This may have been Harry Caray's finest moment. "Take a good look, fans, take a good look. Remember the stance. And the swing. You're not likely to see his likes again." That is the quote that should be engraved on the base of Musial's statue.
Amazingly, the rookie second baseman for the Reds that day, and who delivered the final hit baseball to Stan, was none other than the player who passed him on the NL all time hit list nearly 20 years later...the one and only PETE ROSE...
Lifetime .331 hitter. 3630 hits. 1815 home and 1815 on the road. Consistency personified. EDIT: If his average stats were added into his career totals from the 1945 season when he was serving in the military he would have had 500 HRs, too.
How great a player was Musial? At the time of his retirement, he held or co-held 17 major league records, 29 National League records, and 9 All-Star game records. He was ranked in the Top 10 All-time in 12 of the 16 major offensive categories at the time of his retirement, and in the Top 5 in 9 of those categories. Even 57 years later (2021), Musial still ranks in the Top 10 in 8 of those categories, and in the Top 5 in 3 of them: Hits, Doubles, Total Bases. He is also the only player to retire in the top 25 in triples since 1945.
I think everyone would agree that the best offensive player in the history of Major League Baseball will be found within the top 35 all-time in at least one of these nine major statistical categories: Average, Hits, Singles, Doubles, Triples, Home Runs, Total Bases, Slugging, and OPS. In other words, if you aren't in the top 35 in at least ONE of those 9 categories, you are definitely NOT the best offensive player in history. Can we all agree on that? ~ There are three players ranked in the top 35 in six categories: Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner, Rogers Hornsby. ~ There are three players ranked in the top 35 in seven of the nine categories: Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker. ~ There is one, and only one, player who is in the top 35 in ALL NINE categories: Stan Musial. Until recently, he was in the top 30 in every category, but was passed on the home run list by Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez, and Miguel Cabrera. (He was 6th all-time at the time of his retirement in 1963.) When he is passed on the home run list by 3 more players, he will then be the only member of the 8-category club. His current rankings in all nine categories, in the order listed above: 20, 4, 16, 3, 19, 32, 2, 15, 11. ~ In the 58 years since his retirement: • Two players have completed their careers with more hits (Aaron, Rose). Musial is currently 4th. • One player has retired with more doubles (Rose). Musial is currently 3rd. • Three have retired with a higher OPS (Bonds, McGuire, Mantle). Musial is currently 11th. • Three have retired with a higher SLG (Bonds, McGuire, Walker). Musial is currently 14th. • Only one has retired with a higher BA (Gwynn .338). Musial is currently 20th. ~ Barring a significant change of the rules toward the offense, I believe it is unlikely that he will drop out of the top 35 in any of the other 8 categories within the next 100 years. "You're not likely to see his likes again." Indeed. Here's to you, Stanislaw Franciszek Musial.
From 1942 through 1958, 16 seasons (missed 1945 for military service), Musial finished in the top 4 in batting average in the National League 15 times, with his worst ranking of 6th in the league coming in 1947. During that 16 year stretch, his batting average was .340.
He certainly was consistent, but what he personified best didn't just exist on a ball field, but the field of life: Decency, sheer decency. No greater achievement for anyone...sometimes it can be found sitting right next to you, in your own home...
@@williamwhiting6285 Curt Flood was the baserunner on second who scored on Stan Musial's last hit. Gary Kolb (No. 20) went in to run for Musial. Lou Brock wasn't acquired by the Cardinals until partway through the following season, becoming the team's iconic No. 20.
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Baseball's perfect knight.
This may have been Harry Caray's finest moment. "Take a good look, fans, take a good look. Remember the stance. And the swing. You're not likely to see his likes again." That is the quote that should be engraved on the base of Musial's statue.
Harry Carey also called Rose's hit at Wrigley which broke Cobb's record.
Wrong.
Rose broke the record against the Padres at Riverfront stadium, though Harry did indeed call the Reds' series prior at Wrigley when he tied the record
My Dad grew up in St. Louis and told me about the great Stan the Man.
Amazingly, the rookie second baseman for the Reds that day, and who delivered the final hit baseball to Stan, was none other than the player who passed him on the NL all time hit list nearly 20 years later...the one and only PETE ROSE...
He got that hit off Jim Maloney, who was tough. He wasn't hitting off no chump. Maloney won 23 games that year with 265 K's.
great archival stuff. thanks for uploading.
Lifetime .331 hitter. 3630 hits. 1815 home and 1815 on the road. Consistency personified.
EDIT: If his average stats were added into his career totals from the 1945 season when he was serving in the military he would have had 500 HRs, too.
How great a player was Musial? At the time of his retirement, he held or co-held 17 major league records, 29 National League records, and 9 All-Star game records. He was ranked in the Top 10 All-time in 12 of the 16 major offensive categories at the time of his retirement, and in the Top 5 in 9 of those categories. Even 57 years later (2021), Musial still ranks in the Top 10 in 8 of those categories, and in the Top 5 in 3 of them: Hits, Doubles, Total Bases. He is also the only player to retire in the top 25 in triples since 1945.
I think everyone would agree that the best offensive player in the history of Major League Baseball will be found within the top 35 all-time in at least one of these nine major statistical categories: Average, Hits, Singles, Doubles, Triples, Home Runs, Total Bases, Slugging, and OPS. In other words, if you aren't in the top 35 in at least ONE of those 9 categories, you are definitely NOT the best offensive player in history. Can we all agree on that?
~
There are three players ranked in the top 35 in six categories: Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner, Rogers Hornsby.
~
There are three players ranked in the top 35 in seven of the nine categories: Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker.
~
There is one, and only one, player who is in the top 35 in ALL NINE categories: Stan Musial. Until recently, he was in the top 30 in every category, but was passed on the home run list by Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez, and Miguel Cabrera. (He was 6th all-time at the time of his retirement in 1963.) When he is passed on the home run list by 3 more players, he will then be the only member of the 8-category club. His current rankings in all nine categories, in the order listed above: 20, 4, 16, 3, 19, 32, 2, 15, 11.
~
In the 58 years since his retirement:
• Two players have completed their careers with more hits (Aaron, Rose). Musial is currently 4th.
• One player has retired with more doubles (Rose). Musial is currently 3rd.
• Three have retired with a higher OPS (Bonds, McGuire, Mantle). Musial is currently 11th.
• Three have retired with a higher SLG (Bonds, McGuire, Walker). Musial is currently 14th.
• Only one has retired with a higher BA (Gwynn .338). Musial is currently 20th.
~
Barring a significant change of the rules toward the offense, I believe it is unlikely that he will drop out of the top 35 in any of the other 8 categories within the next 100 years. "You're not likely to see his likes again." Indeed. Here's to you, Stanislaw Franciszek Musial.
From 1942 through 1958, 16 seasons (missed 1945 for military service), Musial finished in the top 4 in batting average in the National League 15 times, with his worst ranking of 6th in the league coming in 1947. During that 16 year stretch, his batting average was .340.
He certainly was consistent, but what he personified best didn't just exist on a ball field, but the field of life: Decency, sheer decency. No greater achievement for anyone...sometimes it can be found sitting right next to you, in your own home...
Stan musial baseball hitting machine
So whatever happened to Gary Kolb?...lol
He got traded to Milwaukee for Bob Uecker! Then ended up on the Mets. Going from sublime to ridiculous.
Gary Kolb joked years later that this was the only time in his career he ever got a standing ovation.
#20...not Lou Brock!
Correct. Harry Caray called Curt Flood as the baserunner.
@@williamwhiting6285 Curt Flood was the baserunner on second who scored on Stan Musial's last hit. Gary Kolb (No. 20) went in to run for Musial. Lou Brock wasn't acquired by the Cardinals until partway through the following season, becoming the team's iconic No. 20.