.[15] Musial finished his high school education before returning to Williamson in spring 1939. That season, his numbers improved to a 9-2 record, a 4.30 ERA, and a .352 batting average.[17][18]

Musial spent the 1940 season with the Cardinals' Class D team in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he played the outfield between pitching starts.[19] On May 25, 1940, Musial married fellow Donora resident Lillian "Lil" Labash in Daytona Beach, and the couple's first child followed in August 1940.[20] During late August, Musial suffered a shoulder injury while playing in the outfield, and later made an early exit as the starting pitcher in a 12–5 playoff game loss.[21] In 113 games, Musial hit .311, while compiling an 18-5 pitching record that included 176 strikeouts and 145 walks.[22][23]

Musial was assigned to the Class AA Columbus, Ohio team to begin 1941, though manager Burt Shotton, and Musial himself, quickly realized that the previous year's injury had considerably weakened Musial's arm.[24] He was reassigned to Class C Springfield, Missouri as a fulltime outfielder, and Musial later credited manager Ollie Vanek for displaying confidence in his hitting ability.[25] During 87 games with Springfield, Musial hit a league-leading .379, before being promoted to the International League team in Rochester, New York.[26] He continued to hit well, including eleven hits in a three-game stretch. Musial was called up to the Cardinals for the last two weeks of the 1941 season.[27]

1941-1945

Statue of Stan Musial outside Busch Stadium

Musial made his major league debut during the second game of a doubleheader at Sportsman's Park on September 17, 1941.[28] The Cardinals were in the midst of a pennant race with the Brooklyn Dodgers; in twelve games, Musial collected 20 hits for a .426 batting average.[29] Despite Musial's late contributions, the Cardinals finished two and one-half games behind the 100-game-winning Brooklyn Dodgers.[30]

Cardinals manager Billy Southworth used Musial as the left fielder to begin 1942, sometimes lifting him for a pinch-hitter against left-handed pitching.[31] Musial was hitting .315 by late June,[32] as the Cardinals resumed battling the Dodgers for first place in the National League.[33] The Cardinals took sole possession of first place on September 13, but it was only when Musial caught a fly ball to end the first game of a doubleheader on September 27 that they clinched the pennant with their 105th win of the season.[34] Finishing the season with a .315 batting average and 72 RBIs in 140 games, Musial received national publicity in September when St. Louis Post-Dispatch sports editor J. Roy Stockton named Musial as his choice for Rookie of the Year in a Saturday Evening Post article.[35][36]

The Cardinals played the American League champion New York Yankees in the 1942 World Series.[37] Representing the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 1 at Sportsman's Park, Musial grounded out with the bases loaded to seal a Yankees victory.[38] Musial's first hit of the Series was an RBI single that provided the margin of victory in Game 2, allowing the Cardinals to tie the Series.[39] Over the next three games at Yankee Stadium, Musial had three more hits as the Cardinals defeated the Yankees in the series four games to one, finishing the series with a .222 batting average and two runs scored.[40]

Musial's 1943 started with a brief contract holdout in spring training.[41] Musial was selected to his first All-Star Game in 1943[41] and finished the regular season leading the National League in hits (220), doubles (48), triples (20), total bases (347), on-base percentage (.425), and slugging percentage (.562).[42] This performance earned him his first National League Most Valuable Player award, finishing ahead of teammate Walker Cooper in balloting.[42] After romping to another National League pennant by 18 games, the Cardinals again faced the Yankees in the 1943 World Series.[43] Musial had a single as part of the Cardinals' Game 1 loss, and scored a run in a Game 2 win.[43] The Cardinals did not win another game in the Series, but the loser's bonus share paid to Cardinals players ($4,321.99) still amounted to nearly two-thirds of Musial's 1943 regular season salary.[44]

The realities of World War II began to encroach on Musial's baseball career in 1944, as Musial underwent a physical examination as prelude to possible service in the United States armed forces.[45] Musial ultimately remained with the Cardinals for the entire season, posting a .347 batting average with 197 hits.[46][47] The Cardinals claimed the National League pennant for the third consecutive season, and faced St. Louis' other team, the Browns in the 1944 World Series.[48] The Browns took a 2-1 lead, while Musial hit .250 with zero RBIs.[49] Musial broke out in Game 4 with a two-run home run, single, double, and a walk as part of a 5-1 Cardinals win.[49] The Cardinals went on to defeat the Browns in six games, with Musial posting a .304 batting average for the Series.[50][51]

Musial entered the United States Navy on January 23, 1945, and was initially assigned to non-combat duty at the Naval Training Station in Bainbridge, Maryland.[52] On ship repair duty at Pearl Harbor later in the year, Musial was able to play baseball every afternoon in the naval base's eight-team league.[53] After being granted emergency leave to see his ailing father in January 1946, Musial spent a brief time assigned to the Philadelphia Navy Yard before being honorably discharged from the Navy in March.[53]

1946-1949

Rejoining the Cardinals under new manager Eddie Dyer, Musial posted a .388 batting average by the middle of May 1946.[54] Musial also became close friends with new teammate Red Schoendienst, who had joined the Cardinals during Musial's absence in 1945.[55] During the season, Musial (who was under contract to the Cardinals for $13,500 in 1946) was offered a five-year, $125,000 contract, plus a $50,000 bonus to join the Mexican League.[56] Musial declined the offer, and after manager Dyer spoke to club owner Sam Breadon, Musial was given a $5,000 raise later in 1946.[57]

Every time Stan came up they chanted, Here comes the man!
—Cardinals traveling secretary Leo Ward relates Dodger fans' nickname for Musial to sportswriter Bob Broeg[58]

It was also during the 1946 season that Musial acquired his nickname of the "The Man."[58] During the June 23 game against the Dodgers at Ebbets Field, St. Louis Post-Dispatch sportswriter Bob Broeg heard Dodger fans chanting whenever Musial came to bat, but could not understand the words.[58][59] Later that day over dinner, Broeg asked Cardinals traveling secretary Leo Ward if he had understood what the Dodger fans had been chanting.[58] Ward said that, "Every time Stan came up they chanted, 'Here comes the man!'" "'That man,' you mean," Broeg said. "No, the man," replied Ward.[58] Broeg mentioned this story in his Post-Dispatch column, and Musial was thereafter known as Stan "The Man."[58]

In June 1946, Dyer began to use Musial as a first baseman. [60] The Cardinals finished the season tied with the Brooklyn Dodgers,[61] prompting a three-game playoff for the pennant. Musial's Game 1 triple and Game 2 double contributed to the Cardinals' two-games-to-none series victory.[62] Facing the Boston Red Sox in the 1946 World Series,[63] Musial had six hits and four RBI, as the Cardinals won the Series four games to three.[64] Musial won his second MVP Award, receiving 22 out of a possible 24 first-place votes, and finishing ahead of Brooklyn's Dixie Walker.[65]

Musial began the 1947 season by hitting .146 in April.[66] On May 9, team doctor Dr. Robert Hyland confirmed a previous diagnosis of appendicitis, while also discovering that Musial was also suffering from tonsilitis.[67] Musial received treatment for the conditions, yet did not have either the appendix or tonsils surgically removed until after the conclusion of the 1947 season.[68] Despite his health woes, Musial finished the year with a batting average of .312.[69]

Fully recovered from his previous ailments, Musial recorded his 1,000th career hit on April 25 of the 1948 season.[70] After a May 7 St. Louis Globe-Democrat article criticized baseball players for appearing in cigarette advertisements, Musial made a personal decision to never again appear in such ads.[71] By June 24, Musial's batting average was .408, prompting Brooklyn pitcher Preacher Roe to comically announce his new method for retiring Musial as: "Walk him on four pitches and pick him off first."[72] Given a mid-season pay raise by new Cardinals owner Robert E. Hannegan for outstanding performance, Musial hit a home run in the 1948 All-Star Game.[73] On September 22, Musial registered five hits in a game for the fourth time in the 1948 season, tying a mark set by Ty Cobb in 1922.[74] Musial finished 1948 leading the major leagues in batting average (.376), hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18), total bases (429), and slugging percentage (.702).[75] Winning the NL batting title by a 43-point margin, with an on-base percentage lead of 27 points and a 138-point slugging margin -- the latter being the largest gap since Rogers Hornsby's 1925 season -- Musial became the first National League player to win the N.L. MVP award for a third time.[75]

If a home run Musial hit during a rainout game had been counted in his season totals, he would have won the Triple Crown by leading the National League in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.[75][76] Speaking to Peter Golenbock, Musial later recalled:

"In ‘48 I came within one home run of the Triple Crown. I had one home run rained out, actually, and Red Schoendienst reminded me that I hit another ball in Shibe Park in Philadelphia that hit the speakers of the PA system above the fence, and (umpire) Frank Dascoli called it a two-base hit. Red said it should have been a home run, or else I’d have led the league in everything."[77]

In his memoirs, sportswriter Bob Broeg noted, "If it had counted, [Musial] would have... been the only player of this century to lead the league in runs, hits, double, triples, and slugging percentage. What a year!"[78]

Anticipating life after his baseball career, Musial began the first of several business partnerships with Julius "Biggie" Garagnani in January 1949, opening "Stan Musial & Biggie's" restaurant.[79][80] Musial approached the 1949 season with the intent to consciously try to hit more home runs, stating he had hit 39 home runs the previous season "without trying."[81] His new focus on hitting for power backfired, as pitchers began using the outside part of the plate to induce Musial to ground out to the first or second baseman.[81] Musial soon stopped swinging for the fences, and regained his consistent offensive production by the end of May.[81] Musial earned his sixth consecutive All-Star Game selection, and led the National League in hits (207) while playing in every game.[82] However, the Cardinals finished one game behind the Dodgers in the standings.[83]

1950-1954

Musial began the 1950s by posting a .350 batting average before participating in the 1950 All-Star Game, where in fan balloting he was the National League's second-leading vote getter.[84] The longest hitting streak of Musial's career occurred during the 1950 season, reaching 30 games before ending on July 27.[84] With the Cardinals falling 14 games out of first place by September, manager Dyer utilized Musial at first base and all three outfield positions.[84][85] New Cardinals manager Marty Marion led the team to a third place finish in 1951, while Musial was named The Sporting News Major League Player of the Year.[86]

No man has ever been a perfect ballplayer. Stan Musial, however, is the closest to being perfect in the game today....He plays as hard when his club is away out in front of a game as he does when they're just a run or two behind.
—Ty Cobb writes about Musial in a 1952 Life magazine article[87]

National media attention inadvertently turned to Musial a month before the 1952 season began, after Ty Cobb wrote an article regarding modern baseball players that was published in Life magazine.[87] Cobb singled out Musial and Phil Rizzuto as the only players "...who can be mentioned in the same breath with the oldtime greats...."[87]. Cobb went on to refer to Musial as "...a better player than Joe DiMaggio was in his prime."[87] Musial displayed his characteristic modesty in responding to Cobb's article by saying, "Cobb is baseball's greatest. I don't want to contradict him, but I can't say that I was ever as good as Joe DiMaggio."[87]

The only major league pitching appearance of Musial's career occurred as a publicity stunt during the last Cardinals' home game of the 1952 season.[88][89] Cardinals manager Eddie Stanky had a reluctant Musial pitch to Frank Baumholtz, the runner-up to Musial for the best batting average in the National League that season.[88] With Baumholtz batting right-handed for the first time in his career, Musial's first pitch was hit so hard it ricocheted off the shin of third baseman Solly Hemus and into the left field corner.[88] The play was ruled an error, and Musial was embarrassed enough by his complicity in the gimmick to avoid pitching again for the remainder of his career.[88]

The Cardinals franchise was up for sale in early 1953, and Musial and Schoendienst advised their friend and fellow duck-hunter Gussie Busch to consider buying the team.[90] Busch utilized the resources of the Anheuser-Busch company to purchase the Cardinals, keeping Musial in St. Louis by averting the possibility of the Cardinals moving to another city.[90][91] The 1953 season marked Musial's tenth All-Star selection, and the twelfth consecutive time he finished a Major League season with a batting average above .300.[35][92]

Musial accomplished another historical feat on May 2, 1954, when [93] in a doubleheader in St. Louis against the New York Giants, Musial hit three home runs in the first contest, then added two more in the second game to become the first major league player to hit five home runs in a doubleheader.[93] In addition to his five home runs, Musial also hit a single in the first game, setting a new record of 21 total bases for a doubleheader.[93] To date Nate Colbert is the only player besides Musial to have hit five home run in a doubleheader, in 1972.[94]

1955-1959

The twelfth All-Star appearance of Musial's career occurred in 1955, when Cincinnati's Ted Kluszewski outpolled Musial by 150,000 votes to win the start at first base.[95] Musial entered the game as a pinch hitter in the fourth inning, and played left field as the game entered extra innings.[96] Leading off the bottom of the twelfth inning, Musial hit a home run to give the National League a 6-5 victory.[96]

The 1956 season marked another milestone for Musial, when he broke Mel Ott's N.L. record for extra-base hits on August 12.[97] Earlier that season, Cardinals General Manager "Trader Frank" Lane began negotiations to trade Musial for Philadelphia's Robin Roberts.[98] When Cardinals owner Gussie Busch learned of the possible move, he made it clear that Musial was not available for any trade.[99] Instead, Lane dealt Musial's close friend Schoendienst to the New York Giants, ushering no immediate comment to the press from an upset Musial.[100] On June 11, 1957, Musial tied the National League record for consecutive games played with his 822nd, a streak that began on the last day of the 1951 season.[101] When Musial's left arm pulled out of its joint during the August 23 game, Musial's consecutive games played streak ended at 895.[102] Despite ballot-stuffing by Cincinnati Reds fans, Musial also appeared in the 1957 All-Star Game held at Sportsman's Park.[103]

Line drive! Into left field! Hit number three thousand! A run has scored! Musial around first, on his way to second with a double. Holy Cow! He came through!
—Harry Caray with the radio play-by-play call of Musial's 3,000 Major League hit[104]

Musial signed the first $100,000 contract in National League history on January 29, 1958.[105] Approaching the 3,000 hit milestone in his major league career, Musial expressed his desire to record the hit in St. Louis.[106] Musial ultimately recorded his 3,000th major league hit with a pinch-hit, sixth inning RBI double at Wrigley Field on May 13, 1958.[107][108] The eighth major league player to reach 3,000 hits, Musial was greeted at St. Louis Union Station that evening by approximately one thousand fans.[109] Finishing the season in sixth place, the Cardinals and Musial embarked on an exhibition tour of Japan, winning 14 of 16 games against top players from the Central and Pacific Japanese Leagues.[110]

Taking a new approach to preparation for the 1959 season, Musial was given permission to report late to spring training so that he might conserve his energy for the duration of the year.[111] Reporting to spring training approximately ten pounds overweight and in substandard physical condition, Musial began the season with one hit in fifteen at-bats.[112] Despite early offensive struggles, Musial single-handedly spoiled potential no-hitters on April 16 and April 19.[112] A game-winning home run on May 7 by Musial made him the first major league player ever to have four hundred home runs and three thousand hits.[112] Cardinals manager Solly Hemus decided to limit Musial's playing time at various points during the season, with Musial owning a .253 batting average prior to the start of a June 21 doubleheader against Pittsburgh.[113] Seeking more revenue for the players' pension fund, Major League Baseball held two All-Star games for the first time during the 1959 season.[114] Musial pinch-hit in both contests, flying out in the July 7 game, and drawing a walk in the second All-Star game held on August 3.[114] Musial finished the 1959 season with appearances in 115 games, a .255 batting average, 37 runs, and a slugging percentage of .428.[35]

1960-1963

Based on his 1959 performance, Musial requested (and was granted) a pay cut in 1960 from his previous $100,000 salary to $75,000.[115] Eager to prove his 1959 performance was the result of improper physical conditioning, Musial enlisted the help of Walter Eberhardt, St. Louis University's director of physical education.[116] Finishing the 1960 and 1961 seasons with batting averages of .275 and .288 respectively, Musial continued playing despite speculation about his retirement.[35][117] In 1962, Musial posted a .330 batting average, good for third in the batting race, with 19 homers and 82 RBI. As a pinch-hitter that year, Musial had 14 base hits in 19 at-bats (.615).[118] Along the way, he established new National League career marks for hits, RBI, and runs scored.

CardsRetired6.PNG
Stan Musial's number 6 was retired by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1963

Musial made his twenty-fourth All-Game appearance on July 9, 1963, when he pinch-hit in the fifth inning.[119] In his final year in 1963, the Cardinals sent Musial out with their first pennant race since 1946. The Cardinals were just a game out of first place with ten to play, but were then swept in a three-game home series by the league-leading Dodgers. The club finished in second, six games behind Los Angeles.[120] On September 10, Musial homered in his first at-bat after becoming a grandfather. Musial's last game on September 29, 1963, was marked by an hour-long retirement ceremony prior to the game.[121] Speakers for the event included Harry Caray, Commissioner Ford Frick, and Cardinals owner Gussie Busch, who remarked that Musial's uniform number "6" would be retired by the Cardinals.[121] During the game, Musial recorded a single in the fourth inning, then hit a single to right field that scored teammate Curt Flood in the sixth inning.[122] Cardinals manager Johnny Keane then utilized pinch-runner Gary Kolb in Musial's place, bringing Musial's major league career to an end.[122] Just as he had recorded two base hits in his major league debut, Musial thus finished his last game with two hits as well.[122]

At the time of his retirement, Musial held or tied for seventeen major league records, 29 National League records, and nine All-Star Game records.[123] Some of those records included Musial's rank as the major league career leader in extra-base hits (1,377) and total bases (6,134).[122] In 1963, Musial also held National League career marks in categories such as hits (3,630), games played (3,026), doubles (725), and RBIs (1,951).[122] Musial also finished his career with 475 home runs despite never having led the National League in the category.[122] Musial's career hit total was divided in two between 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 hits on the road.[77] Musial was also the first major league player to appear in more than 1,000 games at two different positions, registering 1,896 games in the outfield and 1,016 at first base.[124]

Musial also finished in the top ten for MVP voting fourteen times, winning three awards (in 1943, 1946, and 1948), and finishing second four times (including from 1949–51). The left-handed hitter led the National League in batting average seven times and in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and hits six times each. Musial struck out more than 40 times in a season only three times, two of them in his final two seasons; not until his final year did he strike out more times than he walked.

Career summary

"...I can't think of any all-time great in any sport who gets left out of more who's-the-greatest conversations than Stan Musial.
—ESPN writer Jayson Stark in 2007[125]

Musial's .331 career batting average ranks 30th all-time; he batted .336 at home and .326 on the road. He batted .340 in day games and .320 at night. Musial once said, "I consciously memorized the speed at which every pitcher in the league threw his fastball, curve, and slider; then, I'd pick up the speed of the ball in the first thirty feet of its flight and knew how it would move once it had crossed the plate."[126] In a more earthy mood, he offered his theory on hitting: "You wait for a strike, then you knock the shit out of it."[127]

In Musial's 3,026 major league appearances, he was never once ejected from a game.[128] Umpire Tom Gorman said, "The bigger the guy, the less he argued. You never heard a word out of Stan Musial, Willie Mays, or Roberto Clemente."[129] According to the Society for American Baseball Research, Musial appeared in the second-most games without being ejected from one; only Hank Aaron played more.[130] Speaking about Musial's quiet reputation within the sport's history, sportscaster Bob Costas said, "He didn’t hit a homer in his last at-bat; he hit a single. He didn’t hit in 56 straight games. He married his high school sweetheart and stayed married to her... All Musial represents is more than two decades of sustained excellence and complete decency as a human being.”[131]

Musial's notably steady offense was respected by his peers. "Once Musial timed your fastball," observed Warren Spahn, "your infielders were in jeopardy." In another story, the Giants rookie center fielder Willie Mays was receiving instruction from his manager Leo Durocher about how to prepare defensively for each of the hitters in the Cardinals' lineup. Durocher described the weaknesses and tendencies of the first two hitters, then moved on to the fourth batter. Mays interrupted to ask about the man in the third slot. Durocher replied, "The third hitter is Stan Musial. There is no advice I can give you about him."Former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine once described his strategy of pitching to Musial: "I've had pretty good success with Stan by throwing him my best pitch and backing up third."[132]

The influence of baseball statistician Bill James and sabermetrics has provided ways of comparing players from across baseball's history. At Baseball-Reference.com, Musial consistently ranks among the various test leaders: He is fifth all-time among hitters according to the Black Ink Test (behind Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, and Ted Williams), third all-time on the Gray Ink Test (behind Cobb and Hank Aaron), tied with Barry Bonds for second in the Hall of Fame Career Standards Test, trailing only Ruth, and ranks first among all hitters and pitchers on the Hall of Fame Monitor Test. Despite Musial's aforementioned statistic-based accomplishments, Musial is sometimes referred to as the most underrated or overlooked athlete in modern American sports history.[133][125]

Post-playing career

Musial is a father to four children from his marriage to wife Lillian; son Richard, and daughters Gerry, Janet, and Jeanie.[134][135] Musial also served one year as general manager of the Cardinals. After the 1966 season, Musial succeeded Bob Howsam as GM and the 1967 Cardinals promptly won 101 games, the NL pennant, and the 1967 World Series title. Musial then stepped down at the end of the season and was succeeded by Bing Devine. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1969.

Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight.
—Quote inscribed on the base of Musial's statue, attributed to former baseball Commissioner Ford Frick[136]

A statue of Musial was erected outside of Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri in 1968. The statue was moved from its original location outside the old Busch Stadium (1966–2005) to the front of the new Busch Stadium for the first season in 2006. The statue has always been a popular place to meet friends at the stadium, and a small tradition among fans has been to climb the statue after the Cards' World Series wins in 1982 and 2006. It is inscribed with a quote from former baseball commissioner Ford Frick: "Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight."

Following his retirement Musial has been a successful businessman and restaurateur, and remains a popular figure in the St. Louis area. When asked why he always seemed so happy, he remarked, "If you had a .331 lifetime batting average, you'd be happy all the time, too!" In 1985, he opened and operated Inn at Grand Glaize at the Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. In 1989, he was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame.

In 1999, Musial ranked tenth on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.[137] In 2001 baseball statistician Bill James ranked Musial the tenth greatest baseball player in history, and the second best left fielder of all time.[138] Musial was also honored as one of 30 players selected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, added by a special committee after finishing eleventh in fan voting among outfielders.[139] In 2000, Musial was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians, and a bronze bust depicting him is on permanent display in the rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol. More recently, Musial threw out the first pitch in the 5th (and final) game of the 2006 World Series at Busch Stadium to the loud cheers of Cardinal fans. On May 18, 2008, Stan was honored with the "Stan the Man" day at Busch Stadium, with Mike Shannon acting as emcee, Stan was honored for his contributions to the St. Louis Cardinals. Included during the ceremony was a proclamation from Mayor Francis G. Slay, a street renamed after him, and a standing ovation.

In 2007, Musial was honored back home in Donora, Pennsylvania as he was invited back home along with Ken Griffey Sr., Joe Montana, and Fred Cox. They were all the honored guests of Ringgold High School, a part of the same school district that Musial began his career, as they helped raise funds for the district's sports programs.[140] On July 14, 2009, the 88-year-old Musial delivered the ceremonial first pitch ball to President Barack Obama at the All-Star Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, to a thunderous ovation from the crowd.[141] While he appeared hale and healthy, Musial remained seated in a Cardinals golf cart throughout the first pitch ceremony.

Career MLB statistics

Hitting

Category G AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS OPS+
Statistic[35] 3,026 10,972 3,630 725 177 475 1,949 1,951 1,599 696 .331 .417 .559 .976 159

Fielding

Category G PO A E DP FP RFg
Statistic[35] 2,907 12,439 818 142 962 .989 4.56

Pitching

Category G IP SV BFP ERA
Statistic[47] 1 0 0 1 -

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Musial and Broeg 1964: 6
  2. ^ Lansche 1994: 6
  3. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 10-11
  4. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 10
  5. ^ a b c Lansche 1994: 7
  6. ^ a b Musial and Broeg 1964: 14
  7. ^ Associated Press (2004-06-20). "Reds star hits 500th career home run". ESPN.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&id=1825227. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
  8. ^ James 2001: 727
  9. ^ Lansche 1994: 8
  10. ^ Giglio 2001: 26-27
  11. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 22
  12. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 21
  13. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 24-25
  14. ^ Giglio 2001: 27-29
  15. ^ a b Musial and Broeg 1964: 27-28
  16. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 28
  17. ^ Lansche 1994: 12
  18. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 31
  19. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 31-32
  20. ^ Giglio 2001: 36-37
  21. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 33-35
  22. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 32
  23. ^ Lansche 1994: 15
  24. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 37-38
  25. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 40
  26. ^ Lansche 1994: 16-17
  27. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 43-44
  28. ^ Lansche 1994: 24-25
  29. ^ Lansche 1994: 19, 27
  30. ^ "The 1941 Season". Retrosheet.org. http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1941/Y_1941.htm. Retrieved 2009-03-22. 
  31. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 54-55
  32. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 56
  33. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 56-57
  34. ^ Lansche 1994: 38
  35. ^ a b c d e f "Stan Musial Statistics". Sports Reference, LLC. http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/musiast01.shtml. Retrieved 2009-02-24. 
  36. ^ Lansche 1994: 40
  37. ^ Schoor 1990: 187
  38. ^ Schoor 1990: 188
  39. ^ Lansche 1994: 41
  40. ^ Schoor 1990: 190,403
  41. ^ a b Musial and Broeg 1964: 74-76
  42. ^ a b Giglio 2001: 86
  43. ^ a b Giglio 2001: 87
  44. ^ Giglio 2001: 88
  45. ^ Giglio 2001: 89
  46. ^ Lansche 1994: 60
  47. ^ a b "Stan Musial". Retrosheet.org. http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmusis101.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-24. 
  48. ^ Lansche 1994: 63-64
  49. ^ a b Giglio 2001: 93
  50. ^ Giglio 2001: 93-94
  51. ^ Schoor 1990: 404
  52. ^ Lansche 1994: 66
  53. ^ a b Lansche 1994: 67
  54. ^ Lansche 1994: 69, 72
  55. ^ Giglio 2001: 123
  56. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 90
  57. ^ Lansche 1994: 73
  58. ^ a b c d e f Lansche 1994: 75
  59. ^ "The 1946 St. Louis Cardinals Regular Season Game Log". Retrosheet.org. http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1946/VSLN01946.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-31. 
  60. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 91-92
  61. ^ Lansche 1994: 77
  62. ^ Lansche 1994: 78-79
  63. ^ Schoor 1990: 204
  64. ^ Schoor 1990: 207, 405
  65. ^ Lansche 1994: 84
  66. ^ Lansche 1994: 90
  67. ^ Lansche 1994: 89
  68. ^ Lansche 1994: 89, 93
  69. ^ Broeg 1981: 116
  70. ^ Lansche 1994: 93-94
  71. ^ Lansche 1994: 94
  72. ^ Lansche 1994: 95-96
  73. ^ Lansche 1994: 96
  74. ^ Lansche 1994: 97
  75. ^ a b c Giglio 2001: 167
  76. ^ Broeg 1981: 121
  77. ^ a b Finkel, Jan. "Stan Musial". Society for American Baseball Research. http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=816&pid=10216. Retrieved 2009-04-17. 
  78. ^ Goold, Derrick (2008-04-02). "The search for The Man's lost homer". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/bird-land/bird-land/2008/04/the-search-for-the-mans-lost-homer/. Retrieved 2009-09-11. 
  79. ^ "That Man". Time. 09-05-1949. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,933898-6,00.html. Retrieved 9 August 2009. 
  80. ^ Lansche 1994: 101
  81. ^ a b c Giglio 2001: 174
  82. ^ Giglio 2001: 180
  83. ^ Giglio 2001: 179
  84. ^ a b c Giglio 2001: 187
  85. ^ Lansche 1994: 112-113
  86. ^ Lansche 1994: 116
  87. ^ a b c d e Lansche 1994: 118
  88. ^ a b c d Giglio 2001: 231
  89. ^ Lansche 1994: 119
  90. ^ a b Giglio 2001: 184
  91. ^ Lansche 1994: 121
  92. ^ Giglio 2001: 194
  93. ^ a b c Giglio 2001: 195
  94. ^ Lansche 1994: 131
  95. ^ Lansche 1994: 136
  96. ^ a b Lansche 1994: 137
  97. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 180
  98. ^ Lansche 1994: 141-143
  99. ^ Lansche 1994: 143
  100. ^ Lansche 1994: 143-144
  101. ^ Lansche 1994: 147-148
  102. ^ Lansche 1994: 151
  103. ^ Lansche 1994: 149
  104. ^ Giglio 2001: 207
  105. ^ Lansche 1994: 155
  106. ^ Lansche 1994: 156-157
  107. ^ Reidenbaugh 1993: 214
  108. ^ Lansche 1994: 157-158
  109. ^ Lansche 1994: 158-159
  110. ^ Lansche 1994: 162-163
  111. ^ Lansche 1994: 165-166
  112. ^ a b c Lansche 1994: 166
  113. ^ Lansche 1994: 167
  114. ^ a b Lansche 1994: 168
  115. ^ Lansche 1994: 169
  116. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 211
  117. ^ Lansche 1994: 173
  118. ^ Broeg 1981: 167
  119. ^ Lansche 1994: 191
  120. ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/STL/1963-schedule-scores.shtml
  121. ^ a b Lansche 1994: 196
  122. ^ a b c d e f Lansche 1994: 197
  123. ^ Eisenbath 1999: 251
  124. ^ Lansche 1994: 198
  125. ^ a b Stark 2007: 150
  126. ^ http://padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071231&content_id=2337258&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
  127. ^ http://baseballlegends.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/baseball-legends-stan-the-man/
  128. ^ O'Neill, Dan (2009-04-03). "What made Stan Musial 'The Man'?". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/6AD48536BBE63E6E8625758A000D7C7F?OpenDocument. Retrieved 2009-05-02. 
  129. ^ http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1942&t=SLN
  130. ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2009/09/26/2009-09-26_where_yankees_failed_with_joba_chamberlain.html
  131. ^ http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Musial_Stan.html
  132. ^ "Stan Musial Quotes". Baseball Almanac. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/quomusl.shtml. Retrieved 2007-02-13. 
  133. ^ Merron, Jeff (2007). "The List: Underrated all-time athletes". ESPN.com. http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/alltimeunderrated.html. Retrieved 2009-02-28. 
  134. ^ Musial and Broeg 1964: 229
  135. ^ Lansche 1994: 14
  136. ^ Lansche 1994: 200
  137. ^ "Stan Musial". The Sporting News. 1999. http://tsn.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/index-1.html. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
  138. ^ James 2001: 358,653
  139. ^ "The All-Century Team". MLB.com. 1999. http://www.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_history_moreinfo.jsp?story=2. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
  140. ^ Hurwitz, Lee (2008-05-18). "Musial honored before Rays finale: Hall of Famer memorialized with statue at Busch Stadium". MLB.com. http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080518&content_id=2725475&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl. Retrieved 2009-02-25. 
  141. ^ Leach, Matthew (2009-07-14). "Musial part of special moment at Classic: Cards' great hands ball to Obama after entering field on cart". MLB.com. http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090714&content_id=5877144&vkey=news_stl&fext=.jsp&c_id=stl. Retrieved 2009-07-15. 

References

  • Broeg, Bob (1981). Redbirds: A Century of Cardinals' Baseball. St. Louis: River City Publishers, Limited. ISBN 0-933150-02-4. 
  • Eisenbath, Mike (1999). The Cardinals Encyclopedia. Temple University Press. ISBN 1-56639-703-0. 
  • Giglio, James N. (2001). Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man. University of Missouri Press. ISBN 978-0826217356. 
  • James, Bill (2001). The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. The Free Press. ISBN 0-684-80697-5. 
  • Lansche, Jerry (1994). Stan the Man Musial: Born to Be a Ballplayer. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87833-846-2. 
  • Musial, Stan; Bob Broeg (1964). Stan Musial:"The Man's" Own Story. Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Company. 
  • Reidenbaugh, Lowell (1993). Baseball's Hall of Fame: Cooperstown, Where the Legends Live Forever. Avenel, New Jersey: Crescent Books. ISBN 0-517-66986-2. 
  • Schoor, Gene (1990). The History of the World Series. William Morrow and Company. ISBN 0-688-07995-4. 
  • Stark, Jayson (2007). The Stark Truth. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-57243-959-7. 

External links

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St. Louis Cardinals 1942 World Series Champions
Regular season
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St. Louis Cardinals 1944 World Series Champions
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St. Louis Cardinals 1946 World Series Champions
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Major League Baseball All-Century Team
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v • d • e
Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
1955: Dark | 1956: Reese | 1957: Musial | 1958: McDougald | 1959: Hodges | 1960: Groat | 1961: Spahn | 1962: Roberts | 1963: Richardson | 1964: Boyer | 1965: Law | 1966: Robinson | 1967: Banks | 1968: Kaline | 1969: Rose | 1970: Aaron | 1971: Killebrew | 1972: Parker | 1973: Santo | 1974: Stargell | 1975: Bench | 1976: Sutton | 1977: Brock | 1978: Kessinger | 1979: Niekro | 1980: Pérez | 1981: John | 1982: Cey | 1983: Schmidt | 1984: Garvey | 1985: Murphy | 1986: Brett | 1987: Sutcliffe | 1988: Bell | 1989: Smith | 1990: Davis | 1991: Hrbek | 1992: Ripken, Jr. | 1993: Mattingly | 1994: Larkin | 1995: Schilling | 1996: Butler | 1997: Molitor | 1998: Gwynn | 1999: McGwire | 2000: Stottlemyre | 2001: Franco | 2002: Graves | 2003: Moyer | 2004: Thome | 2005: Smoltz | 2006: Hoffman | 2007: Timlin | 2008: Victorino
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3000 hit club
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Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year

1954: Roger Bannister · 1955: Johnny Podres · 1956: Bobby Joe Morrow · 1957: Stan Musial · 1958: Rafer Johnson · 1959: Ingemar Johansson · 1960: Arnold Palmer · 1961: Jerry Lucas · 1962: Terry Baker · 1963: Pete Rozelle · 1964: Ken Venturi · 1965: Sandy Koufax · 1966: Jim Ryun · 1967: Carl Yastrzemski · 1968: Bill Russell · 1969: Tom Seaver · 1970: Bobby Orr · 1971: Lee Trevino · 1972: Billie Jean King & John Wooden · 1973: Jackie Stewart · 1974: Muhammad Ali · 1975: Pete Rose · 1976: Chris Evert · 1977: Steve Cauthen · 1978: Jack Nicklaus · 1979: Terry Bradshaw & Willie Stargell · 1980: U.S. Olympic Hockey Team · 1981: Sugar Ray Leonard · 1982: Wayne Gretzky · 1983: Mary Decker · 1984: Edwin Moses & Mary Lou Retton · 1985: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar · 1986: Joe Paterno · 1987: Bob Bourne, Judi Brown King, Kipchoge Keino, Dale Murphy, Chip Rives, Patty Sheehan, Rory Sparrow, & Reggie Williams · 1988: Orel Hershiser · 1989: Greg LeMond · 1990: Joe Montana · 1991: Michael Jordan · 1992: Arthur Ashe · 1993: Don Shula · 1994: Bonnie Blair & Johann Olav Koss · 1995: Cal Ripken, Jr. · 1996: Tiger Woods · 1997: Dean Smith · 1998: Mark McGwire & Sammy Sosa · 1999: U.S. Women's Soccer Team · 2000: Tiger Woods · 2001: Curt Schilling & Randy Johnson · 2002: Lance Armstrong · 2003: David Robinson & Tim Duncan · 2004: Boston Red Sox · 2005: Tom Brady · 2006: Dwyane Wade · 2007: Brett Favre · 2008: Michael Phelps
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St. Louis Cardinals retired numbers
#1 Ozzie Smith • #2 Red Schoendienst • #6 Stan Musial • #9 Enos Slaughter • #14 Ken Boyer • #17 Dizzy Dean • #20 Lou Brock • #42 Bruce Sutter • #45 Bob Gibson • #85 Gussie Busch
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St. Louis Cardinals general managers
Rickey • Walsingham, Jr. • Meyer • Lane • Devine • Howsam • Musial • Devine • Claiborne • Herzog • McDonald • Maxvill • Jocketty • Mozeliak
v • d • e
Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1969
BBWAA Vote
Roy Campanella (79.41%) • Stan Musial (93.24%)
Veterans Committee
J. G. Taylor Spink Award
v • d • e
Outfielders in the National Baseball Hall of Fame
Aaron • Ashburn • Averill • Bell • Brock • Brown • Burkett • Carey • Charleston • Clarke • Clemente • Cobb • Combs • Crawford • Cuyler • Delahanty • DiMaggio • Doby • Duffy • Flick • Goslin • Gwynn • Hafey • Hamilton • Heilmann • Henderson • Hill • Hooper • Irvin • Jackson • Kaline • Keeler • Kelley • Kelly • Kiner • Klein • Mantle • Manush • Mays • McCarthy • Medwick • Musial • O'Rourke • Ott • Puckett • J. Rice • S. Rice • Robinson • Roush • Ruth • Simmons • Slaughter • Snider • Speaker • Stargell • Stearnes • Thompson • Torriente • L. Waner • P. Waner • Wheat • B. Williams • T. Williams • Wilson • Winfield • Yastrzemski • Youngs
v • d • e
St. Louis Cardinals
Based in St. Louis, Missouri
Franchise
Ballparks
Culture/Lore
Rivalries
Important Figures
Retired Numbers
1 · 2 · 6 · 9 · 14 · 20 · 42 · 42 · 45 · 85
Key Personnel
Owner: Bill DeWitt, Jr. · General Manager: John Mozeliak · Manager: Tony La Russa
Minors
World Series
Championships
Pre-Modern · 1926 · 1931 · 1934 · 1942 · 1944 · 1946 · 1964 · 1967 · 1982 · 2006
League Pennants
American Association: 1885 · 1886 · 1887 · 1888 · National League: 1926 · 1928 · 1930 · 1931 · 1934 · 1942 · 1943 · 1944 · 1946 · 1964 · 1967 · 1968 · 1982 · 1985 · 1987 · 2004 · 2006
Other Titles
National League East: 1982 · 1985 · 1987 · National League Central: 1996 · 2000 · 2002 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2009  · National League Wild Card: 2001
 
Seasons (128)
1880s
1880 · 1881 · 1882 · 1883 · 1884 · 1885 · 1886 · 1887 · 1888 · 1889
1890s
1890 · 1891 · 1892 · 1893 · 1894 · 1895 · 1896 · 1897 · 1898 · 1899
1900s
1900 · 1901 · 1902 · 1903 · 1904 · 1905 · 1906 · 1907 · 1908 · 1909
1910s
1910 · 1911 · 1912 · 1913 · 1914 · 1915 · 1916 · 1917 · 1918 · 1919
1920s
1920 · 1921 · 1922 · 1923 · 1924 · 1925 · 1926 · 1927 · 1928 · 1929
1930s
1930 · 1931 · 1932 · 1933 · 1934 · 1935 · 1936 · 1937 · 1938 · 1939
1940s
1940 · 1941 · 1942 · 1943 · 1944 · 1945 · 1946 · 1947 · 1948 · 1949
1950s
1950 · 1951 · 1952 · 1953 · 1954 · 1955 · 1956 · 1957 · 1958 · 1959
1960s
1960 · 1961 · 1962 · 1963 · 1964 · 1965 · 1966 · 1967 · 1968 · 1969
1970s
1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979
1980s
1980 · 1981 · 1982 · 1983 · 1984 · 1985 · 1986 · 1987 · 1988 · 1989
1990s
1990 · 1991 · 1992 · 1993 · 1994 · 1995 · 1996 · 1997 · 1998 · 1999
2000s
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

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HOFer
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