Aug. 18, 1962 - Stanley Frank Musial, who, his roommate Red Schoendienst says, never snores or even smokes in bed, learned once again tonight that a nice guy with no bad habits and a .333 career batting average can finish first. In a ceremony in which he was repeatedly accused of being great, Musial was honored at the Polo Grounds before the second game of the day-night doubleheader matching the Mets and the Cardinals. In the long baseball history of a city whose teams had played host to such flannel-suited gods as Ted Williams, Bob Feller, and Lou Boudreau, Musial was believed to have been the first enemy so honored. The Mets, despite their short existence and glaring shortcomings, have shown a great love for heart-warming promotions. The weather helped to make Stan Musial Night a night to remember. There were many messages of congratulations, including one from President Kennedy, which read: “Congratulations on two decades of achievement in the major leagues. In 1942, you batted .315. Now, 20 years later, you’re batting .339. You made us all believe that life begins at 40. Warmest regards.” In a short speech, Musial said: “I don’t like to speak. I don’t like to do anything I can’t do well. I guess you’d call me a perfectionist. I’m a ballplayer. I hit the ball well. That’s what I like to do.” For a non-speaker, it was a magnificent understatement. Musial has won seven batting championships. He has a chance to make it eight this year.
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