Editing Stan Musial (section)

==Professional career==
===Minor leagues===
Musial's rookie year with Williamson in 1938 was a period of adjustment both on and off the field. He began gaining more in-depth knowledge about baseball strategy<ref name="Musial2728">[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 27–28</ref> while posting a 6–6 [[Win–loss record (pitching)|win–loss record]] and a 4.66 [[earned run average]] (ERA), to go along with a .258 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]].<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 28</ref> Off the field, he experienced feelings of [[homesickness]] while learning to live comfortably and independently on his $65-per-month salary ({{Inflation|US|65|1928|fmt=eq|r=-1}}).<ref name=Musial2728/> Musial finished his high school education before returning to Williamson in spring 1939. That season his numbers improved to a 9–2 record, a 4.30 ERA, and a .352 batting average.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 12</ref><ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 31</ref> Musial spent the 1940 season with the Cardinals' other Class D team, the [[Daytona Beach Islanders]], where he developed a lifelong friendship with manager [[Dickie Kerr]].<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 35–38</ref> His pitching skills improved under the guidance of Kerr, who also recognized his [[Hit (baseball)|hitting]] talent, playing him in the [[outfielder|outfield]] between pitching [[Starting pitcher|starts]].<ref>[[#Vec11|Vecsey 2011]]: 72–74</ref> On May 25, 1940, Musial married fellow Donora resident, Lillian "Lil" Labash, in Daytona Beach, and the couple's first child followed in August.<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 36–37</ref> During late August, Musial suffered a shoulder injury while playing in the outfield, and later made an early exit as the starting pitcher in a 12–5 playoff game loss.<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 33–35</ref> For a while Musial considered leaving baseball entirely, complaining that he could not afford to support himself and his wife on the $16 a week pay. Kerr talked him out of it, and even took the Musials into his own home to relieve the financial burden. To repay the debt, Musial bought Kerr a $20,000 ({{Inflation|US|20000|1958|fmt=eq|r=-4}}) home in Houston in 1958.<ref>Newsweek, June 2, 1958</ref> In 113 games in 1940 he hit .311, while compiling an 18–5 pitching record that included 176 strikeouts and 145 [[base on balls|walks]].<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 32</ref><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 15</ref>

Musial was assigned to the Class AA [[Columbus Red Birds]] to begin 1941, though manager [[Burt Shotton]] and Musial himself quickly realized that the previous year's injury had considerably weakened his arm.<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 37–38</ref> He was reassigned to the Class C [[Springfield Cardinals]] as a full-time outfielder, and he later credited manager [[Ollie Vanek]] for displaying confidence in his hitting ability.<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 40</ref> During 87 games with Springfield, Musial hit a league-leading .379 before being promoted to the [[Rochester Red Wings]] of the [[International League]].<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 16–17</ref> He was noted for his unique batting stance, a crouch in which his back was seemingly square to the pitcher. This stance was later described by pitcher [[Ted Lyons]] as "a kid peeking around the corner to see if the cops were coming".<ref name=espnclassic/> According to a 1950 description by author [[Tom Meany]], "The bent knees and the crouch give him the appearance of a coiled spring, although most pitchers think of him as a coiled rattlesnake."<ref>Meany, Tom, "Baseball's Greatest Hitters: Stan Musial", ''Baseball Digest'', June 1950, p. 64.</ref> Musial continued to play well in Rochester—in one three-game stretch, he had 11 hits. He was called up to the Cardinals for the last two weeks of the 1941 season.<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 43–44</ref>

===St. Louis Cardinals (1941–1944)===
[[File:Musial statue.JPG|right|thumb|upright|Musial's statue outside of [[Busch Stadium]] captures his signature batting stance.|alt=A bronze statue of baseball great Stan Musial]]
Musial made his [[Major League Baseball|major league]] debut during the second game of a [[Doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]] at [[Sportsman's Park]] on September 17, 1941.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 24–25</ref> The Cardinals were in the midst of a pennant race with the [[1941 Brooklyn Dodgers season|Brooklyn Dodgers]]; in 12 games, Musial collected 20 hits for a .426 batting average.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 19, 27</ref> Despite Musial's late contributions, the [[1941 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] finished two and one-half games behind the 100-game-winning Dodgers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1941/Y_1941.htm |title=The 1941 Season |access-date=March 22, 2009 |publisher=[[Retrosheet]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911193007/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1941/Y_1941.htm |archive-date=September 11, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Cardinals manager [[Billy Southworth]] used Musial as a [[left fielder]] to begin [[1942 St. Louis Cardinals season|1942]], sometimes lifting him for a [[pinch-hitter]] against left-handed pitching.<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 54–55</ref> Musial was hitting .315 by late June,<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 56</ref> as the Cardinals resumed battling the Dodgers for first place in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL).<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 56–57</ref> The Cardinals took sole possession of first place on September 13, and when Musial caught a fly ball to end the first game of a doubleheader on September 27 they clinched the [[List of National League pennant winners|pennant]] with their 105th win.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 38</ref> He finished the season with a .315 batting average and 72 [[runs batted in]] (RBI) in 140 games. Musial received national publicity when he was named by ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]'' sports editor J. Roy Stockton as his choice for Rookie of the Year in a ''[[Saturday Evening Post]]'' article.<ref name=stats1/><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 40</ref>

The Cardinals played the [[American League]] champion [[1942 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in the [[1942 World Series]].<ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 187</ref> Representing the winning run at home plate in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 1 at Sportsman's Park, Musial [[Ground out (baseball)|grounded out]] with the [[bases loaded]] to end the game.<ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 188</ref> Musial's first hit of the Series was an RBI [[Single (baseball)|single]] that provided the margin of victory in Game 2, allowing the Cardinals to tie the Series.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 41</ref> Over the next three games at [[Yankee Stadium (1923)|Yankee Stadium]], Musial had three more hits as the Cardinals defeated the Yankees in the Series four games to one.<ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 190</ref> Musial batted .222 for the Series, with two [[Run (baseball)|runs scored]].<ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 403</ref> Musial's [[1943 St. Louis Cardinals season|1943 season]] started with a brief contract holdout in [[spring training]].<ref name="ReferenceA">[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 74–76</ref> He made the National League All-Star team for the first time as a starting left fielder and got a [[double (baseball)|double]] in the [[1943 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] on July 13.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> He finished the season leading the major leagues in hitting with a .357 batting average and led the NL in hits (220), [[Double (baseball)|doubles]] (48), [[Triple (baseball)|triples]] (20), [[total bases]] (347), [[on-base percentage]] (.425), and [[slugging percentage]] (.562).<ref name="Giglio86">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 86</ref> This performance earned him his first [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|NL Most Valuable Player Award]], ahead of teammate and catcher [[Walker Cooper]] (.318 batting average).<ref name=Giglio86/> After romping to another NL pennant by 18 games, the Cardinals again faced the Yankees in the [[1943 World Series]].<ref name="Giglio87">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 87</ref> Musial had a single in the Cardinals' Game 1 loss, and scored a run in a Game 2 win.<ref name=Giglio87/> The Cardinals did not win another game in the Series, but the loser's bonus share paid to each Cardinals player ($4,321.99, {{Inflation|US|4321.99|1943|fmt=eq|r=-2}}) still amounted to nearly two-thirds of Musial's regular season salary.<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 88</ref>

United States involvement in World War II began to impinge on Musial's baseball career in [[1944 St. Louis Cardinals season|1944]], as he underwent a physical examination in prelude to possible service in the armed forces.<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 89</ref> He ultimately remained with the Cardinals for the entire season, posting a .347 batting average with 197 hits.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 60</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmusis101.htm |title=Stan Musial |access-date=February 24, 2009 |publisher=[[Retrosheet]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120907141912/http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmusis101.htm |archive-date=September 7, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Cardinals claimed the NL pennant for the third consecutive season, and faced St. Louis's other major league team, the [[Baltimore Orioles|Browns]], in the [[1944 World Series]].<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 63–64</ref> The Browns took a 2–1 lead, while Musial hit .250 with no RBI.<ref name="Giglio93">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 93</ref> He broke out in Game 4 with a two-run [[home run]], single, double, and a walk as part of a 5–1 Cardinals win.<ref name=Giglio93/> The Cardinals went on to defeat the Browns in six games, and Musial posted a .304 batting average for the Series.<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 93–94</ref><ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 404</ref>

===Sojourn in the U.S. Navy (1945–46)===
Musial enlisted in the United States Navy on January 23, 1945, during World War II. He was initially assigned to non-combat duty at the [[United States Naval Training Center Bainbridge]].<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 66</ref> In June 1945, he was assigned to Special Services in [[Hawaii]], and was assigned to a ferry launch unit to bring back damaged ship crews entering [[Pearl Harbor]] where he was able to play baseball every afternoon in the naval base's eight-team league.<ref name="Lansch67">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 67</ref> After being granted emergency leave to see his ailing father in January 1946, he was briefly assigned to the [[Philadelphia Navy Yard]] before his honorable discharge from the Navy as a Seaman Second Class in March 1946.<ref name=Lansch67/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/musial_stan.htm |title=Baseball in Wartime. Stan Musial |access-date=July 18, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130710024612/http://www.baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/musial_stan.htm |archive-date=July 10, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2007, Musial received the [[United States Navy Memorial|Navy Memorial]]'s [[Lone Sailor Award]], which honors Navy veterans who have excelled in civilian life.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.navymemorial.org/previous-lone-sailor-award-recipients |title=Lone Sailor Award Recipients |publisher=United States Navy Memorial |access-date=May 19, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115204414/https://www.navymemorial.org/previous-lone-sailor-award-recipients/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===St. Louis Cardinals (1946–1963)===
====1946–1949====
{{Quote box
|quote="Every time Stan came up they chanted, 'Here comes the man!'"
|source=—Cardinals traveling secretary Leo Ward relates Dodger fans' nickname for Musial to sportswriter Bob Broeg<ref name=Lansche75/>
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Rejoining the Cardinals under new manager [[Eddie Dyer]], Musial posted a .388 batting average by the middle of May 1946.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 69, 72</ref> He also became close friends with new teammate [[Red Schoendienst]], who had joined the Cardinals during Musial's absence in 1945.<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 123</ref> During the season, Musial (who was under contract to the Cardinals for $13,500 in 1946) was offered a five-year, $125,000 contract, plus a $50,000 bonus, to join the Mexican League.<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 90</ref> He declined the offer, and after manager Dyer spoke to club owner [[Sam Breadon]], Musial was given a $5,000 raise later in 1946.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 73</ref>

It was also during the 1946 season that Musial acquired his nickname of '''Stan the Man'''.<ref name="Lansche75">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 75</ref> During the June 23 game against the Dodgers at [[Ebbets Field]], ''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'' sportswriter [[Bob Broeg]] heard Dodger fans chanting whenever Musial came to bat, but could not understand the words.<ref name=Lansche75/><ref>{{cite web |title=The 1946 St. Louis Cardinals Regular Season Game Log |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1946/VSLN01946.htm |publisher=[[Retrosheet]] |access-date=May 31, 2009}}</ref> Later that day over dinner, Broeg asked Cardinals traveling secretary Leo Ward if he had understood what the Dodger fans had been chanting.<ref name=Lansche75/> Ward said, "Every time Stan came up they chanted, 'Here comes the man!'" "'That man,' you mean", Broeg said. "No, ''the'' man", replied Ward.<ref name=Lansche75/> Broeg mentioned this story in his ''Post-Dispatch'' column, and Musial was thereafter known as Stan "The Man".<ref name=Lansche75/>

[[File:Stan Musial.png|thumb|left|upright|Musial on the cover of ''[[Baseball Digest]]'', September 1948]]
In June 1946, Dyer began to use Musial as a [[first baseman]].<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 91–92</ref> The Cardinals finished the season tied with the Dodgers,<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 77</ref> prompting a [[1946 National League tie-breaker series|three-game playoff]] for the pennant. Musial's Game&nbsp;1 triple and Game&nbsp;2 double contributed to the Cardinals' two-games-to-none series victory.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 78–79</ref> Facing the [[Boston Red Sox]], the Cardinals won the [[1946 World Series]] four games to three,<ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 204</ref> as Musial had six hits and four RBI.<ref>[[#Sch90|Schoor 1990]]: 207, 405</ref> He batted .365 for the season and won his second NL MVP Award, receiving 22 out of a possible 24 first-place votes, finishing ahead of Brooklyn's [[Dixie Walker]] (.319 batting average).<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 84</ref>

Musial began the [[1947 St. Louis Cardinals season|1947 season]] by hitting .146 in April.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 90</ref> On May 9, team doctor Dr. Robert Hyland confirmed a previous diagnosis of [[appendicitis]], while discovering that Musial was concurrently suffering from [[tonsillitis]].<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 89</ref> He received treatment, but did not have either his appendix or tonsils surgically removed until after the season ended.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 89, 93</ref> Despite his health woes, he finished the year with a batting average of .312.<ref>[[#Bro81|Broeg 1981]]: 116</ref>

Fully recovered from his ailments, Musial recorded his 1,000th career hit on April 25, [[1948 St. Louis Cardinals season|1948]].<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 93–94</ref> After a May 7 ''[[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]]'' article criticized baseball players for appearing in [[Tobacco advertising|cigarette advertisements]], he made a personal decision to never again appear in such ads.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 94</ref> By June 24, his batting average was .408, prompting Brooklyn pitcher [[Preacher Roe]] to comically announce his new method for retiring Musial: "Walk him on four pitches and [[Pickoff|pick him off]] [[first base|first]]."<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 95–96</ref> Given a mid-season pay raise by new Cardinals owner [[Robert E. Hannegan]] for his outstanding performance, Musial hit a home run in the All-Star Game.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 96</ref> On September 22, he registered five hits in a game for the fourth time in the season, tying a mark set by [[Ty Cobb]] in 1922.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 97</ref>

{{Quote box
|quote="He missed tying for the top in homers by one rained out home run. If it had counted, he would have won the Triple Crown that year...and in addition have been the ''only'' player of this century to lead the league in runs, hits, double, triples, and slugging percentage. What a year!"
|source=—Sportswriter Bob Broeg, on Musial's 1948 season<ref>{{cite web |last=Goold |first=Derrick |title=The search for The Man's lost homer |url=http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/birdland/article_f4410375-cde4-5c41-87ee-91a9b680f2f2.html |date=April 2, 2008 |newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |access-date=September 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825155102/http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/birdland/article_f4410375-cde4-5c41-87ee-91a9b680f2f2.html |archive-date=August 25, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>
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Musial finished the 1948 season leading the major leagues in batting average (.376), hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18), total bases (429), and slugging percentage (.702).<ref name="Gig167">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 167</ref> Winning the NL batting title by a 43-point margin, with an on-base percentage lead of 27 points and a 138-point slugging percentage margin—the latter being the largest gap since [[Rogers Hornsby]]'s 1925 season—Musial became the first player to win three NL MVP awards.<ref name=Gig167/> If a home run he hit during a [[rainout (sports)|rained out]] game had been counted in his season totals, he would have won the [[Major League Baseball Triple Crown|Triple Crown]] by leading the NL in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.<ref name=Gig167/><ref>[[#Bro81|Broeg 1981]]: 121</ref>

Anticipating life after his baseball career, Musial began the first of several business partnerships with Julius "Biggie" Garagnani in January 1949, opening "Stan Musial & Biggie's" restaurant.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=That Man |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,933898-6,00.html |date=September 5, 1949 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|TIME]] |access-date=August 9, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205061930/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,933898-6,00.html |archive-date=December 5, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 101</ref> He approached the [[1949 St. Louis Cardinals season|1949 season]] with the intent to try to hit more home runs, stating he had hit 39 the previous season "without trying".<ref name="Gig174">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 174</ref> His new focus on hitting for power backfired, as pitchers began using the outside part of the plate to induce him to ground out to the first or [[second base]]man.<ref name=Gig174/> Musial soon stopped focusing on hitting home runs and resumed his consistent offensive production by the end of May.<ref name=Gig174/> He received his sixth consecutive All-Star player selection and finished the season leading the NL in hits (207) while playing in every game.<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 180</ref> However, the Cardinals, with 96 wins, finished one game behind the Dodgers.<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 179</ref>

In the late 1940s, when baseball was slowly becoming [[Racial integration|integrated]], Musial—along with his roommate Red Schoendienst—would be lauded by newcomers such as Dodgers' pitcher [[Don Newcombe]] for their tolerance. "They never...had the need to sit in the dugout and call a black guy a bunch of names", Newcombe said, "because he was trying to change the game and make it what it should have been in the first place, a game for all people."<ref name="TimesObit" />

====1950–1954====
Musial began the 1950s by posting a .350 batting average before participating in the 1950 All-Star Game, where in fan balloting he was the NL's number two choice.<ref name="Gig87">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 187</ref> He had the longest hitting streak of his career during the [[1950 St. Louis Cardinals season|1950 season]]—a 30-game stretch that ended on July 27.<ref name=Gig87/> With the Cardinals falling 14 games out of first place by September, manager Dyer used him at first base and all three outfield positions.<ref name="Gig87"/><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 112–113</ref> New Cardinals manager [[Marty Marion]] led the team to a third-place finish in [[1951 St. Louis Cardinals season|1951]], while Musial led the National League with a .355 batting average, 355 total bases, 124 runs and 12 triples. He finished second in NL MVP voting for the third year in a row and was named ''[[The Sporting News]]'' Major League Player of the Year.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 116</ref>

{{Quote box
|quote="No man has ever been a perfect ballplayer. Stan Musial, however, is the closest to being perfect in the game today.... He plays as hard when his club is away out in front of a game as he does when they're just a run or two behind."
|source=—[[Ty Cobb]], on Musial in a 1952 ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine article<ref name=Lansche118/>
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National media attention inadvertently turned to Musial a month before the [[1952 St. Louis Cardinals season|1952 season]] began, after [[Ty Cobb]] wrote an article regarding modern baseball players that was published in [[Life (magazine)|''Life'' magazine]].<ref name="Lansche118">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 118</ref> Cobb singled out Musial and [[Phil Rizzuto]] as the only players "who can be mentioned in the same breath with the oldtime greats".<ref name=Lansche118/> Cobb went on to refer to Musial as "a better player than [[Joe DiMaggio]] was in his prime."<ref name=Lansche118/> In response, Musial displayed his characteristic modesty, saying, "Cobb is baseball's greatest. I don't want to contradict him, but I can't say that I was ever as good as Joe DiMaggio."<ref name=Lansche118/>

The only major league pitching appearance of Musial's career occurred as a publicity stunt during the last Cardinals home game of the 1952 season.<ref name="Gig231">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 231</ref><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 119</ref> Manager [[Eddie Stanky]] had a reluctant Musial pitch to [[Frank Baumholtz]], the runner-up to Musial for the best batting average in the NL that season.<ref name=Gig231/> With Baumholtz batting right-handed for the first time in his career, Musial's first pitch was hit so hard it ricocheted off the shin of third baseman [[Solly Hemus]] and into the left field corner.<ref name=Gig231/> The play was ruled an [[Error (baseball)|error]], and Musial was embarrassed enough by his complicity in the gimmick to avoid pitching again for the remainder of his career.<ref name=Gig231/>

The Cardinals franchise was up for sale in early [[1953 St. Louis Cardinals season|1953]], and Musial and Schoendienst advised their friend and fellow duck-hunter [[Gussie Busch]] to consider buying the team.<ref name="Gig184">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 184</ref> Busch used the resources of the [[Anheuser-Busch]] company to purchase the Cardinals, keeping Musial in St. Louis by averting the possibility of a move by the team to another city.<ref name=Gig184/><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 121</ref> The 1953 season marked Musial's 10th NL All-Star selection, and the 12th consecutive time he finished a major league season with a batting average above .300.<ref name=stats1/><ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 194</ref> Musial accomplished another historical feat on May 2, [[1954 St. Louis Cardinals season|1954]], in a doubleheader in St. Louis against the [[New York Giants (NL)|New York Giants]]: he hit three home runs in the first contest, then added two more in the second to become the first major leaguer to hit five home runs in a doubleheader.<ref name="Gig195">[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 195</ref> In addition to his five home runs, he also hit a single in the first game, setting a new record of 21 total bases for a doubleheader.<ref name=Gig195/> The only player besides Musial to hit five home runs in a doubleheader is [[Nate Colbert]], who achieved the feat in 1972. Oddly enough, as a young child, Colbert was in attendance as Musial set his record.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 131</ref>

====1955–1959====
Musial made his 12th NL All-Star appearance in [[1955 St. Louis Cardinals season|1955]] as a reserve player, when Cincinnati's [[Ted Kluszewski]] outpolled him by 150,000 votes to get on the starting lineup at first base.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 136</ref> Musial entered the game as a pinch hitter in the fourth inning, and played left field as the game entered extra innings.<ref name="Lansche137">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 137</ref> Leading off the bottom of the 12th, he hit a home run to give the NL a 6–5 victory.<ref name=Lansche137/>

[[File:Stan Musial - St. Louis Cardinals - 1957.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Musial in 1957|alt=Portrait of Musial in a Cardinals uniform]]

The [[1956 St. Louis Cardinals season|1956 season]] marked another milestone for Musial, when he broke [[Mel Ott]]'s NL record for extra-base hits on August 12.<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 180</ref> Earlier that season, Cardinals general manager [[Frank Lane|"Trader Frank" Lane]] began negotiations to trade him for Philadelphia pitcher [[Robin Roberts (baseball)|Robin Roberts]].<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 141–143</ref> When Cardinals owner Gussie Busch learned of the possible move, he made it clear that Musial was not available for any trade.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 143</ref> Instead, Lane dealt Musial's close friend Schoendienst to the New York Giants; an upset Musial made no immediate comment to the press.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 143–144</ref>

On June 11, [[1957 St. Louis Cardinals season|1957]], Musial tied the NL record for consecutive games played with his 822nd, a streak that began on the last day of the 1951 season.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 147–148</ref> Despite [[ballot stuffing]] by Cincinnati Reds fans, he was selected and played in the All-Star Game held at Sportsman's Park.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 149</ref> When he overextended his swing while batting during a game on August 23, Musial fractured a bone in his left shoulder socket and tore muscles over his [[Clavicle|collarbone]].<ref name="Lansche151">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 151</ref> He was unable to play again until September 8, ending his [[Major League Baseball consecutive games played streaks|consecutive games-played streak]] at 895.<ref name=Lansche151/> He finished 1957 as ''[[Sports Illustrated]]''{{'}}s "[[Sportsman of the Year]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1957/12/23/for-1957-the-editors-of-sports-illustrated-choose-stan-musial |title=For 1957 The Editors of Sports Illustrated Choose Stan Musial |last=O'Neil |first=Paul |date=December 23, 1957 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]}}</ref>

{{Quote box
|quote="Line drive! Into left field! Hit number three thousand! A run has scored! Musial around first, on his way to second with a double. Holy Cow! He came through!"
|source=—[[Harry Caray]]'s radio play-by-play call of Musial's 3,000th major league hit<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 207</ref>
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Musial signed one of the first $100,000 contracts in NL history on January 29, 1958. (According to Baseball Almanac, Hank Greenberg was the first with Pittsburgh in 1947.)<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 155</ref> He quickly demonstrated a return on the investment by sharing with Willie Mays the inaugural (and for the only time in Musial's career) [[MLB Player of the Month|NL Player of the Month]] in May (no such award was given in April until 1969) batting .374, with 4 HR, and 16 RBI. Also that month, as he was approaching the 3,000-hit milestone in his major league career, he expressed a desire to record the hit in St. Louis.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 156–157</ref> He ultimately reached the mark with a pinch-hit, sixth inning RBI double at Chicago's [[Wrigley Field]] on May 13.<ref>[[#Rei93|Reidenbaugh 1993]]: 214</ref><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 157–158</ref> The eighth major league player to reach 3,000 hits, and the first to reach the milestone with an extra-base hit, Musial was greeted at [[St. Louis Union Station]] that evening by roughly 1,000&nbsp;fans.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 158–159</ref> Finishing the season in sixth place, the Cardinals embarked on an exhibition tour of Japan, winning 14 of 16&nbsp;games against top players from the [[Central League|Central]] and [[Pacific League|Pacific]] Japanese Leagues.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 162–163</ref>

Taking a new approach to preparation for the [[1959 St. Louis Cardinals season|1959 season]], Musial was given permission to report late to spring training so that he might conserve his energy for the duration of the year.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 165–166</ref> Musial, at {{convert|6|ft|cm}} tall, had maintained a weight of around {{convert|175|lb|kg}} throughout his career. He reported to spring training approximately {{convert|10|lb|kg}} overweight and in substandard physical condition.<ref>[[#Gig01|Giglio 2001]]: 213</ref><ref name="Lansche166">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 166</ref> He began the season with one hit in 15 at-bats.<ref name=Lansche166/> Despite his early offensive struggles, he single-handedly spoiled potential no-hitters on April 16 and 19.<ref name=Lansche166/> A game-winning home run on May 7 made him the first major league player ever with 400 home runs and 3,000 hits.<ref name=Lansche166/> As he continued to hit at a relatively low pace, his playing time was limited by Cardinals manager Solly Hemus at various points during the season.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 167</ref> Seeking more revenue for the players' pension fund, Major League Baseball held two All-Star games in a season for the first time through 1962.<ref name="Lansche168">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 168</ref> Musial made his 16th All-Star appearance (16th season)<ref name="sportsdatallc.com">Sportsdata. Midsummer Classics: Celebrating MLB's All-Star Game. "There were two games a year from 1959 to 1962" ... "all players who were named to the AL or NL roster were credited with one appearance per season". Retrieved April 10, 2015 [http://www.sportsdatallc.com/2012/07/09/midsummer-classics-celebrating-mlbs-all-star-game] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330031638/http://www.sportsdatallc.com/2012/07/09/midsummer-classics-celebrating-mlbs-all-star-game/ |date=March 30, 2015 }}</ref> and pinch-hit in both contests, flying out in the July 7 game and drawing a walk in the August 3 game.<ref name=Lansche168/> He finished the season with 115 regular game appearances, a .255 batting average, 37 runs, and a slugging percentage of .428.<ref name=stats1/>

During the 1959 season, [[John F. Kennedy]] approached Musial about supporting Kennedy's [[1960 elections|campaign for President]], citing their close ages. Musial campaigned for Kennedy later that year and became a supporter of the Democratic Party.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.aarp.org/2013/01/20/stan-musial-10-fascinating-facts-about-stan-the-man/|title=Musial campaigns for Kennedy|date=January 20, 2013|access-date=October 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150602091632/http://blog.aarp.org/2013/01/20/stan-musial-10-fascinating-facts-about-stan-the-man/|archive-date=June 2, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

On June 30, 1959, Musial was the batter in one of the oddest plays in baseball history. In a game between the Cardinals and [[Chicago Cubs]], he was at the plate with a count of 3–1. [[Bob Anderson (baseball)|Bob Anderson's]] next pitch was errant, evading catcher [[Sammy Taylor (baseball)|Sammy Taylor]] and rolling all the way to the backstop. Umpire [[Vic Delmore]] called ball four, even as Anderson and Taylor contended that Musial had [[foul tip]]ped the ball. Because the ball was still in play and Delmore was embroiled in an argument with the catcher and pitcher, Musial kept running in attempt to make second base. Seeing that Musial was trying for second, [[Alvin Dark]] ran to the backstop to retrieve the ball. The ball wound up in the hands of field announcer [[Pat Pieper]], but Dark ended up getting it back anyway. Absentmindedly, however, Delmore pulled out a new ball and gave it to Taylor. Anderson finally noticed that Musial was trying for second, took the new ball, and threw it to second baseman [[Tony Taylor (baseball)|Tony Taylor]]. Anderson's throw flew over Taylor's head into the outfield. Dark, at the same time that Anderson threw the new ball, threw the original ball to shortstop [[Ernie Banks]]. Musial did not see Dark's throw and only noticed Anderson's ball fly over the second baseman's head, so he tried to go to third base. On his way there, he was tagged by Banks, and after a delay he was ruled out.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tTtSAAAAIBAJ&pg=4767,261477&dq=bob+anderson+stan+musial&hl=en |title=Musial Is First in History Put Out By 2 Baseballs! |access-date=October 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025205640/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tTtSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_3YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4767,261477&dq=bob+anderson+stan+musial&hl=en |archive-date=October 25, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====1960–1963====
Based on his 1959 performance, Musial accepted a pay cut in [[1960 St. Louis Cardinals season|1960]] from his previous $100,000 salary to $80,000.<ref>[[#Vec11|Vecsey 2011]]: 230</ref> He was eager to prove that his mediocre performance was the result of improper physical conditioning, and he enlisted the help of Walter Eberhardt, [[Saint Louis University]]'s director of physical education.<ref>[[#Mus64|Musial and Broeg 1964]]: 211</ref> In June 1960, newspaper articles began speculating that Musial would soon retire, yet he finished the season with a .275 batting average.<ref name=stats1/><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 171</ref> He addressed the speculation in September, confirming that he would play again in [[1961 St. Louis Cardinals season|1961]]. His .288 batting average that season reaffirmed his decision.<ref name=stats1/><ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 173</ref> In 1962, Musial posted a .330 batting average, good for third in the batting race, with 19 homers and 82&nbsp;RBI. As a pinch-hitter, he had 14 base hits in 19 at-bats (.737).<ref>[[#Bro81|Broeg 1981]]: 167</ref> Along the way, he established new NL career marks for hits and RBI.<ref>{{cite web|last=Schwartz|first=Larry|title=Stan The Man becomes NL's all-time hits leader|website=[[ESPN]]|date=November 19, 2003|url=http://a.espncdn.com/classic/s/moment010519musialhitrecord.html|access-date=December 14, 2020}}</ref> That same year on July 8, the 41-year-old Musial became the oldest player ever to hit three home runs in one game.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hummel|first=Rick|title=Stan Musial's career through the years|newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]|date=January 19, 2013|url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/stan-musials-career-through-the-years/article_0965847f-f3f8-593c-95bb-c698fad6c25e.html|access-date=December 14, 2020|archive-date=May 28, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528202841/https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/stan-musials-career-through-the-years/article_0965847f-f3f8-593c-95bb-c698fad6c25e.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = CardsRetired6.PNG
|Align = right
|Image_alt=A depiction of Stan Musial's number six, with the number six colored red against a dark green background, similar to how it appeared on the outfield wall of Busch Stadium in the late 2000s.
|Name   = Stan Musial
|Number = 6
|Team   = St. Louis Cardinals
|Year   = 1963
}}

The Cardinals began [[1963 St. Louis Cardinals season|1963]] by winning 10 of their first 15 games, as Musial posted a .237 batting average.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 190</ref> He set a new major league record for career extra-base hits on May 8 and improved his batting average to .277 by the end of the month.<ref name="Lansche191">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 191</ref> Making his 20th All-Star appearance<ref name="sportsdatallc.com"/> and 24th All-Star Game appearance on July 9, 1963, he pinch-hit in the fifth inning.<ref name=Lansche191/> Asked by general manager [[Bing Devine]] on July 26 what his plans were, Musial said that he would retire at season's end.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 191–192</ref> He waited until the Cardinals team picnic on August 12 to publicly announce his decision, hopeful he could retire on a winning note.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 192</ref>

Musial became a grandfather for the first time in the early hours of September 10; later that day, he hit a home run in his first at-bat.<ref name="Lansche193">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 193</ref> After sweeping a doubleheader on September 15, the Cardinals had won 19 of their last 20 games, and were one game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.<ref name=Lansche193/> The Dodgers then swept the Cardinals in a three-game series in St. Louis and clinched the NL pennant on September 25.<ref name=autogenerated1>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 193–194</ref> Musial's last game, on September 29, 1963, was preceded by an hour-long retirement ceremony.<ref name="Lansche196">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 196</ref> Speakers at the event included baseball commissioner [[Ford Frick]], Cardinals broadcaster [[Harry Caray]], and Cardinals owner Gussie Busch, who announced that Musial's uniform number "6" would be [[List of Major League Baseball retired numbers|retired]] by the team.<ref name=Lansche196/> During the game, Musial recorded a single in the fourth inning, then hit a single to right field that scored teammate [[Curt Flood]] in the sixth.<ref name=Lansche197/> Cardinals manager [[Johnny Keane]] brought in [[Gary Kolb]] as a pinch-runner for Musial, bringing his major league career to an end.<ref name=Lansche197/> Just as he had recorded two base hits in his major league debut, Musial finished his last game with two hits, as well.<ref name=Lansche197/> Musial finished with the all-time National League hits record<ref>{{cite web|title= Musial, Stan|publisher=[[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]]|url=https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/musial-stan|access-date=December 10, 2021}}</ref> and second to only [[Ty Cobb]] on the all-time Major League list. Musial's last career hit was out of reach of Cincinnati Reds second baseman [[Pete Rose]], who would go on to break Cobb's record to become baseball's all-time hit king.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Jaffe|first=Jay|title=Stan Musial by the numbers|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=January 20, 2013|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2013/01/20/stan-musial-by-the-numbers|access-date=March 14, 2022}}</ref>

{{Quote box
|quote="All Musial represents is more than two decades of sustained excellence and complete decency as a human being."
|source=—Broadcaster [[Bob Costas]], on Musial<ref name=espnclassic/>
|align=right
|width=27%
|style=padding:8px
}}

At the time of his retirement, Musial held or shared 17 major league records, 29 NL records, and nine All-Star Game records.<ref>[[#Eis99|Eisenbath 1999]]: 251</ref> Among those records, he ranked as the major league career leader in extra-base hits (1,377) and [[total bases]] (6,134).<ref name="Lansche197">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 197</ref> He also held NL career marks in categories such as [[List of Major League Baseball hit records|hits (3,630)]], games played (3,026), [[List of Major League Baseball doubles records|doubles (725)]], and [[List of Major League Baseball runs batted in records|RBI (1,951)]].<ref name=Lansche197/> He finished his career with [[List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders|475 home runs]] despite never having led the NL in the category.<ref name=Lansche197/> Jerry Lansche speculates Musial would likely have become the second player, after [[Babe Ruth]], with 2,000 RBI, and would have exceeded 500 career home runs had he not served in the military.<ref name="bullock2004">{{cite book | title=Playing for Their Nation: Baseball and the American Military during World War II | publisher=University of Nebraska Press | author=Bullock, Steven R. | page=128 | year=2004 | isbn=0-8032-1337-9}}</ref> His lowest full season RBI output before the war was 72 (in 1942) and as he needed only 49 RBI to reach 2,000 for his full career, he certainly would have exceeded 2,000 RBI by playing without injury in 1945. His home run production is a different story and it is highly unlikely he would have reached 500. He did not hit more than 13 home runs in any season before he entered the navy and did not hit as many as 25 (the number he would have needed to become a 500 career homer club member) until 1948, 3 years after returning to baseball from World War II. Amazingly, his career hit total was exactly evenly split between 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 hits on the road. Steven R. Bullock speculates that it is possible that without military service Musial might have continued playing to attempt to exceed [[Ty Cobb]]'s career hit record of 4,191.{{r|bullock2004}} Musial recorded 8 five-hit games and 59 four-hit games in his 22-year MLB career. He had two 3-home run games, on May 2, 1954 and July 8, 1962.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/PX_musis101.htm|title=Top Performances for Stan Musial|publisher=[[Retrosheet]]|access-date=September 25, 2022}}</ref>
As a pinch-hitter, he recorded a .276 batting average (37-for-134) in that role in his career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://baseball-reference.com/players/m/musiast01-bat.shtml|title=Stan Musial Situational Batting Data at Baseball Reference|website=baseball-reference.com|accessdate= January 27, 2024}}</ref>

He was the first major league player to appear in more than 1,000 games at two different positions, registering 1,896 games in the outfield and 1,016 at first base.<ref>[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 198</ref> Since Musial's retirement in 1963, [[Tony Gwynn]] has been the only player to finish his career with a higher [[List of Major League Baseball career batting average leaders|lifetime batting average]]. Hank Aaron has been the only player to surpass his record of [[List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders|6,134 total bases]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Career Leaders & Records for Total Bases|website=Baseball-Reference.com|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/TB_career.shtml|access-date=December 6, 2021}}</ref>

In Musial's 3,026 major league appearances, he was never ejected from a game.<ref name="Lansche 1994: 14">[[#Lan94|Lansche 1994]]: 14</ref> Speaking about his quiet reputation within the sport's history, sportscaster [[Bob Costas]] said, "He didn't [[Ted Williams|hit a homer in his last at-bat]]; he hit a single. He didn't [[Joe DiMaggio|hit in 56 straight games]]. He married his high school sweetheart and stayed married to her. ... All Musial represents is more than two decades of sustained excellence and complete decency as a human being."<ref name="espnclassic">{{cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Larry |title=Musial was gentleman killer |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Musial_Stan.html |year=2007 |website=[[ESPN]] |access-date=November 24, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712093843/http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Musial_Stan.html |archive-date=July 12, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>