Cardinals mourn loss of Stan Musial

St Louis Cardinals ^ | 1/19/13

[Borges]

The entire St. Louis Cardinals family is deeply saddened by the passing of Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial at the age of 92. Musial, who played his entire 22-year major league career (1941-63) for the Cardinals, died this evening at his home in Ladue surrounded by his family.

“We have lost the most beloved member of the Cardinals family,” said William DeWitt Jr., Chairman of the St. Louis Cardinals. “Stan Musial was the greatest player in Cardinals history and one of the best players in the history of baseball.” “The entire Cardinals organization extends its sincere condolences to Stan’s family, including his children Richard, Gerry, Janet and Jean, as well as his eleven grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren,” DeWitt said. “We join fans everywhere in mourning the loss of our dear friend and reflect on how fortunate we all are to have known ‘Stan the Man’.”

Musial was the first player in Cardinals history to have his uniform number retired, and he was a first-ballot Hall of Fame selection in 1969, being named on 93 percent of the ballots. At his retirement ceremony at the end of the 1963 season, Musial was referred to as “baseball’s perfect warrior, baseball’s perfect knight” by Commissioner Ford C. Frick. Frick’s words are inscribed at the base of a bronze statue of Musial that stands outside Busch Stadium. The now iconic statute, which sits on Musial Plaza along Stan Musial Drive, serves as a popular, almost hallowed, gathering spot for generations of Cardinals fans.

A three-time National League MVP (1943, 1946 and 1948) and winner of seven NL batting titles, Musial played in 24 All-Star Games (from 1959-62, Major League Baseball held two All-Star Games each season) and finished his career with a .331 batting average. At the time of his retirement, Musial stood as the National League’s all-time career record holder in games (3,026), runs scored (1,949), hits (3,630), doubles (725) and runs batted in (1,951) among other records, and he was still ranked among the top 10 in those categories in 2012.

Musial, who was born in Donora, Pennsylvania, signed with the Cardinals in 1938 and made his major league debut with the team in 1941. Musial was a member of the Cardinals teams that won the World Series in 1942, 1944 and 1946. He missed the entire 1945 season to serve in the United States Navy during World War II.

Musial was named a Cardinals’ vice president at the end of his playing career in 1963 and he served in that capacity for more than 25 years. In 1967, Stan served as the general manager of the Cardinals team that defeated the Boston Red Sox to win the World Series.

A resident of St. Louis from the beginning of his major league career until his death, Musial was actively engaged in business, civic and charitable work in the St. Louis community. He was co-owner of the popular “Stan Musial and Biggie’s Restaurant” in St. Louis for more than two decades and he was active with numerous charities including the USO, Senior Olympics, the Boy Scouts, the Crippled Society of St. Louis, Covenant House and Cardinals Care. “Stan was a true civic treasure, who did so much for our community,” Dewitt said.

In 2012, the St. Louis Sports Commission announced that National Sportsmanship Awards will be renamed “The Musial Awards” in recognition of his status as an exemplary role model for athletes. During Musial’s entire major league playing career he was never ejected from a game by an umpire – a mark of both extraordinary self-discipline and sportsmanship. Musial served as chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports for President Lyndon B. Johnson from 1964-67 and he served as unofficial emissary to Poland and was awarded the Cavalier Cross of the Order of Merit, the Polish government’s highest civilian honor.

In 2010 Musial was named a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, receiving the medal from President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony in 2011. Considered the highest civilian honor bestowed by the U.S. government, the Medal of Freedom recognizes individuals who have made an “especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” Awarding the Medal to Musial at the 2011 ceremony, President Obama said, “Stan remains to this day an icon untarnished, a beloved pillar of the community, a gentleman you’d want your kids to emulate.”

Musial’s wife of 71 years, the former Lillian “Lil” Labash, passed away in May 2012. Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Covenant House or charity of the fan’s choice in the name of Stan Musial. The Cardinals have set up a memorial site around the Musial Statute at Gate 3 at Busch Stadium, which will remain in place until a date yet determined. The team has also set up a web page (cardinals.com/stan) to pay tribute to Stan and allow fans to offer condolences to the family.

[justiceseeker93]

1950s baseball was incredible. I watched Spahn pitch when I was a little kid against players like Mantle, Dusty Rhodes, Musial and Ted Williams.

Yes, baseball was much better for the average fan in the 1950s. Two leagues, eight teams in each, and nowhere near the number of players moving from one team to another or from one league to another as you have today. Much easier for the fan to know all about the players because there were much fewer of them and they generally stayed with their teams for longer periods of time. Also, fans could identify more readily with the players in general because they were 90+% Americans and more accessable to the general public.

Stan Musial was the epitome of that: 23 years with the same team!

But Warren Spahn never pitched to Ted Williams in any game that counted because Spahn was in the National League and Williams in the American. He did face Mantle, but only in two World Series.

[Frank_2001]

“This was a great man. It is so sad how sports has devolved with felons and thugs.”

Agreed. RIP, Stan the Man.

[doug from upland]

I read many baseball biographies when I was a kid. Spahn was a demolition Sgt in WW II. He stepped off a bridge just before it collapsed and killed many comrades. He literally came within seconds or minutes of us never knowing who he was.

[bobby.223]

Or this one, (and I do not recall who the other Cards player it was), Stan and and another player sitting on the bench just before going out and the other player says: “Stan I feel great, great night’s sleep last night, great breakfast at the hotel, great bus ride over her to the park and well damn I feel so great I feel like I’m gonna get three hits out there today....you ever feel that way Stan?” Stan....”Yeah, Every day”!

[chopperman]

I was thinking the same thing, but Spahn might have pitched to Williams in an All Star Game.

[Digger]

If I may for once on this site since 1988 - Stan ways my hero. The only hero that I remember. I was so fortunate to be able to listen to Jack Buck Harry Carry & Joe Carargiola (sp) on the same broadcast. My father had a 59 Oldsmobile & living in central Nebraska the closest station was in St. Joe, Missouri. I would sit in the car & run the battery down because normal radio was too weak. I could hear Carry saying, Here's Musial, and he seemed to always come thru with the hit to win the game. Yes, he & Bob Hope are two individuals that took a part of me away with their passing on. May he rest in peace.

[justiceseeker93]

Spahn might have pitched to Williams in an All Star Game.

I'd say since they were both frequent All Stars and their careers overlapped for many years, there is a very good chance that it happened. But I'm sure that they met up in a number of exhibition games. Remember that both played in the same city - Boston - for a number of years until Spahn and the Braves moved to Milwaukee.

[doug from upland]

Williams was in Korea, serving as John Glenn’s wingman during the 1952 All-Star Game, but returned from war in time to throw out the first ball at the midsummer festival in ’53. Three years later, he hit his fourth and final All-Star homer, a shot off Warren Spahn in a 7-3 AL loss at Griffith Stadium in Washington. Williams was one of four players who homered in the game, a lofty group that included Willie Mays, Stan Musial, and Mantle.

[itssme]

The mention of these names brings back memories of my Mother and her love of baseball. I remember as a young kid in the late 1940s, early 1950s, laying in my bed at night, and being able to hear as my mother sat in the kitchen, which was dark with the exception of the little light on above the kitchen stove, listening to a baseball night game, while waiting for my Dad to come home from his 2nd shift job. She was a White Sox fan, went to the games with my aunt and all of us kids. I was never a real fan of baseball, but through osmosis, I learned all the names of the well known baseball players from all the teams, and never forgot them. RIP Stan Musial, and to the wonderful memories of my Mother and baseball a long time ago.

[AuH2ORepublican]

May he rest in peace. One of the greatest ever to play the game, and a gentleman both on and off the field.

[Pining_4_TX]

Ditto here. My great grandparents, grandparents, and parents were Cardinals fans, and I’m no spring chicken. ;-)

To me, the Cardinals are baseball.

[Biggirl]

From this American of half Polish heritage to a legendary baseball player of Polish heritage, RIP.

[TheGrimReaper]

I was lucky enough to see Stan Musial play in his last season in 1963 at Sportsmans' Park in St. Louis. My dad & I would pile into the car early on a Sat or Sun morning for the 5-hour drive from Western KY to St. Louis to catch (if we were lucky) a double-header.
My dad later met Stan at his restaurant, Stan & Biggies', in St. Louis and got an autographed B&W photo of Stan. My dad still treasures it to this day.

[Marathoner 244]

The only baseball I ever got at a game was thrown up into the stands by Stan during batting practice, it bounced off of the hands of the guy in front of me and I caught it. I was a young boy and it made my day. RIP Stan.

[Starstruck]

Met Musial at a political rally back in the early sixties. I was a teenager and can’t remember what Governor the rally was supporting. I do remember I had my first ever cup of beer.