Remembering Stan the Man Musial...

[cairistiona]

I doubt this post will hold much interest to most of you, but it's a sad day in my other "fandom" (in quotes because that term is rarely used by sports fans, and Cardinals fans call themselves Cardinal Nation). The greatest player in St. Louis Cardinals history, Stan "The Man" Musial, died yesterday at the age of 92. I can't put into words what Stan Musial was to the city of St. Louis and to Cardinals fans everywhere, so I was very grateful that Major League Baseball writer Richard Justice does a very eloquent job in this article. If you want  a glimpse of why I'm a baseball fan, and specifically a Cardinals fan, read it. It's not long, but he manages to express my feelings perfectly.

I never got to see Stan play, nor did I meet him in person to shake his hand as I have several players and coaches over the course of my life, but I always wished I'd had the opportunity. He was such a mainstay at the stadium, especially on opening day, which is a major holiday in my hometown. It will be very bittersweet this year not to see him circling the field with the parade of former and current players, smiling and waving at fans. The sun will shine a little less bright on the baseball field that day.

Comments

[bluegerl.livejournal.com]

That's sad.. there will be a special hole in that parade next time. HIS hole where everyone will remember him. But some folk become your friends even when you haven't ever spoken to them. So sorry... But you'll see the 'hole' and be glad he WAS there!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

But you'll see the 'hole' and be glad he WAS there!

So very true!

[mikononyte.livejournal.com]

I have not seen the news this weekend yet so this is news to me.

How sad! I saw him play as a child, on Telly of course! My mom and step dad always watched the games and would bet that same old 50cent piece. :)

I've only ever met Willy Mays in person as a child myself, but I know what an influence he had on San Francisco and I know the kind of influence Musial had on St Louis. He was blood and soul of the game, intimidation with a bat and and I can't think of anyone anywhere ever saying anything bad about the man. He WAS baseball.

Also, did you hear that Earl Weaver of the Orioles passed yesterday as well? I was just reading that article you linked and there were comments about Weaver.

The old school is dying off; those young bucks like Bonds bring the game down by putting themselves before the game.

Yes. I'm a baseball fan. In case you didn't catch that. :)

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

How neat that you got to see him play! He'd retired before I was born, so I only know him from all his public appearances.

And yes, I heard that Earl Weaver also died... sad weekend for baseball. Coincidentally, he was from St. Louis though he never played or managed there.

those young bucks like Bonds bring the game down by putting themselves before the game.

Unfortunately, they're the ones that nab all the media attention. There are a lot of young players, at least on the Cardinals' team, that play the game old school, without the flash and the PEDs and all that nonsense. I hope the tide is swinging back the other way. *fingers crossed*

[mikononyte.livejournal.com]

Oh! I should have qualified my statement Re: Hays. I saw him at batting practice. Closed field but my grampa knew him from years back and so took me to watch. I was just a wee nipper and this biiiiig black man reached down his huuuuuuuge paw and took my hand, said "how ya doin'?" and I was just yaaaaaaaaa~! hahaha

I cried my eyes out when he came onto the field some years back to receive a lifetime award. :)

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, you actually got to shake Willy Mays' hand! What a thrill! I would have been equally incoherent. *g* The only really famous Cardinals I've met have been Keith Hernandez, in the year after they won the World Series, And Al Hrabosky, the relief pitcher, and Dave Duncan, who for years and years was the Cardinals pitching coach extraordinaire. And I've met a handful of minor leaguers, there being the Cards' Double-A club here in Springfield. But no one on a par with Willie Mays or Stan Musial.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

He was a great player, and an exceptional person. So, it's no wonder you love and miss him.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

To me, it's the "exceptional person" part that's his greatest legacy.

[rs9.livejournal.com]

Really really sad.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

We knew it was coming, as he'd been increasingly frail over the past year, but it still came as a bit of a shock.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you've lost such a giant from the game. I'm sure this will be deeply felt by fans everywhere.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

He was definitely a case of "they don't make them like him anymore". He'll be missed.

[suzll.livejournal.com]

How sad! I've heard quite a bit about him over the years, he seems like he was a stand-up guy in addition to a stand-up player. I'm imagining you're feeling around how I felt when Ron Santo passed away :(

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Yes, it probably is very much like when Santo died... though Santo's death to me was even more sad because he wasn't that old. Or at least, these days 70 doesn't seem as old as it used to. It's just hard seeing these great players from baseball's history pass the scene.

[mrowe.livejournal.com]

It's always sad to lose one of these giants of the past, in any sport or walk of life.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

It truly is.