Sports reporter George Vecsey talks about the life and career of baseball great Stan Musial. Stan Musial: An American Life looks at how this great player, considered one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, is still underrated and often overlooked despite his 3,630 career hits, three World Series titles, and 17 major league records.
Guests:
George Vecsey
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Comments [9]
I'm sorry Barent, but that's a completely idiotic comment,,,
I grew up with the Cardinals and their archrivals were the Chicago cubs. The Brooklyn Dodgers were a great team and for a while there was an intense rivalry between them and the Cardinals, but nothing compares to the Cards-Cubs rivalry, including the Red Sox-Yankees.
By the way, Musial (in this case, at least) is Polish. He has been Grand Marshall of the Pulaski Day Parade in honor of his heritage.
I have to say that Mr. Vecsey must not have spent much time down south to remark that football is not a day-to-day part of life in the same way that baseball is. In the south, football is a day-to-day part of life from the day we are born; far more so than baseball. I think he shows a very regional preference.
Quick comment: SOKOL is a Czech gymnastic organization, and Musial can be a Czech or Polish name, but probably Czech!
i completely buy into the the idea, that a big reason for musial, not being as popular as he should be, is that he is not a republican,as most dumb, ex-jocks[like, ralph 'boring' branca] are . pro-sports,are so completely saturated with republicans. i'm not talking conspiracy,it's simply that like minds, tend to support like minds,tacitly as well as overtly.
Great discussion. Musial's nickname inspired another: Stan the Man Unusual, as we sometimes called 1970s Orioles relief pitcher Don Stanhouse. And he was unusual.
Dan K -- I don't know how many times Joe DiMaggio walked, but his strikeout were also amazingly rare (especially in '41!)
Great segment gentlemen and Mr. Vescey's comments about race relations and Musial's role are spot on.
I very recently (FINALLY!) read "Boys of Summer" and years ago I read "A Lefty's Legacy" (about Koufax) and both of those books also discussed the important state of race relations during the relevant eras. Always more nuanced than people without historical perspective realize.
Definitely gonna read this book.
An amazing stat for Musial: he was a power hitter who walked more than twice as often as he struck out: 1,599 to 696. I don't think any other power hitter had a better number.
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