I was in the 3rd grade when Stan the Man retired. My father struggled to explain to me why he did. I fondly remember Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reece doing the play by play on the game of the week. Halcyon days.
Very interesting comments by Branch Rickey on Musial's unorthodox batting stance. He says it's not important what the player's stance is when he sets at the plate, but what it is when the pitcher lets go of the ball. Was recently watching the games from the 1968 World Series, where the player with the most unorthodox batting stance I can remember, Dick McAuliffe, was starting second baseman for Detroit, to see where he was when the pitcher released the ball as opposed to when he first set his stance in the batters box. It does seem back then, there was less standardization in batting than there is now. You see some old time players like Yaz and Bobby Tolan (who had similar left handed stances), McAulife or Gil McDougald, all outstanding hitters with what would be called unorthodox batting stances.
It's amazing the footage of not only a much younger Stan Musial than I knew, but footage and interview with Branch Rickey and Dizzy Dean. Incredible and that is why I love baseball, the history is so deep.
What a classic! I especially enjoyed the interviews with Branch Rickey and Casey Stengel. It is a real contribution to history that they have been preserved. Les Carmichael was the lead sportscaster for KMOX-TV in St. Louis during the early days of television. In addition to doing the sports reports on the evening newscasts, he did a number of sports documentaries like this one. Given the limited resources available in those days, they must have been difficult to put together.
I was in the 3rd grade when Stan the Man retired. My father struggled to explain to me why he did. I fondly remember Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reece doing the play by play on the game of the week. Halcyon days.
Nice history...Thank you for sharing this time capsule gem...
Very interesting comments by Branch Rickey on Musial's unorthodox batting stance. He says it's not important what the player's stance is when he sets at the plate, but what it is when the pitcher lets go of the ball. Was recently watching the games from the 1968 World Series, where the player with the most unorthodox batting stance I can remember, Dick McAuliffe, was starting second baseman for Detroit, to see where he was when the pitcher released the ball as opposed to when he first set his stance in the batters box. It does seem back then, there was less standardization in batting than there is now. You see some old time players like Yaz and Bobby Tolan (who had similar left handed stances), McAulife or Gil McDougald, all outstanding hitters with what would be called unorthodox batting stances.
It's amazing the footage of not only a much younger Stan Musial than I knew, but footage and interview with Branch Rickey and Dizzy Dean. Incredible and that is why I love baseball, the history is so deep.
How ironic it was sponsored by Falstaff, A-B's rival beer. Surprised Gussie didn't have a fit.
What a classic! I especially enjoyed the interviews with Branch Rickey and Casey Stengel. It is a real contribution to history that they have been preserved. Les Carmichael was the lead sportscaster for KMOX-TV in St. Louis during the early days of television. In addition to doing the sports reports on the evening newscasts, he did a number of sports documentaries like this one. Given the limited resources available in those days, they must have been difficult to put together.