Stan "The Man" Musial, the greatest Cardinal of them all, died Saturday (Jan. 19, 2013) at age 92. (AP Photo)

To be considered the "greatest Cardinal" - on a team that is second only to the NY Yankees in World Series wins (11)...is quite a statement...but a valid one when you look at his numbers (see link).

"The Man hit while peeking around a corner, his bat creating a perfect arc, his back foot often leaving the ground."

There are no swings like Stan Musial’s today. Of course, there is no player like him, either. The mystery is how a player so complete and so productive yet so unique in style could remain something of a state secret within the national pastime.

By Joe Strauss •  jstrauss@post-dispatch.com Jan 26,2013

"Sure, Musial became only the fourth player elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot. (How could he not be after winning seven National League batting titles?) Yet his renown as a hitter — or, more accurately, as a total player — was dulled by factors including geography and his absence from the postseason for much of his career.

Those who actually saw Musial came away dazzled by his consistency, base-running and ability to transform a game with an extra-base hit. More than a quarter-century following The Man’s retirement, legendary Los Angeles Dodgers voice Vin Scully asked and answered during a 1989 broadcast, “How good was Musial? He was good enough to take your breath away.”

"...Musial was three times voted NL Most Valuable Player and played in four World Series. However, two of his MVP Awards and all of his postseason appearances occurred before NBC first televised the World Series in 1947."

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/joe-strauss-how-good-was-musial/article_b1152ba6-2287-5025-8b15-123f7a3ede0c.html