It was a good week for living legend Stan Musial: on Wednesday it was announced he’d receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and today he turns 90. Happy birthday, Stan.
Musial’s been slowed by age — he now gets around in a wheelchair — but the man led an amazing life, rising from working-class roots in Donora, Pa. to become one of the best-known players in an era full of legends like Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. Certainly one of the best players ever to take the field, Musial hit .331 for his career and settled easily into the role of icon after retirement. He was a classy player on the field and perhaps an even classier ambassador for the game after retirement. Bernie Micklasz lays out the 90 reasons why Musial is so loved, both in St. Louis and in the greater baseball world.
One thing we did not know about Musial that Micklasz conveys: He started his career as a pitcher and turned to the outfield only after blowing out his shoulder in the Florida State League. Amazing.
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