Donora is a small town in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania. It was there on November 21, 1920 a young boy once called Stash eventually became known as Stan "The Man" Musial. Baseball was his ticket in life.

However, Donara would never quite leave him. Another baseball player made his way from Washington County Pennsylvania to the "Show Me" State of Missouri. However, it was Donara’s Stash that came first.

From a young age the Musial lad caught the attention of baseball followers in this section of Pennsylvania. His prowess spread all the way to Missouri. In 1938 the Saint Louis Cardinals signed him as a free agent. His mission was to show them what he had in the minor league system. So he did.

As a professional his debut was September 7, 1941. For a total of 22 playing years with the Cardinals he never got tired of being the kid from Donora. For a long time Musial was the music in the then St. Louis Sportsman Park. It is now Busch Stadium.

His playing years were from 1941 to 1944. For awhile the World War II effort needed him. In his case the Navy. He returned to the Cardinals in 1946 and finished playing in 1963. Along the way he hit over .300 for seventeen years. He ended up with a lifetime average of .331. He played in 24 All Star Games and was Most Valuable Player (MVP) three of those times. Overall he won seven National League batting titles.

He remains the only member of baseballs 3,000 hit club to reach it with a pinch hit. That happened in May 13th of 1958. It was an away game against the Chicago Cubs. He was taken out of the game so that hit number 3,000 could happen at home. Trouble is the Cubs were not so concerned about that and were well on their way to winning the game. So Musial was thrown back in as a pinch hitter. He did it, a double, and the Cardinals ended up winning the game. Stan ended up his playing years with 3,630 hits.

Fans, sportswriters, teammates, baseball officials, and even opponents would agree that Stan Musial was a gentleman on and off the field. Most that heard would admit his harmonica playing was good, if not skilled. All agreed that his entry in Baseball’s Hall Of Fame in 1969 was deserved.

The end of his playing years just opened the door to a new future. For a time he was the Cardinals General Manager, and later Vice President. President Johnson named him America’s Director of National Council of Physical Fitness. He started several businesses including a restaurant in his adoptive home of St. Louis.

Photo courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame		Photo courtesy of Missouri House of Representatives				Photo courtesy of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans

He also sat on numerous boards for profit and not for profit concerns. One was being as an honorary member of the board for the St. Louis Rams. Another, more recent position, is the President of "Stan The Man Inc.". A Company featuring authentic sports collectibles.

It was June 20, 2004 that Donara came home to Stan again. Ken Griffey Jr. hit homerun number 500 as a Cardinal. It was in that little town south of Pittsburgh that Mr. Musial played baseball with Griffey’s grandfather. Griffey was born 49 years after Musial but before the game he sought advise from the man that showed St. Louis Missouri what a small town PA ball player can do.

Stan told Ken "just get it done". It was advice "The Man" has followed all his life.

It worked.