January 23, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S199 those things usually begins and ends that as he sat in the dugout, he felt a paid as much and so were more part of with the State we love, Missouri, and hand on his shoulder. He looked up, the community, Stan Musial stood certainly some of our most famous and and there was Stan Musial from the op- apart by standing with the people in beloved people who come from Mis- posing dugout saying to Joe Black: the community. souri. Obviously, there is no one who You are going to be a great pitcher. It wasn’t just Cardinal Nation that deserves more love and respect than Now, that encapsulates the character worshipped Stan Musial. His oppo- Stan Musial. of Stan Musial. nents, the opposing teams—can you There are so many memories about Chuck Connors, ‘‘The Rifleman,’’ imagine this happening today? Believe Stan Musial that I want to try to en- used to tell this story. He was a strug- it or not, the New York Mets had a capsulate today, but the interesting gling hitter for the Chicago Cubs. Stan Musial Day at their park. And in thing about the memories I have about I may need to explain to you, Madam Chicago, the home of the Cubs, he once Stan Musial is that I don’t have these President, but I certainly don’t need to finished first in a favorite player sur- memories because I am a Senator. explain to anybody in Cardinal Nation vey, edging out the legendary Ernie They do not belong uniquely to me be- that the Chicago Cubs are an opponent. Banks, who was also a very nice guy cause I am an elected official. I have Now, we don’t like the Chicago Cubs in who was beloved by the fans of baseball these memories that I share with hun- Cardinal Nation. in the Midwest. dreds of thousands of people who were Chuck Connors asked a teammate I could go on and on with stories that lucky enough to encounter Stan Musial what he should do about his swing. He reflect this man’s character. Yes, he during his time on Earth. was struggling with being able to hit in has amazing statistics. Yes, him hit- You know, when you meet somebody, the majors, and they all told him the ting a baseball was a thing of beauty to and you can tell they are kind of look- same thing: The only guy who can help all baseball fans in America. But, real- ing over you to try to find the person you is Stan Musial. So even though he ly, what this man was about was that who is more important behind you or was reluctant to approach a hitter on phrase we love to throw around in poli- maybe they are impatient because they the opposing team, he went to Musial tics way too often; that is, American do not think you are a big enough deal and asked for help, and, of course, Stan values. This was a man who didn’t have to be taking their time? If you look at responded as all of us would expect he to talk about his values because he our sports icons today who travel with would; he spent 30 minutes in the cage lived them—his love for his family and posses and have entourages and certain with an opposing player trying to help how close they are. rules about who can come near them him with his swing. Connors recounted I am very fortunate to be friends and who can’t and when, that was not that he really wasn’t ever that good of with the Musial family and have vis- Stan Musial. Not one day of his career a hitter, but he said he never forgot ited with them in the days since his or one day after his career did he con- Stan Musial’s kindness. death. They received messages from sider himself untouchable. He saw it as And when he finished watching me cut every star in the constellation of American baseball, but one stood out. his duty and obligation to be there for away at the ball, Stan slapped me on the Joe Torre, upon hearing of Stan’s all fans. Whether it was somebody who back and told me to keep swinging. death just a few days ago, sent a mes- worked at the ballpark sweeping after After the 1946 season, the promoters sage to the Musial family, and it sim- the game was over or whether it was a from the Mexican League decided it ply said this: very talented ballplayer from another was time for them to up the ante on team, everyone was equal in Stan baseball. At the time, Stan Musial was Stan Musial was a Hall of Famer in the game of life. We will miss you, Stan Musial. Musial’s eyes. What a wonderful Amer- making the enormous sum of $13,500 I yield the floor, and I suggest the ab- ican value. playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. I could stand here today, Madam The Mexican League came to Stan sence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The President, and talk about his amazing Musial and said: We are going to offer you—a king’s ransom at the time— clerk will call the roll. record as a baseball player, his unique The bill clerk proceeded to call the $125,000 for 5 years. That was a lot of swing, and the beauty of his accom- roll. plishments in America’s favorite pas- money for Stan Musial and his family, The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. but he turned down the Mexican time, but what we need to focus on as HEINRICH). The Senator from Virginia. we mourn the loss of this living legend League. When asked about it later, he Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I ask is his character because it was his said: unanimous consent that the order for character that brought universal love, Back in my day, we didn’t think about the quorum call be rescinded. respect, and devotion to the man, our money as much. We just enjoyed playing the The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without man, Stan ‘‘The Man.’’ game. We loved baseball. I didn’t think about objection, it is so ordered. anybody else but the Cardinals. I know Senator BLUNT talked about f this story, but I want to elaborate a Harry Caray knew Stan Musial for little bit. over 50 years. He would often tell the TRIBUTE TO FEDERAL It is 1952. Joe Black has just been story of Stan Musial wandering out of EMPLOYEES called up to the majors after spending the ballpark after a steaming double- Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, as we 1 year in the minors with the Brooklyn header—and trust me, we can have get started on this next Congress—and organization. He is facing Stan Musial. steaming doubleheaders in Missouri— I wish to congratulate the Presiding Now, keep in mind that this is an ac- looking as if he had been through 15 Officer for joining this Chamber. As complished baseball player who had rounds in a prize fight and every single someone who has had the opportunity won two championships in the Negro thing in his body language signifying to preside during my first 2 years in Baseball Leagues, and it had only been that he was exhausted and just wanted the Senate, I commend the Presiding a few years since Jackie Robinson had, to go home and lie down. Instead, when Officer for those actions and look for- in fact, broken the color barrier for he got to his car, he found fans waiting ward to working with you on a variety Major League Baseball. He is facing for him. ‘‘Watch this,’’ Harry Caray of projects. Stan Musial, who already was the most told a friend. And sure enough, What I want to do today is continue feared hitter in baseball. He is standing Musial’s whole body straightened—like a tradition that I actually inherited there as a Black man on the mound in Popeye had just eaten a can of spin- from one of our former colleagues, Sen- this baseball game, and out of the Car- ach—and he started shouting, ator Ted Kaufman of Delaware. Sen- dinal dugout come jeers and taunts. In ‘‘Whaddya Say! Whaddya Say!’’ And he ator Kaufman, who had been a long- fact, one of the things said was, hey, signed every single autograph of all the time employee of the Senate, came to Stan, you are not going to have any fans surrounding his car. Harry Caray this floor on a fairly regular basis dur- trouble hitting that ball against that loved telling that story not because it ing his time here to basically celebrate dark background. was unusual—that is who Stan Musial and acknowledge—in most cases—the When the game was over, Stan was—but for the opposite reason: be- tireless, unsung work of so many of our Musial decided not to stay in the Car- cause it was ordinary. Even in his Federal employees. As we debate budg- dinal dugout. Joe Black told the story time, when baseball players weren’t ets, debt, and deficit, we oftentimes VerDate Mar 15 2010 04:16 Sep 20, 2013 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD13\RECFILES\JAN2013\S23JA3.REC S23JA3 bjneal on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE S200 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE January 23, 2013 recognize we have to make extraor- She remained a quiet agency soldier .