The Man

 -On the occasion of his 100th birthday, I thought it appropriate to remind as many people as possible what kind of person "The Man", Stanley Frank Musial, was. Especially in the often bitter and rancorous climate of today's world, he can provide a model of how one should approach life among others. 

He was dubbed "The Perfect Knight" upon his retirement in 1963. Why? Let's examine the ways that he endeared himself to the world.  

• Beside being one of the greatest players to ever walk onto a baseball diamond, he met everyone with a smile and treated them with respect. 
• His graceful movements on the playing field were only exceeded by his innate grace off of it. 
• The accounts of his welcoming efforts to players of color, at a time when it took great courage to do so, are well-documented. 
• He was a devoted family man who was married to wife Lil for over 70 years. 
• A shrewd businessman, he was Cardinals GM for a time and famously operated Musial and Biggies restaurant where it was cool "to be seen". 
• He rose from humble beginnings (working summer jobs during the off-season early in his career) to great fame and some fortune...but always remained humble and approachable.
• Former teammates, stadium-workers, family, friends and acquaintances gush about Stan and how he loved life every day. They say he never turned down an autograph-seeker or someone who wanted a photo with him. And he always had his harmonica ready to favor a crowd with "Take Me Out to the Ballgame".  

How many people have lived a long life after which not a single person can come up with something bad to say about them? This is true with Musial. No tell-all books here. Also notice that his baseball accomplishments, which are truly some of the greatest of all-time, are not the focus here.  

Sadly, it seems being a "good guy" has gone out of favor in 2020. If only those in powerful positions in America could be wise enough to understand the kind of person people love to follow. If only our young people, who find it easy to be critical of others in our social media-driven climate, would study a person of such dignity. I believe Musial 101 should be a core-curriculum course at all colleges and universities. And, that is no joke. 

I truly believe that this man of baseball, who was my hero as a boy and example as a man, could show us all the way to live an honorable life, even though he's gone. The Musial statue outside Busch Stadium could not possibly be made large enough.