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Happy Birthday, Stan Musial
Posted on 11/21/12 at 1:43 pm
Posted on 11/21/12 at 1:43 pm
My favorite sportswriter on my favorite player ever:
LINK
There is absolutely no question that Stan Musial is the most underrated player in baseball history. The fact he is not mentioned regularly among the greatest of the great is absurd. He wasn't even a top 10 vote-getter for the outfield of MLB's all time team. Musial is one of the 10 best players ever, much less one of the 10 best outfielders.
And he's arguably the best person to ever play in the big leagues. Just a fundamentally decent man.
LINK
There is absolutely no question that Stan Musial is the most underrated player in baseball history. The fact he is not mentioned regularly among the greatest of the great is absurd. He wasn't even a top 10 vote-getter for the outfield of MLB's all time team. Musial is one of the 10 best players ever, much less one of the 10 best outfielders.
And he's arguably the best person to ever play in the big leagues. Just a fundamentally decent man.
5
Posted on 11/21/12 at 1:48 pm to Baloo
Stan the Man 
Posted on 11/21/12 at 1:54 pm to Baloo
Yup. My favorite person/athlete across all sports, bar-none.
Posted on 11/21/12 at 1:55 pm to Baloo
Posted on 11/21/12 at 2:03 pm to Baloo
"Musial's character was always as impressive as his incredible athleticism. Several African-American players recall Musial's unusual acceptance and respect during the conflicted days when baseball was first being integrated.
Willie Mays tells of an All-Star Game in the '50s. The other white players rudely shunned several African-American All Stars. In contrast, Musial walked over to a table of ostracized players and asked if he could join their card game. "I never forgot that. We never forgot that," Mays said."
He also played in 24 all-star games — a record he shares with Willie Mays.
Musial said, "When a pitcher's throwing a spitball, don't worry and don't complain — just hit the dry side like I do."
In 1956 The Sporting News named Musial its first Player of the Decade.
Longtime baseball broadcaster Vin Scully summed up Musial's career by saying, "How good was Stan Musial? He was good enough to take your breath away."
Willie Mays tells of an All-Star Game in the '50s. The other white players rudely shunned several African-American All Stars. In contrast, Musial walked over to a table of ostracized players and asked if he could join their card game. "I never forgot that. We never forgot that," Mays said."
He also played in 24 all-star games — a record he shares with Willie Mays.
Musial said, "When a pitcher's throwing a spitball, don't worry and don't complain — just hit the dry side like I do."
In 1956 The Sporting News named Musial its first Player of the Decade.
Longtime baseball broadcaster Vin Scully summed up Musial's career by saying, "How good was Stan Musial? He was good enough to take your breath away."
This post was edited on 11/21/12 at 2:04 pm
Posted on 11/21/12 at 2:08 pm to Zamoro10
My favorite story is that the Cardinals, being the "southern" MLB team at the time, were planning on refusing to play the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson. While trying to organize the boycott, they asked Musial to join. He simply replied that it was his job to play and he'd be out there to play regardless.
The boycott idea promptly died.
He couldn't have cared less about the politics. He was a ballplayer, and he was going to play ball. It was one of the most important moments of baseball's integration.
The boycott idea promptly died.
He couldn't have cared less about the politics. He was a ballplayer, and he was going to play ball. It was one of the most important moments of baseball's integration.
Posted on 11/21/12 at 2:17 pm to Baloo
I didn't know Dodger fans tabbed him with the nickname "the Man" because of his prodigious play at Ebbets field.
I honestly didn't know all his records - but I'm not a Cards fan. Testament I suppose to the fact that he is underrated in terms of when pundits discuss the greatest players of all-time.
Here's another take on a story with Jackie Robinson.
"When the Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson integrated major league baseball in 1947, the Cardinals were rumored to harbor racists who preferred to go on strike rather than share the field with a black man. Musial had no problem with African-Americans, having gone to an integrated high school where one of his classmates was the grandfather of Ken Griffey Jr. Vecsey notes: “Most of the Cardinals … would deny that anything was ever discussed. … In those pivotal days, Musial may have been a bit more activist than he ever let on. (National League President Ford) Frick once said that a ‘prominent player’ on the Cardinals told people he did not care whether Jackie Robinson was white or black or green or yellow. On the Cardinals, there was only one truly prominent player.” The team didn’t strike."
I honestly didn't know all his records - but I'm not a Cards fan. Testament I suppose to the fact that he is underrated in terms of when pundits discuss the greatest players of all-time.
Here's another take on a story with Jackie Robinson.
"When the Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson integrated major league baseball in 1947, the Cardinals were rumored to harbor racists who preferred to go on strike rather than share the field with a black man. Musial had no problem with African-Americans, having gone to an integrated high school where one of his classmates was the grandfather of Ken Griffey Jr. Vecsey notes: “Most of the Cardinals … would deny that anything was ever discussed. … In those pivotal days, Musial may have been a bit more activist than he ever let on. (National League President Ford) Frick once said that a ‘prominent player’ on the Cardinals told people he did not care whether Jackie Robinson was white or black or green or yellow. On the Cardinals, there was only one truly prominent player.” The team didn’t strike."
This post was edited on 11/21/12 at 2:18 pm
Posted on 11/21/12 at 2:22 pm to Zamoro10
"He wasn't even a top 10 vote-getter for the outfield of MLB's all time team. Musial is one of the 10 best players ever, much less one of the 10 best outfielders."
musial had an outstanding career and was a model of consistency. for the sake of argument, who were the others, who's place would he take? perhaps he is a rich man's dave winfield. or eddie murray, although murray and musial played different positions.
musial had an outstanding career and was a model of consistency. for the sake of argument, who were the others, who's place would he take? perhaps he is a rich man's dave winfield. or eddie murray, although murray and musial played different positions.
Posted on 11/21/12 at 2:34 pm to Zamoro10
quote:
Musial said, "When a pitcher's throwing a spitball, don't worry and don't complain — just hit the dry side like I do."
Posted on 11/21/12 at 2:46 pm to Zamoro10
quote:
He also played in 24 all-star games — a record he shares with Willie Mays.
I think Aaron has that record now.
Posted on 11/21/12 at 2:48 pm to Baloo
My dad's favorite player. I got to meet him once when I was a kid. He shook my hand, signed an autograph and asked me what position I play. I also have a signed harmonica from him.
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