Cards star Musial dies at 92

BY R.B. FALLSTROM Associated Press
Sunday, January 20, 2013
1/20/13 at 7:19 AM

ST. LOUIS - Stan Musial, the St. Louis Cardinals star with the corkscrew stance and too many batting records to fit on his Hall of Fame plaque, died Saturday. He was 92.

Stan the Man was so revered in St. Louis that he has two statues outside Busch Stadium - one just wouldn't do him justice. He was one of baseball's greatest hitters, shining in the mold of Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio even without the bright lights of the big city.

Musial won seven National League batting titles, was a three-time MVP and helped the Cardinals capture three World Series championships in the 1940s.

The Cardinals announced Musial's death in a news release. They said he died Saturday evening at his home in Ladue surrounded by family. The team said Musial's son-in-law, Dave Edmonds, informed the club of Musial's death.

"We have lost the most beloved member of the Cardinals family," team chairman William DeWitt Jr. said. "Stan Musial was the greatest player in Cardinals history and one of the best players in the history of baseball."

Musial was the second baseball Hall of Famer who died Saturday. Longtime Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver also passed away, at age 82.

Musial spent his entire 22-year career with the Cardinals and made the All-Star team 24 times - baseball held two All-Star games each summer for a few seasons.

A pitcher in the low minors until he injured his arm, Musial turned to playing the outfield and first base. It was a stroke of luck for him, as he went on to hit .331 with 475 home runs before retiring in 1963.

Widely considered the greatest Cardinals player ever, the outfielder and first baseman was the first person in team history to have his number retired. Ol' 6 probably was the most popular, too, especially after Albert Pujols skipped town.

At the suggestion of a pal, actor John Wayne, he carried around autographed cards of himself to give away. He enjoyed doing magic tricks for kids and was fond of pulling out a harmonica to entertain crowds with a favorite, "The Wabash Cannonball."

Humble, scandal-free, and eager to play every day, Musial struck a chord with fans throughout the Midwest and beyond. For much of his career, St. Louis was the most western outpost in the majors, and the Cardinals' vast radio network spread word about him in all directions.

Musial's public appearances dwindled in recent years, though he was at the White House in February 2011 when President Barack Obama presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor for contributions to society.

At the 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."

He certainly delivered at the plate.

Musial never struck out 50 times in a season. He led the NL in most every hitting category for at least one year, except homers. He hit a career-high 39 home runs in 1948, falling one short of winning the Triple Crown.

In all, Musial held 55 records when he retired in 1963.

He played nearly until his 43rd birthday, adding to his totals. He got a hit with his final swing, sending an RBI single past Cincinnati's rookie second baseman - Pete Rose, who would break Musial's league hit record of 3,630 some 18 years later.

All that balance despite a most unorthodox left-handed stance. Legs and knees close together, he would cock the bat near his ear and twist his body away from the pitcher. When the ball came, he uncoiled.

Asked to describe the habits that kept him in baseball for so long, Musial once said: "Get eight hours of sleep regularly. Keep your weight down, run a mile a day. If you must smoke, try light cigars. They cut down on inhaling."

One last thing, he said: "Make it a point to bat .300."

As for how he did that, Musial offered a secret.

"I consciously memorized the speed at which every pitcher in the league threw his fastball, curve, and slider," he said. "Then, I'd pick up the speed of the ball in the first 30 feet of its flight and knew how it would move once it has crossed the plate."

He was active in business, too. He served as a director of the St. Louis-based Southwest Bank. He was co-owner of a popular St. Louis steakhouse, "Stan Musial and Biggie's," and a bowling alley with former teammate Joe Garagiola.

Stan Musial's Career Statistics

Regular Season

Year Team	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	AVG
1941 StL	47	8	20	1	7	.426
1942 StL	467	87	147	10	72	.315
1943 StL	617	108	220	13	81	.357
1944 StL	568	112	197	12	94	.347
1946 StL	624	124	228	16	103	.365
1947 StL	587	113	183	19	95	.312
1948 StL	611	135	230	39	131	.376
1949 StL	612	128	207	36	123	.338
1950 StL	555	105	192	28	109	.346
1951 StL	578	124	205	32	108	.355
1952 StL	578	105	194	21	91	.336
1953 StL	593	127	200	30	113	.337
1954 StL	591	120	195	35	126	.330
1955 StL	562	97	179	33	108	.319
1956 StL	594	87	184	27	109	.310
1957 StL	502	82	176	29	102	.351
1958 StL	472	64	159	17	62	.337
1959 StL	341	37	87	14	44	.255
1960 StL	331	49	91	17	63	.275
1961 StL	372	46	107	15	70	.288
1962 StL	433	57	143	19	82	.330
1963 StL	337	34	86	12	58	.255
Totals	10972	1949	3630	475	1951	.331
World Series
Year Team	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	AVG
1942 NYY	18	2	4	0	2	.222
1943 NYY	18	2	5	0	0	.278
1944 SLB	23	2	7	1	2	.304
1946 Bos	27	3	6	0	4	.222
Totals	86	9	22	1	8	.256

Associated Images:

Stan Musial: The Hall of Famer won seven National League batting titles and was a three-time MVP during his career in St. Louis

Hall of Famer Stan Musial gets ready to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 5 of the World Series between St. Louis and Detroit in St. Louis on Oct. 27, 2006. AP file