Aug. 12, 1963 - Stan (The Man) Musial, one of the greatest hitters in baseball, today announced his retirement as a player at the end of the 1963 season. The announcement was made at the Grant’s Farm home of the St. Louis Cardinal owner, August A. Busch Jr., at a club picnic. Cardinal players, not apprised of the 42-year-old Musial decision to retire. were surprised at the announcement. “Baseball has been my life,” Musial told the players. “I love baseball. I like nothing better to do than play baseball.” Musial’s wife, Lil, and two of his daughters, Gerry, 18, and Janet, 13, broke into tears. Mrs. Musial, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, said she and Stan “have been talking about this for the past two or three years,” but that she did not know about his final decision until “just a day or so ago.” Red Schoendienst, now a Cardinal coach, provided a cheerful change of pace when he said with a big smile to Mrs. Musial, “Lil, I would have to say I know Stan better than anybody because I roomed with him so long. Stan’s been a great inspiration to the youth of the country. On and off the field, I say you don’t meet a man like Musial. He can really eat. That’s why he opened a restaurant. Maybe Stan could have lasted another year if he didn’t have to play first base while I was making mistakes at second.” Bing Devine, the Cardinal general manager, said Musial, whose salary for this season is estimated at $70,000, would remain with the club in an executive capacity. Musial’s title (it’s expected to be vice-president) and his duties will be spelled out later, Devine said. Stan’s assignments most likely will include tutoring batters, helping sign free agents, scouting, and serving as an adviser. Musial has played on four Cardinal pennant winners, and he would like to go out the way he arrived in his first full season — on a first-place team. “Our 1942 team was further out and won,” Musial said today. “We have a chance yet.”
