Sports
Cardinal Nation Reacts to Stan Musial's Death
The social media world lit up in response to the news of Musial's death at age 92. He had been a Cardinal his whole career.
- I have just finished reading the obit of Stan the Man Musial in the New York Times. Having lived in St. Louis for 30 plus years I was keenly aware of Stan the Man as a living legend of baseball. But, I have an anecdotal story to share to show what a grand gentleman he was also. In 1963, during baseball season I was a junior in high school and a lifeguard camp counselor at an Easter Seals Camp at Little Grassy Lake in Carbondale. One of my charges, a young man about 8 years old adored and idolized Stan the Man. A field trip was planned to bring a bus load of the campers to St. Louis for one of the games. I was one of the chaperones. We arranged for some of the players to visit with the children after the game. These kids were disabled because of CP, polio, birth defects, etc. When the game ended which the Cardinals won, we started moving the kiddos to the appointed place to meet the players. This was still in the old Sportman's Park in North St. Louis. Two baseball stadium behind the presence home of the Cardinals. Joey the little camper who was a big fan of Stan the Man was so excited I thought we were going to have to tranquilize him. But, his charisma for the game was picked up by Stan the Man who it turned out was one of the players sent to meet the kids. Joey and Stan had a very baseball technical talk about the game and at the end of the meeting Stan posed for photos with Joey and then gave him a baseball that had been used in the game that had just ended. Joey was ecstatic. He floated on cloud 9 for days afterwards and treasured the baseball probably to this very day. I was totally impressed by Stan the Man and his very gracious hospitality to a small disabled 8 year old, whose life was forever enriched because of the small efforts that Musial had made on his behalf. RIP Stan the Man.
STAN 'THE MAN' MUSIAL DIES AT 92One night after his longtime friend and teammate Red Schoendienst was honored on his upcoming 90th birthday, fellow Cardinals Hall of Fam...
Another thing Stan Musial is remembered for. :) He soloed with the Compton Heights Concert Band several times when I was playing with them in the late '80s. He was always so gracious, and spent way too much time talking with us band members as we babbled on about memories of seeing him play baseball. :)
R.I.P Stan the Man #stantheman #rip #cardinals #stan #musial #stanmusial #stan #the #man #gonna #mis #him #picstitch
@jaimemaggio The STL Blues are on fire, & fans leaving candles & flowers at the Stan Musial Statue outside Busch Stadium, Bitter Sweet Night- Just heard about the amazing Stan 'The Man' Musial!!! Man was an amazing baseball player and even a better person. The Cardinal and St. Louis nation will be in mourning for losing such a great man and he will be greatly missed. My prayers go out to his family and my thoughts as well. RIP STAN 'THE MAN' MUSIAL November 21, 1920--January 13,2013
Stan Musial was bigger than life. He is not only the greatest Cardinal of all time, but the greatest baseball player I have ever had the privilege of knowing. From the first time I met him in 2001, Stan always took time for me a person and as a player. I have always been grateful to have access to the purest hitter in National League history, and to have him call me his friend. When I played in St. Louis, and now in Anaheim, when anyone called me ‘El Hombre’ I am quick to remind them there is only one “Man” in baseball and that is Stan “The Man” Musial.
My prayers are with the Musial family tonight. I will cherish my friendship with Stan for a long as I live. I will hold our conversations close in my heart. You were a dear sweet man who influenced my game and my life more than you will ever know.
May you now find peace in the arms of your Savior and our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Albert Pujols
