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January 19. 2013 8:42PM

Baseball great Stan Musial dies at age 92

By RICK HUMMEL
St. Louis Post-Dispatch

St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial watches opening day ceremonies before the season-opening National League baseball game between the Cardinals and the New York Mets in St. Louis, Missouri, in this April 1, 2007 file photo.. (REUTERS/Tim Parker/Files)

ST. LOUIS - One night after his longtime friend and teammate Red Schoendienst was honored on his upcoming 90th birthday, fellow Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan Musial died quietly at age 92 at 5:45 p.m. CST on Saturday at his St. Louis County home under hospice care.

Musial's family members who did not live here had gathered in the last day when Musial's health had deteriorated. A family spokesman made the announcement.

Musial, who turned 92 in November, has been in declining health for the last several years, including being afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. Lillian Musial, his wife of more than 70 years, had died last May 4.

Considered the greatest Cardinal of them all, Musial also likely was the most popular Cardinal of them all, continuing to make his home in St. Louis after his retirement in 1963.

Playing his entire 22-season career with the Cardinals, Musial is the franchise leader in virtually every category, including hits at 3,630, splitting them evenly at 1,815 at home and 1,815 on the road.

Selected to play in a record-tying 24 All-Star Games, Musial won seven National League batting titles.

Signed to a professional contract by the St. Louis Cardinals as a pitcher 1938, Musial was converted into an outfielder, where he made his major league debut in 1941.

At the time of his retirement, Musial held or shared 17 major league records, 29 National League records, and nine All-Star Game records. In addition to overseeing businesses such as Stan Musial and Biggie's restaurant, Musial served as the Cardinals' general manager in 1967 and then quit after his team won both the National League title and World Series that year.

Musial was selected to the Major League Baseball All-Century team in 1999 and President Barack Obama presented Musial with the presidential medal of freedom, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a civilian, at the White House on Feb 15, 2011.

A bronze statue has stood outside the last two Busch Stadium facilities, now residing on newly dedicated Musial Plaza. The inscription reads, "Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight."