I'm sure Cardinals fans are aware that we lost Stan Musial last week. We were very fortunate that Major League Baseball streamed his funeral service live Saturday morning. I watched the service and was touched by the whole thing. At the end of the service, there were several eulogies. One was given by Bob Costas. If you haven't heard it, please take the time to listen. It is a beautiful tribute to Stan and should be heard by Cardinals fans especially, but if you are a baseball fan and aren't familiar with Stan Musial, please listen and learn a little about him. He was truly one of the greats, not only of baseball, but a truly great human being. Here is a link to the eulogy:

www.sportsgrid.com/mlb/bob-costas-eulogy-stan-musial/

If this doesn't bring tears to your eyes, I don't know what will.

"baseball's Perfect Knight..."


We ARE diminished.

I don't know how kids feel about baseball stars today, but I can tell you how I felt. These guys were heroes. They were who you wanted to grow-up to be.

They fell into groups. Guys like Musial, Kaline, and Banks were in one group. Guys that never quite got the recognition they deserved. Big fish, small pond. Aaron lived on that list for a good while then moved out when the race for Ruth's record heated up.

Ernie Banks I believe still lives in Dallas, in virtual obscurity.

These guys were giants; all of them.

When I was young, I was Willie Mays. Most all my friends pretended to be Mickey Mantle when we were playing in those vacant lot games. Nobody made fun of a white kid wanting to be Willie Mays in the 50s. He was that good.

My dad bought tickets to see a Giants vs Red Socks pre-season game in El Paso, Texas in the 60s. I was going to see Willie Mays in person. I remember the minor league stadium was packed. They allowed many, including my dad, myself, and my brother to sit inside the field, down the third base line.

As I recall Mays did nothing out of the ordinary, and as the game went on I had the overpowering need to go to the bathroom. The Giants came in to bat in the late innings and Mays would be batting fourth if he got up at all. I took off. When I got out of the bathroom, I went right to the vendor selling snow cones. I heard the announcer say Mays was on deck. I was second in line myself. As I was paying for my snow cone Mays was coming to the plate. I was going to make it.

He hit the first pitch over the left field fence. By the time I got to the field, he was already settling into a seat on the bench in the dugout. My day was ruined.

It must have been something special to have a Musial in your hometown, and get the chance to see him in his prime.

Growing up 6 miles from the ballpark, I got to see Stan quite often.

I came home from my first tour of duty in RVN (was headed back in 30 days) and took this awfully fine young lady to "Stan & Biggie's Restaurant". Wearing my uniform, of course. During our dessert, Stan the Man came by our table. He told me that the uniform I was wearing was the greatest one a man could aspire to wear.

He had tried several times during WWII to enlist, but the US Govt told him that his baseball career buoyed up literally a million young men in uniform a thousand times more than his wearing one could.

What more could a lifelong Stan the Man and Cardinals ask for at age 20 than getting a compliment like that from his boyhood hero?

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Growing up 6 miles from the ballpark, I got to see Stan quite often.
/QUOTE]

Where did you grow up Rich? I used to live on the Hill in S. St. Louis when I was first married.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Growing up 6 miles from the ballpark, I got to see Stan quite often.

I came home from my first tour of duty in RVN (was headed back in 30 days) and took this awfully fine young lady to "Stan & Biggie's Restaurant". Wearing my uniform, of course. During our dessert, Stan the Man came by our table. He told me that the uniform I was wearing was the greatest one a man could aspire to wear.

He had tried several times during WWII to enlist, but the US Govt told him that his baseball career buoyed up literally a million young men in uniform a thousand times more than his wearing one could.

What more could a lifelong Stan the Man and Cardinals ask for at age 20 than getting a compliment like that from his boyhood hero?

Tembo,

Granite City. Be there about 4pm Wednesday afternoon, couple Cards games in the plans. I mean, where else would you take your Mom for her 86th B-day?

Rich

Stan Musial was a pure baseball player. I doubt that we have those anymore.

Stanisław Franciszek Musial

enjoyable thread, thanks!!