This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Nov. 17, 2010 - Stan Musial is getting a special gift, just in time for his 90th birthday: the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The Cardinals great, whose birthday is Sunday, will be awarded the nation's most prestigious civilian honor, according to the White House.
Cardinals chairman William DeWitt Jr. called to congratulate Musial, as did baseball commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig, according to a statement released by the ball club.
"On behalf of all of Major League Baseball, I am truly thrilled that the White House has honored Stan Musial with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, joining other legends of our game like the great Jackie Robinson, Roberto Clemente, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Buck O'Neil, Henry Aaron and Frank Robinson," Selig said. "Stan Musial is an extraordinary human being, a great American and one of the best players in the history of the game. He has long been a treasure of St. Louis, but he represents all the best of our national pastime. Today, our game salutes Stan Musial on this highest honor from our country."
DeWitt thanked President Barack Obama and the thousands of fans who participated in the "Stand for Stan" campaign.
"Not only is Stan one of the greatest players to play the game of baseball, he is also an extraordinary American deserving of the nation's highest civilian honor," DeWitt said.
U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who recommended Musial to Obama for the medal, called Stan the Man "the greatest Cardinal ever.''
"And even better, he has been the kind of role model that America longs for,'' McCaskill said in a statement. "He has always cared about his community, his country, his fans, and his teammates much more than he cared about his own glory. On behalf of millions of Missourians, I couldn't be prouder that the president has chosen to recognize our hero with the Presidential Medal of Freedom."
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., offered congratulations to Musial, whom he described as a gentleman, on the field and off.
"As a young kid in East St. Louis my most prized possession was my first baseball glove: a Stan Musial Rawlings Special,'' Durbin said in a news release. "I rubbed that leather glove with Gloveoleum until I was the only one who could still see his name burned in the leather. I know if I would dig deep in my closet I could still find that Musial glove.''
U.S. Sen. Christopher S. "Kit" Bond, R-Mo, and Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon also wrote letters to Obama on Musial's behalf.
"No more fitting honor for baseball's perfect knight," said Bond in a statement.
Bond had requested that Musial be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008 and renewed his support in 2010 when the Cardinals began their campaign.
U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, spoke for many when he described how, as a young boy, the achievements of Stan the Man seemed larger than life.
"On behalf of St. Louis Cardinal fans in Missouri and across the world, I would like to congratulate my boyhood hero, Stan Musial, for being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for what he has contributed to our state and our great national pastime," Luetkemeyer stated.
The other winners announced by the White House are: President George H.W. Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, environmentalist John H. Adams, poet Maya Angelou, businessman Warren Buffett, artist Jasper Johns, Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein, Dr. Tom Little (Posthumous), cellist Yo-Yo Ma, civil rights activist Sylvia Mendez, basketball player Bill Russell, Jean Kennedy Smith and labor leader John J. Sweeney.
Ron Watermon, the Cardinals public relations director, helped spearhead the "Stand for Stan" campaign.
"Fans can celebrate in knowing that because of their efforts, Thanksgiving has come early to Cardinals Nation,'' Watermon said.
