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Stan Musial was one of the most talented baseball players to ever play the game. He was nicknamed ¨Stan The Man” because of the way he dominated the game. He played in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. He had a great baseball career, getting named the most valuable player three times, being in the 3,000 hit club and making it to the Hall of Fame. Stan played 21 years of Major League baseball. He played all 21 years with the St. Louis Cardinals. (Baseball Almanac)
In “Historic Missourians,” “Musial wrote in his autobiography, ‘What made me sign with the Cardinals? Because they used salesmanship, the personal touch. Where others wrote, they talked. Where others waited, they acted. That early bird that got the worm must have been a Redbird.’”
Stanislaw
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Franciszek Musial was born on November 21, 1920, in Donora, Pennsylvania. Stan had two younger brothers. His parents names were Lukasz and Mary Lancos Musial. Stan’s mom used to make baseballs for him out of stuff just laying around. Stan Musial had a C average all through high school and he was the only person in his family to graduate high school. He did not go to college and play college ball at all. Stan always dreamed of being a professional baseball player when he was younger and when he was 17 he signed his first major league contract for 65 dollars a month with the St. Louis Cardinals. Stan began playing with the minor league team as a pitcher for the Daytona Islanders.
One game he fell hard on his left shoulder and he was never able to pitch another game. He began playing in the outfield and little did he know he would be one of the best athletes to ever play in the outfield, from his outstanding catches to his amazing speed. After he he got hurt with his shoulder injury, he feared he would never be able to play the game of baseball ever again. He then became an excellent hitter and his minor league career was going very well for his future. After playing about three and a half years in the minors, he then was called up to the Major Leagues to come and play for the St. Louis Cardinals at left field. He finished his Minor League career with a .379 batting average in 87 games, 26 home runs and 94 RBIs. Stan was taking off in the Majors and becoming a team leader and starting to get more and more well known. He finished his rookie year with only 47 at bats, 8 runs, 20 hits, one home run, seven RBIs and an amazing .426 batting average. He finished 1942 with with 467 at bats, 87 runs, 147 hits, 10 home runs, 72 RBIs and a .315 batting average. 1943 was his best season he ever had. He finished 43 with 617 at bats, 108 runs, 220 hits, 13 home runs, 81 RBIs and a .357 batting average. Stan led the Cardinals to the World Series in 1942, 43, 44 and 46 which they won in 42, 44, and 46. Stan played the Hall of Famer Ted Williams in the World Series of 1946 against the New York Yankees. That was the last World Series Stan would play in for the rest of his baseball career. In 1945 Stan was drafted into the military of the final months of World War II. He joined the United States Navy and remained there four fourteen months. In 1946 he continued his Major League career on discharge. This is when he earned his nickname “Stan The Man” from the Los Angeles Dodgers fans. 1947 is when Jackie Robinson became the first African American to ever play Major League
baseball. Most of the players in the league did not like him because of his skin color and how he was different from everyone other player. Stan was unlike all of his teammates and the rest of the players in the league and showed true sportsmanship to Jackie. Stan once said he “had no trouble with integration,” largely because he had played sports with African Americans back in his high school days. (Historic Missourians) Stan finished the season of 47 with 587 at bats, 113 runs, 183 hits, 19 home runs, 95 RBIs and a .312 batting average. In 1952 Stan pitched his one and only game at age 32. His last year in 1963 he finished the season with 337 at bats, 34 runs, 86 hits, 58 RBIs and a .255 batting average. Stan retired from the Major Leagues at age 43 in 1963. Stan’s career stats were completely outstanding with 3,026 games played, 10,972 at bats, 1,949 runs, 3,630 hits, 475 home runs, 1,951 RBIs and a .331 batting average! Stan hit his 3,000th hit on May 13, 1958, in a game against the Chicago Cubs. He had the most hits in the National League history until Pete Rose broke the record in 1981. He had exactly half of his hits at home field and the other half at away games. Stan’s very last game was September 29, 1963, playing the Cincinnati Reds, the same day his Number 6 jersey was retired. (Historic Missourians) In Stan’s career he set many records. Stan established Major League records for most seasons leading his league in doubles and in extra base hits. Stan holds National League marks for most season leading the league in runs scored, in triples and in fewest strikeouts. He hit five home runs in May 2, 1954, in a doubleheader against the New York Giants, setting the Major League record for most home runs in a twin-bill. Stan The Man is the Cardinals franchise leader in games, at bats, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, home run, RBIs, extra base hits, walks and total bases. Stan won MVP three times. He won it in 1943, 46 and in 48. He won Major League Player of the Year from The Sporting News in 1946 and 51. In 1950 Stan won Player of the Decade from The Sporting News also in 1957 he won Sportsman of the Year from Sports Illustrated. Stan also won other things like Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in 57, Best player of the last 15 years from Sport magazine in 61 and in 62 he won Comeback Player of Year. In 1964 he was named chairman, President’s Council on Physical Fitness by President Lyndon B. Johnson. In 69 Stan was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, receiving 93.2 percent of the vote which is the third highest percentage after the Hall’s inaugural class was enshrined in 1936. In 1999 he got Cavalier Cross of the Order of Merit, the Polish government’s highest civilian award. In 2011 President Barack Obama awarded Stan the Presidential medal of Freedom, the United States highest civilian honor, for his lifetime of achievement and service. He is also a member of baseball’s All-Century Team, the Polish National Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame and Sports Halls of Fame in Missouri and St. Louis. (St. Louis Cardinals) After retirement Stan was involved in a successful restaurant and hotel pursuits with a business partner named Julius Garagnani. Stan took time off to general manage the 1967 Cardinals to a World Championship. Stan then quit the business after the unexpected death of his business partner. Stan died of natural causes at his home in St. Louis County on January 19, 2013, at the age of 92 after battling Alzheimer’s Disease for several years. Stan is buried in Resurrection Cemetery in Affton, Missouri. Stan is remembered as both an amazing athlete and a true gentleman. Stan was admired for his kindness, professionalism, sportsmanship and dedication to his craft. Stan was the best at what he did, playing the game of baseball. (SABR) Work Cited "Baseball almanac." Baseball-Almanac, Inc., 2000. Web. 16 Apr. 2017. "Stanislaw Franciszek Musial." The State Historical Society of Missouri, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2017. "Stan Musial." St. Louis Cardinals. 2017 MLB Advanced Media, 20 Jan. 2016. Web. 16 Apr. 2017. "Stan Musial." SABR. SABR, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2017.
Do you like Craig Kimbrel and the Atlanta Braves as much as I do? At the age of 4 Craig Kimbrel started off his baseball career. He didn’t play tee ball like most kids, he went straight to coach pitch. Between the ages of 4-12 Craig played with the Civic league team in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama. He played in the Babe Ruth league from the age of 12-16. Growing up through baseball Craig’s positions were 3rd base and outfield, not pitcher. Kimbrel played high school ball for Lee High in Huntsville, Alabama.
of the greatest knuckleball pitchers in the MLB. His story to never give up, no matter what life throws at
Cal Ripken, Jr., was the perfect baseball player. He would play when he had the flu and even when he had a sprained ankle.
Babe Ruth. Hank Aaron. Nolan Ryan. Cal Ripken Jr. These outstanding Major League Baseball players deservedly earned their spot in baseball’s Hall of Fame. Hank Aaron held the league’s home run record with 755 for 33 years, until it was broken by Barry Bonds at the height of the steroid era (Andy). Aaron has never been accused of steroid use; however, Bonds has. Nolan Ryan can be found at the top of the all-time strikeout list, but Roger Clemens is not far behind. Once again, the former has never been proven to have been on steroids, while the latter was found guilty. It is not fair to the players who achieved their greatness on their own merit to be surpassed, or even grouped alongside, those who cheated the game. The Hall of Fame needs to
His pitching performance was great during the series showing off his new pitches and also using his demanding fastball too. Again took the Monarchs took the World Series in 1946 and lost in a 3-2 series allowing the Newark Eagles to become the
“In 1946, there were sixteen Major League Baseball teams, with a total of 400 players on their rosters, every one of the players was white. But when opening day came in 1947, that number dropped to 399, and one man stood apart. (42 2:30)” Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson made his Major League Baseball debut on April 15, 1947, as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Making Jackie Robinson the first African-American to play Major League Baseball (MLB). Jackie’s transition from the Negro Leagues to MLB was not an easy one. As a player, he transitioned very well, but it was Robinson’s teammates, Dodgers fans, the opposing teams and their fans that tested Jackie every chance they got, some hotels even prohibited the Dodgers to stay in their establishments
Hank Aaron was a famous baseball player who was respectful to his teammates and his fans. His nickname was “Hammerin’ Hank”. At one time he led the league in the most home runs. He was born in a poor family and then grew up to be a great professional baseball player. He became one of the most admired baseball players in Major League history.
In 1983 Roger Clemens was drafted in the first round, 19th overall, by the Boston Red Sox. In 1986 he won 24 games, received the American League MVP award, and his Red Sox played in and lost the World Series. Within that same year Clemens struck out 20 batters in one game. He was the first of only three pitchers to accomplish this feat and he repeated it again in 1996 just before leaving the Red Sox.
1910 to 1920 was the one of the greatest decades for Major League Baseball. Many amazing events occurred during this decade; although, some devastating and extremely sad events also occurred. Half of these years were taken up by war, even many Hall of Fame players served. This decade still ended up being a great one for Major League Baseball. From Hall of Fame greats to Negro League pitchers, this decade produced greats. The 1910’s also set up the 1920’s for amazing players too.
He had one of the game's most glorious seasons in 1941, hitting for an average of .406 at the age of twenty three. He is the last player to accomplish this feat. Nevertheless, he lost out on the most valuable player award that year to Joe DiMaggio, who had posted his 56 game hitting streak that same year. He most likely lost this MVP award because of his lack of respect and his arrogance to many of the sports writers and media, who are the ones who vote for the winner ( Nightingale).
Throughout the course of American history, there have been copious amounts of famous speeches, spoken by many different people. From political figures to sports players; these people have provided deep thoughts and great insights about who they are and the world we live in today. Being a sports enthusiast, a memorable speech comes to my mind. Lou Gehrig’s “farewell speech”, given on July 4th, 1939, to more than 62,000 fans at New York City’s Yankee Stadium, has become a cornerstone in the history of baseball in America. Lou Gehrig is considered one of the most under-rated sports players of all time. Gehrig played in the same era with greats like Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio. In Fact, Gehrig played on the same team and actually batted behind Ruth and DiMaggio. Gehrig’s nickname is the “Iron Horse,” which came about with Gehrig’s amazing consecutive games played streak. Gehrig played in 2,130 consecutive games, which stood as the consecutive games record until just recently broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. Gehrig died in 1941, at the age of 37. Though many famous speeches have been spoken throughout time, Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech has remained one of the most memorable speeches of all time, due to the way he captivated his fans with the use of rhetoric.
This record stood until 1961 when Roger Maris hit 61 home runs. He might have been the best baseball player who ever played the game. He led the Yankees to seven World Series and made two million dollars in his career. Jack "the Manassa Mauler" Dempsey was one of the best heavyweight boxers of all time. He was a heavyweight champion and fought and won against Georges Carpentier.
Babe Ruth is still a very well-known person in history today, even almost one-hundred years later. He did not only change the way people viewed negro baseball leagues, but he also gained a large reputation for his ability to play baseball, obviously due to his amazing abilities. Ruth’s ability to play was almost impossibly good, in fact, he was even titled “athlete of the century” for his ability. With that ability and power that he had once he won, he would become a
714 career home runs, had 2,209 career RBI's, and 2,873 total hits, all in only
Pete Rose nicknamed “Charlie Hustle” was a major league baseball player who played between 1963 and 1986. He broke Ty Cobb’s hitting record on September 11, 1985. “He finished the 1986 season and retired with record 4,256 total hits, 14,053 at bats in 3562 games played.” Pete Rose was on his way to the Baseball Hall of Fame. However, he was accused and investigated for gambling on baseball games while he was an active player and a manager. “In 1991 Pete Rose received a lifetime ban from baseball hall of fame