On January 19, 1945, media reports say that Stan “The Man” Musial will enlist in the U.S. military for duty in World War II. Musial will miss the entire 1945 season before returning to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1946.

January 19, 1949 – Stan Musial

announced he had purchased half interest in the former 66 Café operated by

Julius “Biggie” Garagnani. The restaurant, at 6435 Chippewa would be known as

Stan Musial and Biggies, Stan said. The National League batting champion and

MVP was in the midst of a two-year contract paying him $50,000 per year and

said his new interest wouldn’t interfere with his baseball. “I won’t be around

much during the baseball season,” he said

Greatly admired and respected by

everyone in and around baseball, Stan Musial was one of the most popular

players to ever don a major league uniform. Since big league ball wasn’t played

any further west than the city of St. Louis until the Dodgers and Giants moved

to California in 1958, Musial was a hero to virtually every young boy who lived

beyond the banks of the Mississippi River during the 1940s and 1950s. The

Cardinal outfielder’s warm, unpretentious, and easy-going manner also made him

a favorite of teammates and opponents alike. Musial’s popularity was further

enhanced by the greatness he displayed on the ballfield – a greatness that

enabled him to win seven batting championships and three National League Most

Valuable Player Awards during his 22-year career with the Cardinals.

Stan Will pass away on January

19, 2013  in Ladue, MO

In discussing Musial’s legacy on ESPN’s

SportsCentury, Bob Costas noted, “He didn’t hit a homer in his last at-bat; he

hit a single. He didn’t hit in 56 straight games. He married his high school

sweetheart and stayed married to her – never married a Marilyn Monroe. He

didn’t play with the sheer joy and style that goes alongside Willie Mays’ name.

None of those easy things are there to associate with Stan Musial. All Musial

represents is more than two decades of sustained excellence and complete

decency as a human being

American Legion Baseball 1949 Stan Musial