Below is a profile I wrote on Stan Musial on his birthday 2 months ago. Stan The Man died this evening at age 92.

Stan “The Man” Musial one of the greatest players in baseball history turns 92 today.

Ten Notes On Stan The Man.

1. Stan Musial for his career hit .331, 475 home runs and 1951 rbi’s. He played in 24 All-Star Games. His St.Louis Cardinals won 3 World Championships. Stan won 7 National League Battling Titles and won the National League MVP Award 3 times during his career. Stan had 3630 hits in his career- 1815 of the hits were at home, 1815 were on the road. He had an on base percentage of .417.

2. Stan Musial is I believe the most underappreciated great player in baseball and maybe American sports history. I think one of the reasons this is is because Stan Musial was 100 % baseball and 0 % bullshit. He came, did his job and avoided controversy. He wasn’t flashy just deadly effective. He also played in St.Louis, not New York City. Had he played with the Yankees he would be as famous as Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle.

3. If I were picking a baseball team and could choose from all the players who ever played the game my left fielder would be Stan Musial. Ted Williams is more celebrated. Ted Williams was the greatest hitter who ever lived. Ted Williams is one of the three favourite players ever [along with Willie Stargell and Babe Ruth} but I would still take for my team Stan Musial. Ted was an indifferent fielder. You also had a lot of controversy with Ted. I love Ted Williams but Stan just came and played every day. Great attitude, no drama.

4. Ken Griffey Jr is the second greatest left handed hitting outfielder who was ever born in Donora, Pennsylvania on November 21st. Hard to believe but Stan and Junior Griffey were both born in the small town of Donora on a November 21st. I would wager that no town the size of Donora has produced ballplayers equal or better than Musial, Junior Griffey and Ken Griffey Sr. Was there something in the water?

5. Stan Musial is noted for his modesty, his sportsmanship and being a great guy, a real gentleman. I have heard and read over the years stories about say DiMaggio, Mantle, Williams, Mays, Aaron where they were difficult at times to deal with. I have never heard a bad Stan The Man story from anyone. When I picture Stan Musial I think him smiling. Anytime I’ve ever seen Musial he was smiling. Stan is one of those few guys who is famous for being a good guy.

6. Stan Musial and his wife were married for 72 years from 1940 until her death earlier this year.

7. Musial was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 1969. He is currently the longest tenured member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

8. The St.Louis Cardinals are the second most successful team in baseball history behind the Yankees. There is no question that in their great history who the greatest Cardinal is. Stan Musial is the answer. No one is even close.

9. Stan Musial received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.

10. It is hard to say which season was his best season. He was so consistant year in and year out. He didn’t have bad years. Until the end of his career he didn’t miss many games. He would have been a great fantasy league player to have.