Prior to the game, sportswriter Archibald Gordon “Tiger” Murray asked Cardinals manager Eddie Stanky, “Who is the best player in baseball? Stan Musial?”

“You have just asked and answered your own question,” Stanky replied.[1]

Musial seemed determined to prove it in that day’s doubleheader against the Giants.

Musial’s three homers in Game 1 were part of a 10-6 Cardinals win. Wally Moon, who went on to win that season’s NL Rookie of the Year Award, began the Cardinals’ scoring with a leadoff home run in the first inning. Tom Alston, who became the first black player in Cardinals history when he started in the season opener a few weeks earlier, followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.

In the third inning, Musial hit his first home run of the day off a slow curveball[2] from Giants pitcher Johnny Antonelli, hitting the ball off the roof of the right-field pavilion to give the Cardinals a three-run lead.

The Giants rallied for three runs off Cardinals starter Gerry Staley to tie the score, but Alston hit an inside-the-park home run in the fourth. The Giants regained the lead when Whitey Lockman and Wes Westrum hit back-to-back home runs to give New York a one-run lead.

Once again, Musial answered. After Red Schoendienst reached on an error, Antonelli challenged Musial with a low, inside fastball.[3] Musial hit the ball to the roof of the right-field pavilion for his second home run of the day and a 6-5 Cardinals lead.

Musial singled to right in the sixth, then came to bat in the bottom of the eighth with the game tied 6-6 and runners on first and second. Jim Hearn, a former teammate of Musial’s from 1947 until 1950, tried a slider.[4] For the third time that day, Musial hit the ball onto the roof of the right-field pavilion.[5]

“Man,” Alston said, “every time I watch Stan hit, I’m ashamed to take a bat up to the plate.”[6]

It marked the first time in Musial’s big league career that he had ever hit three home runs in one game. Afterward, Musial and his wife, Lil, recalled that he once hit three homers in a game with the Cardinals’ Class C Springfield affiliate. Musial explained that while his wife was in the ballpark that day, she didn’t see any of his home runs because their son Dickie’s “calls of nature” had coincided with each of Musial’s homers.[7]

After eating a sandwich and a glass of milk between games,[8] Musial made his way back to the field for Game 2. On his way, teammate Al Brazle, a veteran lefthander, told him, “Hit three more, kid, and I’ll buy you a beer.”[9]

Musial nearly earned that beer.

In his first at-bat of Game 2, he walked and scored on an RBI double by Alston, who had gone 4-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs in Game 1. In the third inning, Musial again hit the ball hard, but Giants center fielder Willie Mays caught the ball at the warning track about 410 feet from home plate.[10]

The Giants held an 8-3 lead by the time Musial came to bat in the fifth. With Schoendienst on third following a leadoff triple, Musial hit Wilhelm’s curveball[11] over the right-field pavilion roof. Ray Jablonski followed with solo home run to cut the Giants’ lead to 8-6.

Two innings later, Musial hit his fifth homer of the day, this time clubbing a knuckleball from Wilhelm over the pavilion roof to cut the Giants’ lead to 8-7. As he rounded the bases, Stanky said, Musial not only cracked a smile but also laughed at the absurdity of a five-homer day.[12]

Musial had an opportunity for home run No. 6 when he led off the ninth inning against Larry Jansen, but he flied out to first base.

“Jansen got me out on a bad pitch – a high fastball inside,” Musial said. “Yeah, I was going for one that time.”[13]

After the game, reporters helpfully informed Musial that his five home runs marked a major league record.

“I still can’t believe it,” Musial said. “You mean real sluggers like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ralph Kiner – men like them – never hit five homers in a doubleheader?”[14]

Ironically, the only other man to ever hit five homers in a single day was also in the ballpark that day.[15] Eight-year-old Nate Colbert, who was cheering on the Cardinals from the stands, tied Musial’s record on August 1, 1972, in a doubleheader against the Braves.

Musial’s historic achievement drew the attention of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Director Sid Keener, a former St. Louis sportswriter, asked Musial for the bat, but understood if Musial wanted to continue using it for a while. Musial, however, was happy to send it to the Hall of Fame.

“I got a lot of bats,” he said.[16]

With five homers and nine RBIs for the day, Musial was up to eight home runs and 21 RBIs in 16 games to start the season. Usually a slow starter, he credited Stanky with playing him regularly during spring training.

“I’m sharper this spring because I played in more exhibition games,” Musial said. “I think that was Stanky’s planning for the simple reason I’ve always been a slow starter. I feel better at the plate now than I have in years because I’ve played more this spring.”[17]

Stanky, however, wasn’t having it.

“All I’ve got to say is he’s trying to be nice,” Stanky said. “He had the same start he had other years with me. Any and all credit due goes to that fellow. He’s just trying to be nice and pass the buck.”[18]

After basking in the acclaim of the sporting press, Musial returned home that evening to be greeted by his son Dickie.

“They must have been giving you fat pitches, eh, Dad?” the 13-year-old said.[19]

Musial finished the season with a .330 batting average, 35 homers, and 126 RBIs. He led the league with 41 doubles and 120 runs scored.

Musial was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot in 1969.

Give the gift of Cardinals history! The Trades That Made The St. Louis Cardinals is available now on Amazon.

[1] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[2] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[3] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[4] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[5] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[6] “Raschi to Pitch Tonight,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[7] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[8] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[9] “Stan Taxes Memory – Can’t Recall ‘Day Like This,’” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 3, 1954.

[10] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[11] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[12] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[13] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[14] Bob Broeg, “Musial’s Five Homers in Doubleheader a New Major League Mark,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 3, 1954.

[15] Craig Muder, “Musial sets standard with five home runs in doubleheader,” Baseball Hall of Fame, https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/musial-hits-five-homers-in-doubleheader.

[16] “Musial’s Home-Run Bat to Cooperstown,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 4, 1954.

[17] “Stan Taxes Memory – Can’t Recall ‘Day Like This,’” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 3, 1954.

[18] “Stan Taxes Memory – Can’t Recall ‘Day Like This,’” St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 3, 1954.

[19] Bob Broeg, “‘Fat Pitches?’ Asks Dickie After Dad Stan’s Big Day,” The Sporting News, May 12, 1954.

The post Stan Musial hits record five home runs in doubleheader: May 2, 1954 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Moon entered the game batting .331 with five home runs and two stolen bases. He had taken the outfield job previously held by future Hall of Famer Enos Slaughter, who, not coincidentally, was traded to the Yankees the same day Moon found out that he had made the Cardinals roster out of spring training.

Though Cardinals fans, angered by the Slaughter trade, booed him when he stepped to the plate for his first at-bat, the rookie from Bay, Arkansas, didn’t waste any time winning them over, homering in his debut plate appearance. By late May, Moon had cemented his position at the top of the St. Louis lineup.

On May 25, the second day of a four-game series at Busch Stadium, Moon and his teammates faced Johnny Klippstein, a fifth-year right-hander who would go on to pitch 18 seasons in the majors. Klippstein walked Moon to open the game, and Moon took the opportunity to steal his first base of the day. Red Schoendienst brought Moon home with a run-scoring double and Stan Musial followed with an RBI triple to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

In the second inning, Moon wouldn’t get the chance to steal a base, but he did drive in a run with a single to center field. Two innings later, he reached on an error by Cubs second baseman Gene Baker and stole second base for the second time that day. After Solly Hemus drew a one-out walk, Schoendienst and Musial each grounded out to end the scoring threat.

Down 3-0, the Cubs struck back in the fifth. St. Louis left-hander Harvey Haddix retired the first 12 batters he faced before Hank Sauer doubled to left field. Randy Jackson followed with an RBI double and rookie shortstop Ernie Banks singled to score Jackson and cut the Cardinals’ lead to 3-2.

The Cubs required two pitchers to get through the bottom of the fifth. Jim Brosnan, in the game in relief of Klippstein, walked Ray Jablonski and Tom Alston before throwing a wild pitch. Both runners scored on a double by Rip Repulski, and Haddix helped his own cause with an RBI triple for his second hit of the day.

Moon singled to score Haddix, prompting the Cubs to replace Brosnan with Jim Willis. Moon greeted Willis by stealing second and third, then scoring on a wild pitch. Alex Grammas was then hit by a pitch. He scored on Musial’s two-out double off the right-field screen[1] to give the Cardinals a 9-2 lead.

In the seventh, Moon had a chance to tie the single-game stolen base record but grounded out in his final at-bat of the game. New York Giants infielder Dan McGann set the mark when he stole five bases in a game in 1904.

“I’ll take another crack at it one of these days,” Moon said.[2]

Cardinals manager Eddie Stanky had been informed by Cardinals public relations manager Jim Toomey about the record and was prepared to give Moon the steal sign had he reached base.

“I would have given Moon every chance to get that fifth steal,” Stanky said. “He’s a nervy youngster, and when he says he’ll have another go at it, I’m sure he will.”[3]

Chicago’s Bill Serena hit an RBI single in the seventh and Walker Cooper, the catcher whom Moon seemed intent on making miserable, added an RBI single in the ninth to make the final score 9-4.

Haddix improved to 6-3 on the season, allowing four earned runs on nine hits and a walk. He struck out nine.

“He pitched well but he worked too much,” said Stanky, noting Haddix’s 5-foot-9, 170-pound stature. “He used 140 pitches; that’s too much wasted effort for a fellow of his physique. He’s rugged but not gib enough to stand that kind of wear and tear.”[4]

Moon may have missed his chance at tying the stolen base record, but he continued to make history during his rookie campaign. Despite a bleeding ulcer that was diagnosed in September,[5] he finished the year with a .304 batting average, 12 homers, 76 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases to win the Rookie of the Year Award ahead of Banks and Milwaukee’s Henry Aaron.

Moon went on to play 12 seasons in St. Louis before he was traded to the Dodgers following the 1958 season. There, Vin Scully began referring to Moon’s home runs in the short left-field corner as “Moon Shots,” and he became a fan favorite. Over his 12-year career, he totaled 142 homers and 661 RBIs while participating in three all-star games.

Enjoy this post? Find similar stories listed by decade or by player.

[1] Edward Prell, “Wild Hurling Helps Cards Triumph,” Chicago Tribune, May 26, 1954.

[2] Dent McSkimming, “Moon’s Four Stolen Bases Within One Of 50-Year-Old Record,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 26, 1954.

[3] Dent McSkimming, “Moon’s Four Stolen Bases Within One Of 50-Year-Old Record,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 26, 1954.

[4] Dent McSkimming, “Moon’s Four Stolen Bases Within One Of 50-Year-Old Record,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 26, 1954.

[5] Wally Moon with Tim Gregg (2010), Moon Shots: Reflections on a Baseball Life, San Antonio, Texas: Moon Publishing, Page 99.

The post May 25, 1954: Wally Moon steals four bases, nearly ties 50-year-old NL record first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.