Stan Musial Enlists for WWII

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 Musialannounced he had purchased half interest in the former 66 Café operated byJulius “Biggie” Garagnani. The restaurant, at 6435 Chippewa would be known asStan Musial and Biggies, Stan said. The National League batting champion andMVP was in the midst of a two-year contract paying him $50,000 per year andsaid his new interest wouldn’t interfere with his baseball. “I won’t be aroundmuch during the baseball season,” he saidGreatly admired and respected byeveryone in and around baseball, Stan Musial was one of the most popularplayers to ever don a major league uniform. Since big league ball wasn’t playedany further west than the city of St. Louis until the Dodgers and Giants movedto California in 1958, Musial was a hero to virtually every young boy who livedbeyond the banks of the Mississippi River during the 1940s and 1950s. TheCardinal outfielder’s warm, unpretentious, and easy-going manner also made hima favorite of teammates and opponents alike. Musial’s popularity was furtherenhanced by the greatness he displayed on the ballfield – a greatness thatenabled him to win seven batting championships and three National League MostValuable Player Awards during his 22-year career with the Cardinals.Stan Will pass away on January19, 2013  in Ladue, MOIn discussing Musial’s legacy on ESPN’sSportsCentury, Bob Costas noted, “He didn’t hit a homer in his last at-bat; hehit a single. He didn’t hit in 56 straight games. He married his high schoolsweetheart and stayed married to her – never married a Marilyn Monroe. Hedidn’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 Musialrepresents is more than two decades of sustained excellence and completedecency as a human being American Legion Baseball 1949 Stan Musial