Stan Musial’s MVP Years: 1943, 1946, 1948

Stan Musial is undeniably one of the greatest baseball players of all time. With 24 All-Star appearances, just one behind Hank Aaron for the most ever, and three MVP awards – while finishing in the top 10 a record 14 times – Musial‘s legacy is noteworthy.

In his great book The Baseball 100, Joe Posnanski ranked Musial ninth. His accomplishments speak for themselves. Yet, for many he has gone unnoticed.

“Stan Musial didn‘t hit in 56 straight games,” says Musial’s friend Bob Costas, who began his broadcasting career with KMOX in St. Louis. “He didn’t hit .400 for a season. He didn’t get 4,000 hits. He didn’t hit 500 home runs. He didn’t hit a home run in his last at-bat, just a single. He didn’t marry Marilyn Monroe; he married his high school sweetheart. His excellence was a quiet excellence.”1

This article will examine the three seasons in which Musial won the MVP (1943, 1946, 1948), putting his accomplishments in historical perspective.

1943

During his rookie season (1942), Stan Musial made just $4,500. Knowing that center fielder Terry Moore and right fielder Enos Slaughter would be serving in the armed forces during the war, Stan Musial asked team owner Sam Breadon for a raise. He hoped to make $10,000, but was disappointed when Breadon offered only $5,500. Breadon voiced his disapproval this way: “You will have no more to do this year than you had last year. I thought you were the kind of ballplayer that gave all you had in every ball game. Of course, we expect the same in 1943, if you sign a contract with us.”2

Musial’s 1943 season did not start as well as he would have liked. In his first 10 games, he had just 11 hits in 40 at-bats (.275) with no home runs and just 2 RBIs. This was likely due to the new baseballs that were being used at the start of this season. Because of the war, rubber was scarce. As a result, A.G. Spalding & Brothers used reprocessed rubber for its baseballs – the infamous balata ball.3 With the perceived decrease in runs scored per game, National League President Ford Frick allowed teams to start using the 1942 baseballs again or order some if they did not have any on hand, while American League President Will Harriage chose to keep the balata ball throughout the season.4 The result of these decisions is that the American League scored 400 fewer runs than in 1942 (5,211 vs. 4,795), seeing a decrease in runs per game by over one-third of a run per game (4.26 – 3.89 = 0.37 runs/game), while the National League saw its total runs scored increase from 4,784 to 4,892, an average of 0.04 runs per game. Musial’s hitting improved after the ball was changed.

From May 10 until the end of the season, Musial hit .362/.427/.570. He finished the season with a 177 OPS+, which ranks 11th among all major-league players in the 1940s.

During the 1940s, the Cardinals and Dodgers built an intense rivalry. Each team fought for the pennant, with the Cardinals finishing atop the standings four times and the Dodgers taking the top spot three times. This competition set the stage for some of the most exciting and memorable moments in baseball history.

In August 1942 Dodgers President Larry MacPhail visited the clubhouse after a Dodgers 1-0 win over the Phillies and said, “I’m telling you boys, the Cardinals are going to beat you if you’re not careful. You guys are getting lackadaisical, you think you have it clinched, and before you know it, they are going to beat you out.”5

The Cardinals did just that, clinching the pennant on the final day of the season en route to their World Series championship over the Yankees. That set the stage for the 1943 pennant race.

At the end of May, the Cardinals were 22-13 (.629) – 1½ games behind the Dodgers.

In June the Cardinals had a decent record of 15-11, but it didn‘t translate into progress in the standings – they stayed 1½ games behind the Dodgers. Musial‘s performance was also lackluster during this period; he batted .278 with a .333 OBP, which was relatively pedestrian by his standards. Despite the team’s solid play, the Cardinals couldn’t close the gap on the Dodgers.

Reminiscent of 1942, when they finished 68-21 in the final three months, the Cardinals really started rolling in July. They were an impressive 24-7 (.774) pushing them a full 10½ games ahead of the Dodgers, who were a miserable 10-19 (.345), virtually ending the pennant race. It is no surprise that Musial excelled during this month. He slashed an impressive .374/.423/.557, racking up 49 hits in a single month.

One of the best games of his 1943 season took place on July 21. After going 0-for-4 in the first game of a doubleheader, Musial came alive in the second game. Going 5-for-6 with two singles, two doubles, and a triple, knocking in 4 runs, and even picking up a stolen base. The Giants used five pitchers in the game and Musial got a hit off four of them, not getting a chance to face Harry Feldman. who faced only three batters.

On July 13 Musial made his first All-Star Game appearance, batting third and starting in left field. He finished the game 1-for-4 with one RBI.

For the season, Musial played 157 games, leading all of major-league baseball with 701 plate appearances (four more than Tommy Holmes and Dick Wakefield), 220 hits (20 more than Dick Wakefield), 48 doubles (7 more than Billy Herman and Vince DiMaggio), 20 triples (6 more than Lou Klein, and 128 RBIs (10 more than Rudy York), while leading the National League in batting average, batting .357 (27 points better than Herman), OBP (.425), and slugging (.562).

The only two categories of note in which Musial did not lead the league were home runs (13 vs. 29 for Bill Nicholson) and stolen bases (9 vs. 20 for Arky Vaughn). In every sense of the word, Musial was the most valuable player, carrying the Cardinals to their second consecutive pennant. Yet he was also a relatively fresh face, having come from Class D to make the majors just three years earlier. Thus, he received only 13 of the 24 first-place votes while his teammate Walker Cooper finished second with 5 first-place votes. (Walker’s brother, Cardinals pitcher Mort Cooper, won the NL MVP Award in 1942.)

GAMES VS. DODGERS

Playing against his biggest rival seemed to bring out the best in Musial. In 22 games, Musial hit an impressive .373 (31-for-83) with a .480 on-base percentage. He scored 17 times while knocking in 13 runs. His numbers against the Dodgers were better than his overall season stats (.357/.425/.562).

The Cardinals finished 15-7 against the Dodgers.

Best Game

Musial’s best game of the season took place on August 15, the first game of a doubleheader. Conveniently, this was against the Dodgers. Musial hit two home runs, producing five RBIs. He finished with three hits for the day with three runs.

1946

After spending 1945 in the Navy – where he often played baseball to the delight of his fellow servicemen – Musial returned to action for the 1946 season. He quickly found his groove again. In the 13 April games, he went hitless only twice, notching 20 hits with a slash line of .370/.404/.574, along with one home run and 11 RBIs.

Musial’s performance improved even more in May, when he slashed .323/.411/.473, hitting one home run and driving in 15 runs. By June he was on fire, posting a slash line of .388/.437/.629, hitting 4 home runs and racking up 24 RBIs.

In July, Musial maintained his stellar form with a .359/.432/.556 slash line, hitting 3 home runs and adding 19 RBIs in 30 games. August was even more remarkable: He slashed .403/.493/.656 with 3 home runs and 15 RBIs. By September, Musial continued to shine, hitting .344/.400/.600, adding 4 home runs and 19 RBIs.

It was during this impressive stretch that Musial earned the nickname The Man. This came about after Dodgers fans, tired of watching Musial tear up their pitching, started saying, “Here comes the man again” each time he came to bat. St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bob Broeg later included this nickname parenthetically in his September 20, 1946, column. Musial’s performance was so outstanding that when he knocked out five hits in five at-bats at Ebbets Field, even the opposing fans had to acknowledge his greatness.

Musial led the league in games played (156), plate appearances (702), at-bats (624), runs (124), hits (228), doubles (50), triples (20), batting average (.365), slugging percentage (.587), and OPS (1.152).

He received 22 out of 24 first-place votes and 319 of the 336 (95 percent) maximum points he could have received. The two votes he did not receive were given to Musial’s teammate, Enos Slaughter, likely because he led the league with 130 RBIs.

GAMES VS. DODGERS

The Cardinals played the Dodgers 24 games in 1946. (They finished the season tied and swept Brooklyn in a best-of-three playoff.) Musial played in all 24 of those games and produced unfathomable results. He hit .418, racking up 41 hits in 98 at-bats, which included 17 extra-base hits and a .714 slugging percentage. He also had 13 walks in those games, resulting in an unbelievable .491 OBP. All these numbers are better than his league totals (.365/.434/.587). He produced these numbers against a team that finished just two games behind the Cardinals in the standings.

BEST GAME

Musial’s best game of the season took place on July 15 against the Dodgers. He went 4-for-5 with a triple and a home run and knocked in two runs while scoring once.

1948

Only eight games were played in April 1948. Even though Musial did not get a hit in two of them and was batting only .250 after six games, he still managed to end the month with a slash line of .400/.447/.800 with 2 home runs and 12 RBIs. When you collect eight hits with eight RBIs in the final two games of the month, that’s a quick way to fix what was broken.

Nothing was broken for Musial in May. He was seemingly unstoppable, failing to get a hit in only four games while racking up at least one hit in the other 24 games. His slash line was a stunning .391/.481/.746, with 8 home runs and 22 RBIs. This power surge was relatively new for him – before August 1947, he had never hit more than four home runs in a month.

In 1948 Musial’s consistency with the long ball improved. In June he hit .412/.508/.726 with 7 home runs and 17 RBIs. In July he posted a slash line of .367/.411/.650 with 7 home runs and 28 RBIs. Musial’s hot streak continued in August, arguably his most productive month ever. In 33 games, he scored 31 runs, hitting .348/.427/.725 with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs. September kept the momentum going, with a .368/.451/.632 slash line, 5 home runs, and 22 RBIs. Month after month, Musial displayed remarkable consistency, proving he was one of the most reliable hitters in the game. He delivered standout performances with unwavering regularity, establishing himself as a player who could be counted on for consistent production throughout the season.

Musial concluded the greatest season of his career by leading the league in an impressive array of statistical categories: hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18), runs (135), RBIs (131), batting average (.376), on-base percentage (.450), and slugging percentage (.702). All those, with the exception of doubles and triples, would be career highs. His outstanding performance across the board showcased his dominance on the field. Musial narrowly missed winning the Triple Crown, hitting 39 home runs, while Johnny Mize and Ralph Kiner each hit 40. Despite this, Musial’s remarkable season solidified his status as one of the premier players in baseball history.

The new power numbers were a surprise to Musial as much as it was to his fans. “After the 1948 season, I got to thinking about the 39 home runs and asked myself, if I hit 39 without trying, how many could I hit with an earnest effort?”6

Musial’s OPS+ was an astonishing 200, indicating he was twice as effective as the average major-league hitter. According to this metric, his 200 OPS+ ranks as the 48th best individual season in baseball history. This level of performance underscores Musial’s extraordinary talent and impact on the game.

His 11.3 WAR ranks 16th in baseball history, behind such greats as Ruth, Gehrig, and Bonds, among others.

Even though Musial produced one of the best seasons in baseball history, he received only 18 of the 24 first-place votes and 303 of the 336 (90 percent) possible points. Boston Braves ace Johnny Sain received five first-place votes, while his rookie teammate, Al Dark, received two. Sain led the league in wins (24) and complete games (28), which helped the Braves win the pennant under the direction of former Cardinals manager, Billy Southworth.

BEST GAME

Musial played his best game of the season on April 30. Next to when he hit for the cycle on July 24, 1949, this was probably his best game of the decade and one of the best in his career. He tallied five hits in six at-bats, knocking in four runs while scoring three times. Musial ended the day with 10 total bases (two singles, two doubles, one home run), which tied with two other games for his most in the decade.7

GAMES VS. DODGERS

For the first and only time that decade, the Cardinals finished with a losing record against the Dodgers, winning 10 of 22 games (.455). However, this outcome was not because of Musial’s performance; he delivered one of his best offensive showings against the Dodgers, displaying notable power. In 22 games he collected 34 hits in 87 at-bats, with 22 of those for extra bases, leading to an impressive .391 batting average and an astonishing .851 slugging percentage. His 11 walks contributed to a .465 on-base percentage.

Musial’s production against the Cardinals’ primary rival far exceeded his season stats, demonstrating an ability to elevate his game in high-stakes matchups. Despite the team’s overall record, Musial’s performance against the Dodgers solidified his status as a consistently dominant player, capable of stepping up against the toughest competition.

 

SOURCES

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted a number of publications, including

Broeg, Bob. “Musial (The Man) Gives Boston Fans an Eyeful.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 20, 1946. https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-stan-becomes-the/34876198/. Accessed April 28, 2024.

James, Bill, and Jim Henzler. Win Shares. (N.p.: STATS Pub., 2002).

Jasper, Kyle. “St. Louis Cardinals: Stan Musial’s Time in the Navy,” Redbird Rants, November 11, 2022. https://redbirdrants.com/2022/11/11/st-louis-cardinals-stan-musials-navy/.

Livacari, Gary. “Stan Musial Named 1948 MVP! | Baseball History Comes Alive.” Baseball History Comes Alive! 2023. https://www.baseballhistorycomesalive.com/stan-musial-named-1948-mvp-2/.

Mileur, Jerome M. High-Flying Birds: The 1942 St. Louis Cardinals (Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2009).

Muder, Craig. “Musial’s Historic 1948 Season Nets Him Third NL MVP,” Baseball Hall of Fame. https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/stan-musials-historic-1948-season-nets-him-third-nl-mvp. Accessed April 28, 2024.

“1948 – Stan Musial of the St. Louis Cardinals is named National League Most Valuable Player. In one of the best seasons ever, Musial led the NL in batting average (.365), runs (135), RBI (131), hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18) and slugging (.702). Hi.” This Day in Baseball, 2023. https://thisdayinbaseball.com/stan-musial-of-the-st-louis-cardinals-is-named-1948-n-l-most-valuable-player/.

Posnanski, Joe. “Where Are They Now: Stan Musial,” Sports Illustrated, August 2, 2010. https://vault.si.com/vault/2010/08/02/where-are-they-now.

Posnanski, Joe. Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments (New York: Dutton, 2023).

Reidenbaugh, Lowell. Cooperstown: Baseball Hall of Fame: Editions of Sporting News (New York: Random House Value Publishing, 2001).

Rogers, Anne. “How Cards’ Legend Musial Became ‘The Man.’” mlb.com, November 19, 2020. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.mlb.com/news/stan-musial-the-man-nickname-origin?partnerID=web_article-share.

“Sam Breadon.” n.d. Cooperstown Expert. Accessed April 28, 2024. https://www.cooperstownexpert.com/player/sam-breadon/.

Vecsey, George. Stan Musial: An American Life (New York: Ballantine Books. 2011).

 

NOTES

1 Joe Posnanski, “Musial,” November 21, 2012. https://medium.com/joeblogs/musial-637c8d9fee2f

2 Frank Cusumano, “Cardinals, Stan Musial Disagreed on Pay Early in His MLB Career,” KSDK.com, May 24, 2023. https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/local-sports/sports-plus/cardinals-stan-musial-disagreed-on-pay-1943/63-ec4968c2-0e12-4e4c-bbf6-7a58acfa772a.

3 Jerry Lansche, Stan “The Man” Musial: Born to be a Ballplayer (Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing Company, 1994), 47.

4 Steven P. Gietscher, Baseball: The Turbulent Midcentury Years (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2023), 247.

5 Lansche, 33.

6 John Benson and Tony Blengino, Baseball’s Top 100: The Best Individual Seasons of All Time. (Diamond Library, 1995), 131.

7 The other two games were on May 1, 1942, and April 30, 1948.