Here is my contribution to the Stan Musial recollections. I saw the Cards play the Cubs in St Louis in summer 1954. Cubs at bat. Man on 1st. Long ball to right field. Stan the Man backs up to the well, pretending he can catch it. At the last second, he steps forward and turns, fielding the ball cleanly off the wall. He throws to 2nd for an easy force out. I have never since seen this play. Mid 1990s. Joy and Jon Anderson are in Palm Springs, CA, and go to the Follies, a variety show with all participants over 60. Donald O'Connor is the MC. At one point in the show, Donald comes into the audience and introduces Stan Musial in the row right behind us. Of course, he has Stan whip out his harmonica and entertain us. Also Mid 1990s, Jon and Joy are at the Louve in Paris. When I saw a particular statue of a twisted up guy standing there, I blurted out: "Stan Musial's batting stance" Of course there were all those years in the '40s when Musial, Enos Slaughter, Eddie Stankey, Whitey Kusosky whould dash the cubs hopes. Only in 1945 when Stan went into the service did the Cubbies win a pennant. And that was their last one, wasn't it. Jon Anderson Baseball History Page 26 |