Stan the Man Musial and Earl Weaver Die the Same Day

Stan Musial was quite an unusual hitter, in that his batting stance had him holding the bat high above his head. Yet he retired with an incredible career average of .331 in 23 years. I saw him several times in County Stadium and once or twice in St. Louis where I lived a year. Always a gentleman and a native of the same part of Pennsylvania that Arnold Palmer is from. Here is Stan's HOF plaque in Cooperstown.

Earl Weaver was another unforgettable part of the baseball-loving life I led back in the late '70s & early '80s. I'd go to Memorial Stadium and see Earl kicking dirt and covering home plate with it. He'd get kicked out of the game but more times than not, the Birds would start a comeback or finish off their opponent.

Both Musial and Weaver were personally two of my favorite baseball memories, though I have dozens of players and games and events that I recall.

Someday I'll do a rundown of all the strange things I can remember that I've seen. Baseball is too formulaic now, perhaps, but Panda Sandoval and Cabrera [whose first major league HR I witnessed in SunLife Stadium in 2003] & Cubbies & Red Sox & Brewers.

Since my godfather, Dr Richard Mangan, took me to baseball games in old Borchert Field to see the Triple A Brewers back in '51 & '52, I've been attached to the game or perhaps it to me.