Visitation, funeral plans set for Stan Musial

The Cardinals announced visitation, funeral and burial plans for Musial, who died Saturday at age 92 at his home in St. Louis County after several years of declining health.

A public visitation will be 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at Cathedral Basilica, the elaborate Catholic church in St. Louis' Midtown area. A private funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the same cathedral. Immediately after the Mass, a funeral procession will travel to Busch Stadium where the family will lay a wreath at the base of the Musial statue that's in front of the ballpark.

The Cardinals will release the procession route later, a route that could draw thousands of fans given Musial's enormous popularity. A private burial is planned.

Three high-ranking Catholic leaders will officiate the Mass: New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, a longtime friend of the Musial family; St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carlson; and Bishop Richard Stika.

Musial was a seven-time National League batting champion and three-time MVP. He played 22 seasons, all with the Cardinals, and had a lifetime .331 batting average. His nickname was simply "The Man," and he retired from baseball in 1963.

But in the wide-ranging area of the country where the Cardinals are popular, he was just as beloved for his gentle nature and generous spirit.

After his death, former teammates recalled how Musial would often visit sick children in hospitals, even on road trips, never publicizing the visits. He happily gave out autographed cards — an idea his friend John Wayne suggested — and would shake hands and pose for pictures for hours after appearances. He was a joyous figure around St. Louis, often breaking out his harmonica for renditions of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."