RetroSimba

Stan Musial achieved many remarkable feats in his Cardinals career. One of the most unheralded was his success at stealing home. Musial did it four times within four years.

Musial had 78 stolen bases in a 22-year Cardinals career. His single-season high was nine in 1943, his second full year in the big leagues.

In the book “Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man,” author James N. Giglio said Musial “became a terror in taking the extra base or in flustering the pitcher by threatening to steal.”

Giglio described how, in a 1942 game at Pittsburgh, Musial tripled and scored the tying run when he faked a steal of home, causing the pitcher, Luke Hamlin, to balk.

That alertness and hustle paid off for Musial and the Cardinals on May 24, 1950, at the Polo Grounds in New York. In the eighth inning, with the Cardinals ahead, 1-0, Musial singled and advanced to second when Johnny Lindell reached on an error.

With Enos Slaughter at the plate, pitcher Monty Kennedy unleashed a wild pitch. The ball “dropped right in front of the plate but the daring Musial made it to third,” United Press reported, while Lindell held at first.

Slaughter popped out and Marty Marion came to the plate. When Kennedy made a pickoff throw to first, Musial broke from third and streaked home with a steal, extending the Cardinals’ lead to 2-0.

An Associated Press photo of the play shows Giants catcher Wes Westrum straddling the plate, his arms extended as he awaits the throw from first baseman Tookie Gilbert, while Musial slides toward the dish.

“It’s that old Cardinal Gashouse spirit,” St. Louis manager Eddie Dyer said. “You can laugh all you want to, boys, but it still wins ballgames.” Boxscore

Musial stole home again on Sept. 18, 1951, at St. Louis. Musial was on third and Slaughter on first with two outs in the sixth when they executed a double steal, with Musial racing home with the final run of a 7-1 Cardinals victory over the Dodgers. Boxscore

In 1953, Musial had a season total of three stolen bases _ two were steals of home and both came against the Phillies.

On July 24, 1953, at Philadelphia, Bob Miller issued a walk to Musial, who advanced to second on an error and to third on a wild pitch. With two outs, Musial took off for the plate. An Associated Press photo shows catcher Stan Lopata tagging Musial on his right knee while Musial’s left foot is across the plate. Phillies manager Steve O’Neill protested, but the photo is evidence umpire Bill Jackowski made the correct call.

The sixth-inning steal of home tied the score 1-1, but the Phillies scored in the ninth and won, 2-1. Boxscore

Two months later, Sept. 13, 1953, at St. Louis, Musial stole home again versus the Phillies. In the first inning, Musial was on third and Ray Jablonski on first when the pair executed a double steal, igniting the offense in a 17-3 Cardinals triumph. Boxscore

Previously: No one hit more triples and as many home runs as Stan Musial