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Buy the Book
A Wonderful Life
A New York Timesman joins in to pay tribute to the great Stan Musial.
Stan Musial: An American Life
By George Vecsey
(Ballantine Books, 401 pages, $26)
SINCE HANGING UP his cleats, Stan Musial has hardly been ignored by baseball fans or writers. They still go nuts in St. Loo when Stan makes one of his increasingly rare visits to Busch Stadium. And there’s the statute of Musial in his batting stance in front of the ball-yard.
Loved is the only word to use for how Cardinal fans, and baseball aficionados of a certain age from other precincts, consider the world-class hitter who won seven batting titles and three MVP awards in a 22-year career that launched 3,630 hits and 475 home runs, and ended with a .331 lifetime batting average. These gaudy stats put him in a league with guys like Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, former players who, for reasons George Vecsey attempts to plumb, get far more attention than Stan when the nostalgia starts to flow.
Stan compiled these successes between the white lines while consistently being gracious, humble, cheerful, generous, and approachable. He was perhaps the nicest guy ever to play the Grand Old Game. Musial competed in a mind-boggling 3,026 Major League baseball games and was never ejected from a one of them. If there were a Gentleman’s Hall of Fame, Musial would be a first-ballot inductee.
There’ve been some readable books about Musial, one of the early, worthy ones being Bob Broeg’s Stan Musial: The Man’s Own Story of 1964, the year after Musial retired as a player. Broeg was a friend of Musial’s and the book is the type of sportswriter hagiography that fills shelves in the sports departments of bookstores. But withal it’s a good look at the Musial baseball career.
In 2010 Wayne Stewart gave us a little more personal summing up in the readable Stan the Man. Comes now New York Times sports columnist Vecsey with Stan Musial: An American Life, a worthy contribution that, as the subtitle suggests, gives us a thorough look at the total Musial, a man whose life off the field and after the cheering stopped repays our attention.
Vecsey tells the Musial story from Stan’s childhood in poor and polluted Donora, Pennsylvania (a small town that also produced a couple of Griffeys who were fair ballplayers themselves), through his playing days and his post-baseball career as a successful St. Louis businessman.
Stan was the son of a zinc mill worker from Poland, one Lukasz Musial. His mother, Mary, was born in the U.S., but was just a generation away from Czechoslovakia. Stan was born Stanislaus Franciszek Musial (later changed to Stanley Frank for the convenience of Anglos) and went by the diminutive Stashu. Stan’s Polish heritage means a lot to him and he made several trips to the old country after his playing days. On these trips he was privileged to meet such notable Poles as Lech Walesa and Karol Josef Wojtyla, later, on his way to sainthood, to be known as John Paul II.
There wasn’t much money in Donora in Stashu’s day and the air wasn’t very good a lot of the time. But Stan came by a set of values there that stood him well for a lifetime, that were more common in America in the ’30s and ’40s than now, and which Frank Capra made movies about. “A Wonderful Life” could well describe Musial’s first 90 years.
Vecsey says he got the idea to write about Musial when baseball fans in 1999, voting for a list of the best 25 players of the century, unaccountably left Musial out. OK, top this or that lists are all gimmicks and of little account. But Mark McGwire and not Stan Musial? Charlie Hustle (Pete Rose to non-baseball civilians) but not The Man? What were they thinking?
Vecsey speculates that good-guy Musial may have slipped off of many fans’ radar screens because he just wasn’t sexy enough. He didn’t have Ted Williams’s prickliness or Joe DiMaggio’s hauteur. He didn’t marry Marilyn Monroe even once. He didn’t throw tantrums in the dugout, didn’t diss the fans or the press, and didn’t conduct angry salary disputes in public. He married and stayed married to his high school sweetheart for more than 70 years and went to church regularly all his life. Norman Rockwell, call your office.
Another possible explanation for why the great Musial’s flame doesn’t burn as brightly in the national memory as that of lesser players who spent their careers in New York, Boston, or L.A. is that Musial was insufficiently coastal. Musial spent his entire career in heartland St. Louis, which, while it’s close to the Ozarks, is hardly Dogpatch. It’s a baseball town where the Cardinals have a venerable history including 10 World Series victories, more than any team save the New York Yankees. But it’s not Media, USA. Vecsey suggests, with some justification, that if Musial had played in New York he would have been a god.
AWARE OF THE CONSISTENT reports of Musial the gracious and generous man, unspoiled by success and wealth, Vecsey attempts to “humanize” him by finding examples of less than exemplary behavior: the youngster denied an autograph, the angry and undeserved outburst at an innocent party, examples of selfish or showboating behavior. The results of this search are pretty feeble. We learn that Musial smoked for a while. He enjoyed a drink or two when he socialized. And he came out with the odd obscenity in the dugout from time to time. Geez, ballplayers use blue language? Who knew?
Far easier to find than these trifling misdemeanors were examples of Stan’s thoughtfulness or generosity. My favorite is about the minor leaguer brought up to the Cardinals at the end of September. At season’s end, and after the briefest look from the Cardinals, the kid finds himself unable to afford fare home. So the superstar takes the kid home for dinner and afterward drives him to the airport, where he buys him a plane ticket back to East Overshoe.
One dispute that did not heal followed when ex-big league catcher and media personality Joe Garagiola bought into one of Musial’s many businesses. Garagiola alleged in a lawsuit that some of the other Musial concerns, not Musial himself, used money that should have gone to Garagiola’s business. Garagiola has a rep as a funny guy, but Cardinal fans were not amused. Some reacted as though Garagiola had sued the Easter Bunny. Musial did not make up with Garagiola, but neither did he bad-mouth him in public.
Musial turned 90 last November and doesn’t get around anymore without help. Vecsey reports Stan has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. His bride of 70+ years, Lillian, suffers from arthritis and is in a wheelchair. This couple is in the final innings, which makes this second-generation Musial fan sad for the loss we must endure. But there’s much to be happy about in the lives of these two great Americans. Vecsey’s book helps us understand these lives. It deserves the attention of readers who are baseball fans, or just fans of the well-lived American Dream.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
Dave | 8.29.11 @ 7:39AM
As a 66 year old baseball lifer, one who had his first in-person encounter with an actual baseball hero at the tender age of 13, I won't soon forget the brief act kindness Stan Musial showed toward a little 4 foot nothing kid who wanted nothing more than a signature. Guys like Bonds, Zambrano and others from today's "enlightened" game could learn a lot from Mr. Musial. But from their resume of conduct ... maybe not.
Below is a memory eye account of one summer night at the Los Angeles Coliseum back in 1958 when a bunch of kids like me simply wanted to take away a little something from a baseball hero and store it in our life history books to be passed along when the time came. The thought of selling that memory on E-Bay wouldn't have even scratched the surface. Here's how I remember that summer evening with The Man ...
It was 1958; the first year the former Brooklyn Dodgers played in that
spacious, but never quite ready for prime time baseball field called the
Los Angeles Coliseum. My buddy Dennis, his dad and I got to the park a
little early to see our new L.A. Dodgers play the Cardinals and maybe
collect a few autographs. It was my first major league game. Sha-zam!
As a short stature kid (about four inches under 5 feet) I usually had a
tough time moving around in crowds of tall people. The Coliseum had a long
concrete runway that lead down to the dressing room areas and then out
onto the field. The gate area, at that time, is where team buses would
pull up and unload players so they could get down to their designated
clubhouse. That night, like other kids who knew where those team buses
would arrive and unload, Dennis and I were right there near the gates with
dozens of people, all clutching an assortment of balls, photos and small
pieces of paper ... and ready for our baseball gods to scribble their
signatures.
tick-tick-tick ... Man, where was that bus?
A little earlier, I'd gone to the stadium gift shop and bought a 12 pack
of black and white, individual Cardinals photos. But, at the time, I had
NO idea what a smart move that was going to be. Especially smart for a
kid of short stature.
When Card's bus finally pulled up to the back gate and began unloading
players, about 20 or 30 fans were all gathered around there just hoping to
get one of them to sign their stuff. When the guys began stepping off the
charter... the first player I spotted was a catcher name Hal Smith, then
out came second baseman Don Blasingame and right behind him ..."The Man."
As most of us realized that Stan Musial was within autograph reach ...
the crush to get him to sign was underway. Adults, older teens and some
kids a lot bigger than me shoved their way into the tight circle that
surrounded Musial. At that point, I figured he be long gone and way down
the tunnel before I had the chance to ask him sign anything. Just then, I
realized I had that gift pack of black and white Cardinals photos still in
my hand.
I had a shot.
As Stan was briskly signing as many autographs as he could grab, I opened
up my pack of Cardinals pictures and pulled out his 5x7. At that moment,
I decided to go for it and toss pain to the wind. Well, that little
four-foot-noting kid managed to bull-rush his still-growing-body into the
frantic circle of signing seekers while thrusting his hand and photo into
the air just hoping "The Man" might spot it among all the pieces of white
paper, balls and pens. After being bumped around for what seemed like
damn near forever, Mr. Musial happened to glance down my way and spotted
the raised black and white photo in my hand. Then despite a few howls of -
"Heeey, I was in front of THAT kid" - one of baseball's great players
reached down, snatched up my picture and scribble his name on it. Then
while handing it back; smiled and said something like - "There 'ya go,
buddy." Simple and decent. Can't beat it.
In a different time, I might not have worked my way out of that circle of
nut cases without pickin' up some serious bodily damage. Today, just
walking though the parking lot while wearing visitors gear can get you
popped.
These days I'm pushin' 66, retired and begin most mornings stepping though
the backdoor that leads into my garage. And right there on the corner
wall near the doorway is that framed, autographed 5x7 photo of a genuine
good guy: Stan Musial.
Pecos Pete| 8.29.11 @ 8:15AM
Dave: Thank you.
Bob| 8.29.11 @ 10:19AM
Great story, Dave.
astorian| 8.29.11 @ 9:06AM
Oh, no. Not the old “If Only He’d Played In New York, He’d Be a God” canard. I hear variations on this lament regularly. “If only Joe Shlabotnik had played for the Yankees, he’d have been a first ballot Hall of Famer.” “If only Johnny Whatshisface had played in New York, he’d get the acclaim he deserves.”
Look, Stan Musial was a great ballplayer and, by all accounts, a wonderful man. I’m happy to let him bask in whatever adulation he receives. But the idea that he’s been given less than his due, that he’s been unjustly ignored because he played in a “small market” is not only false, it’s preposterous.
ARE there advantages to playing in New York? Sure- a New York Yankee generally gets paid a lot more than a KC Royal, Pittsburgh Pirate or Milwaukee Brewer, and has more opportunities for endorsements. But do New York players get more awards than “small market” players? No! Absolutely not, and it irritates me no end that sop many people believe otherwise.
Quick- name me some undeserving players from the New York Mets who’ve won the MVP award. Can’t think of one? Okay, I’ll make it easier- name me ANYBODY from the New York Mets who’s EVER won the MVP award? Oh wait, NOBODY from the Mets has won an MVP award! As for the Yankees, look at the record book: The Oakland A’s and the Texas Rangers have both had at least as many MVP awards as the Yankees since George Steinbrenner bought the Yanks in 1973.
Many fans point to Derek Jeter as a guy who gets too much press and praise because he plays in New York. So, how many MVP awards has Derek won? ZERO! Indeed, both times Derek has DESERVED the MVP award, the voters gave it to a guy from the quintessential “small market team”- the Minnesota Twins!
What about the Hall of Fame- isn’t the Hall loaded with undeserving players from New York? No, actually the Hall is loaded with undeserving players from St. Louis! Don’t take my word for it, look at the record. Frankie Frisch ran the Veterans’ Committee, and for years he used the Veterans’ Committee to put his undeserving buddies from the Cardinals in the Hall of Fame!
As for Stan Musial himself, it’s hard to see where he’s been shafted or disrespected in any way. Stan won 3 MVP awards- just as many as Mickey Mantles and Joe Dimaggio. MORE than Willie Mays or Henry Aaron. Moreover, Stan was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility- Joe Dimaggio had to wait several years! Heck, Stan Musial has been given the Medal of Freedom. How can ANYONE claim he hasn’t been given all the honors he deserves and then some?
The ONLY ways in which one COULD argue that Stan Musial has been slighted are:
1) Some years back, in a fan survey of the greatest players of the 20th century, Stan finished just BARELY outside the top ten. But hey, such surveys never deserve to be taken too seriously in the first place, and besides, the undeserving players who finished ahead of Stan Musial weren’t big market stars. They were Cincinnati stars named Pete Rose and Ken Griffey Jr. Just as in the 1957 All-Star Game voting, Cincinnati fans stuffed the ballot boxes!
2) When you ask people to name the greatest hitters of all time, most will name Ruth, Williams, Gehrig, Mays, Mantles and Aaron. After that, if you ask, “What about Musial,” people will quickly answer, “Oh yeah, Stan was great too.” In other words, EVERYBODY agrees that Stan Musial was one of the greatest hitters of all time, but most of them regard Stan as JUST a notch below Ruth, Williams, Gehrig and Mays. And you know what? That’s EXACTLY as it should be!!!!
Notary Sojac| 8.29.11 @ 10:01AM
Astorian:
When we take into account the whole package - hitting, fielding, baserunning, durability, clubhouse presence - I don't think that Musial is behind the four players you mentioned by even one millimeter.
The reason he's not normally mentioned in the same breath is not that "he didn't play in New York" (although that's probably the reason that Ken Burns passed him over so lightly).
The reason I think is that his career unfortunately lacks a single dramatic moment (no Mays catch in the depths of the Polo Grounds, no World Series called shot) or a single well-known statistic (Gehrig's streak, Teddy's .406 season) which through repetition has become ingrained in the everyday fan's memory.
Evanston2| 8.29.11 @ 11:43AM
Notary, agreed that Astorian overstates the case. Media exposure and fame obviously correlate. To call this a "canard" is silly. Regarding the comparisons, it helps your stats to play on a better team and with that sort of "wind at your back" (you can't pitch around a guy to get to a much weaker batter) Musial compares well with Ruth and Gehrig and Williams arguably surpasses them all.
Bob K.| 8.29.11 @ 11:10AM
Astorian,
If he had played in Yankee Stadium with that short and low Right Field fence his numbers would be right up there with Gehrig and Williams. And he was always better than Mantle. As it was, at the time he retired he held or shared 17 Major League records.
And we can only wonder what Williams's numbers would have been had he played half his games there and not lost 5 years to Military duty.
Statistics, especially Baseball statistics, cannot be compared in a vacuum.
astorian| 8.29.11 @ 10:26AM
Obviously, opinions vary, but if you look at all-time on-base percentage, Ted Williams is #1, Babe Ruth is #2, and Lou Gehrig is #5. Stan Musial? He's #23, which is dang good, but just a notch below the best ever.
How about slugging percentage? Babe Ruth is #1, Ted Williams is #2, Lou Gehrig is #3. Stan Musial? He's #19. Again, that's VERY, very good, but just a notch below the best of the best.
Which means, in my view, that Stan Musial's status is almost exactly what it ought to be.
Bob K.| 8.29.11 @ 10:58AM
A great American! A great Polish-American!
Jak sie macz, Stan?
Ken (Old Texican)| 8.29.11 @ 12:16PM
I was growing up in Houston and the Houston Buffaloes were the Cardinal's triple A team here.
.....Beleve me, in his day, here in fly-over country, Stan the Man was Earl Campbell, Craig Biggio, And Nolan Ryan all wrapped in a single package.
Stan shared a "Title" with Hank Aaron. Every single pitcher that pitched against them knew.....
"THIS IS THE GUY THAT WILL BEAT YOU"!
Somehow, Stan and Hank seemed to always get the KEY hit to win a ballgame.
I don't care how they keep the stats.....
Notary Sojac| 8.29.11 @ 1:25PM
Musial was clearly respected by the players, writers and fans -of his time- every bit as much as Mays, Williams, Aaron, DiMag, etcetera.
The awards given him during his career (correctly cited by astorian up-thread) are a clear sign of this.
It's just that Musial's star seems to have faded since he retired much more so than the others.
BTW my sports hero as a Chicago kid in the '60's was another "Stashu", who wore #21 for the Blackhawks. He's similarly not much remembered outside the team's home town.
Interested Conservative| 8.29.11 @ 3:56PM
Ruth is clearly #1, but after him there are great arguments for a real pile up at #2. Many, many folks argue for Ricky, who, aside from personality, had a career very similar to Stan - long, productive, and so many talents. Non-SABR types also never even consider Joe Morgan, and in 20 years or so, if not earlier, I suspect Griffey Jr. will be the lone non-steroidal star from the 90's-00's on the list.
Longevity of excellence means more than most fans appreciate.
John Barham | 8.29.11 @ 6:20PM
As a youngster waiting outside the old Sportsman's Park stadium for autographs, I saw that Musial always obliged his many young fans. Indeed, he was and is a gentleman, the likes of which we rarely see in the 21st century. He is worthy of any and all accolades which may come his way!
Ken (Old Texican)| 8.29.11 @ 7:50PM
Just a fun giggle: Growing up he was called samMusial in my circle. Heck, we didn't even know it was two names ...he was samusuial.
(it rhymed with the best ever we saw.)
Jim in StL| 8.29.11 @ 11:18PM
Stan was so gracious about signing things that the several baseballs I have aren't worth anything. :-)
Jack| 8.30.11 @ 4:15AM
Stan won 3 MVP awards- just as many as Mickey Mantles and Joe Dimaggio. MORE than Willie Mays or Henry Aaron.
monster energy t shirts
ray ban wayfarer sunglasses
POST American| 8.31.11 @ 12:31AM
-----Nice '50's Show' DIS-traction.
Meanwhile, the ONLY ball game worth watching
in this, the FINAL inning of the Globalist's
RED China TREASON OP.
POST American| 8.31.11 @ 12:32AM
-------------is TREASON itself.