Interview with Stanley F. Musial, May 17, 1978

Interview Summary

Stan Musial, born in Pennsylvania, was a Major League baseball player. In this interview, he discusses his service in the Navy during World War II, the Navy league, Major League players who were in the armed services during World War II, spring training in 1946, the St. Louis Cardinals in 1946, the National League competition in 1943, compared to after the war, Branch Rickey and the Cardinal farm system, St. Louis Cardinals team owner Sam Breadon, and Cardinals player salaries, compared to other major league teams. He talks about Cardinals players who jumped to the Mexican League, the reaction of other players to the league jumpers, the Mexican League's attempts to sign him, his meeting with Sam Breadon, a meeting between him, Mickey Owen, and Alphonso Pasquel, the role of Ray Gillespie and the Mexican League, the reaction of other Major League players to A.B. "Happy" Chandler's suspension of the Mexican League jumpers, Breadon's trip to Mexico, and the fine that Chandler imposed on him for doing this. He describes the Cardinals players' meetings regarding labor issues, Robert Murphy's union organizing efforts and platform, the Pittsburgh Pirates players' strike, the August 1946 players-owners meeting, the development of the players' pension plan, and Marty Marion's role as player representative. He discusses the 1946 pennant race against the Brooklyn Dodgers, "beanball wars" with the Dodgers, the 1947 season, competing against Jackie Robinson during the 1946 barnstorming tour, the attitude of many Major League players towards integration, the threatened strike by the Cardinals against the Dodgers, Roy Campanella, and the impact of Durocher's suspension on the Cardinals. Other topics include Fred Saigh and Robert Hannigan's purchase of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1947, Musial's contract negotiations, Musial's impressions of Chandler, the disagreements between Fred Saigh and Chandler, the effect of television on baseball, and the players' reaction to Chandler's dismissal as baseball commissioner.

Interview Keyword

Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler Baseball Baseball Commissioner

Interview LC Subject

Baseball--United States Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991 Musial, Stan, 1920- Musial, Stan, 1920- --Interviews

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.