The Man that Thrilled the Fan

Stanley Frank Musial’s ancestors in the Polish peasantry were so used to being trodden on that their very name meant “he had to do it.” His immigrant father slaved away in Rust Belt mills until he was killed, at 58, by their poisonous emissions. As for little Stashu, with his stammer, his four big sisters, and his homemade yarnballs, he grew up to be one of the greatest legends in American sports. He died on Saturday; I found myself turning to YouTube to get a feel for his cultural impact.