RIP Stan "The Man" Musial

[gingi79]

I've never been a St Louis fan but as a baseball fan, this is a sad day. Stan played his entire career with the RedBirds, is synonymous with them and is a beacon for "single team loyalty"

I have never heard of someone having a bad experience with him. Everything indicates he was a humble, wonderful ambassator for the game. Truly a loss to the world, not just baseball.

[yanks12025]

And the thing, I just bought a Musial index bat today and come home to find out he passed. R.I.P

[sox83cubs84]

I've never been a St Louis fan but as a baseball fan, this is a sad day. Stan played his entire career with the RedBirds, is synonymous with them and is a beacon for "single team loyalty"

I have never heard of someone having a bad experience with him. Everything indicates he was a humble, wonderful ambassator for the game. Truly a loss to the world, not just baseball.

I agree. To me, Musial was at least in the team picture as Mays, Mantle and Williams, but never got their attention since he didn't play in New York or Boston. And, ALWAYS, he was pure class for fans.

RIP, Stan.

Dave Miedema

[both-teams-played-hard]

A great man. :(

[cjclong]

Musial was an outstanding player and is really underrated today. From the 30's through the 50's he was regarded as one of three superstars along with Williams and DiMaggio. Perhaps with his death he will again recieve some of the regonition he deserves. My understading is he was a genuinely nice man. I went to an autogpraph event where he appeared. He entered and played Take Me Out to the Ballgame on a harmonica. The first autograph he signed was a baseball which he then tossed up into the air to catch surprising everyone including the guy who had handed it to him. Everyone had a good laugh, including the guy who had handed him the ball.

[flaco1801]

A truly great ballplayer and class all the way....

[Birdbats]

There was no better human being. I had the honor to meet Stan on several occasions and he was always a gentleman. Once, when I went to his office to get a couple bats signed, I took my son. While I was handling the business part (paying), Stan was talking to my son and gave him a personalized, signed photo. I'm so glad my son had that opportunity. The last time I saw Stan at his office, the signs of Alzheimer's were obvious, but he perked up when his grandson handed him my bat and Stan applied a perfect signature. Whenever I went to Busch for a big event (World Series, All-Star Game, opening day), there was always anticipation that Stan would make an appearance, which he did when his health allowed. I'm going to miss that feeling. I'm going to miss The Man.

[slambam]

As a Cardinal fan, I wish I had the opportunity to see him play or meet him. Sad day for MLB and the Cards. Very nice article below about Stan, one that every star athlete should read and really think about, and anybody can take something way from it.

http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2012/11/musial-redux.html

[Doodles]

A sad day for us ...but time to celebrate a long, successful life that made many happy. Stan probably never worked a day in his life...he did what he loved to do.

Did you know he shared birthday and birthplace with another left-handed star?

"At the age of 15, Musial joined the Donora Zincs, a semi-professional team managed by Barbao.[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Musial#cite_note-Lansche7-7) In his Zincs debut, he pitched 6 innings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inning#Baseball) and struck out (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strikeout) 13 batters, all of them adults.[7] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Musial#cite_note-Lansche7-7) Musial also played one season on the newly revived Donora High School baseball team, where one of his teammates was Buddy Griffey, father of MLB player Ken Griffey, Sr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Griffey,_Sr.) and grandfather to MLB player Ken Griffey, Jr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Griffey,_Jr.)[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Musial#cite_note-8)[9] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Musial#cite_note-9) Baseball statistician Bill James (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_James) described Griffey Jr., in comparison to Musial, as "the second-best left-handed hitting, left-handed throwing outfielder ever born in Donora, Pennsylvania on November 21."[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Musial#cite_note-10) His exploits as a rising player in Pennsylvania earned him the nickname "The Donora Greyhound ".["

[cjclong]

Made a small mistake in my previous post. Musial first came to St Louis in 1941. He was an outstading player from that time until he retired in 1963. A true gentleman and Hall of Famer. President Obama presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom the highest civilian honor for contributions to society in 2011.

[cubbs1232]

Just picked this up this morning only to hear the news.

[Doodles]

Just picked this up this morning only to hear the news.

Interesting scorecard...looks to be pre-printed with most likely lineup, leaving the user to cross off as necessary if changes were made...I never knew that was done. I have always seen blank scorecards.

[cubbs1232]

Its preprinted and whom ever was keeping score that day wrote the batting order in pencil next to the name. Im not really a vintage collector so im not sure if this was common place or not.

[tella27]

It's a shame that Stan was so overlooked throughout his career. I hope that people will now get a chance to see and realize just how great of a player and man he really was. His stats are some of the greatest ever to be entered into the record books but his character as a man accepting blacks into baseball when it wasn't common practice is what makes Stan really The Man.

People should post some of their favorite Musial items they own - it would be cool to see them.

[sox83cubs84]

Its preprinted and whom ever was keeping score that day wrote the batting order in pencil next to the name. Im not really a vintage collector so im not sure if this was common place or not.

Pre-printed lineups in scorecards/programs occurred with some frequency through the early/mid 1950s with several teams.

Dave Miedema