Musial looks back on Notre Dame, after graduation

Author’s note: Part One of the Musial story ended with Dick dispelling the myth that stated he did not play college football because Stan was fearful Dick was a bit undersized.

Notre Dame’s NDNation website, seemingly influenced by the notion that Dick was too small, noted the irony that the smallest member of the 1958 recruiting class was actually smaller than Dick Musial. This individual, Angelo Dabiero (5-8, 165 pounds), hailed from Stan Musial’s old high school.

Interestingly, his high school coach, Jimmy Russell, had also coached Stan years earlier in basketball and had been a student manager for Knute Rockne at Notre Dame.

“When I attended Notre Dame, I met a scholarship football player named Angelo Dabiero, whose father was a barber in Donora,” Musial said. “Angie was a talented player—one of the best—but he was overshadowed by some less effective coaches and poor win/loss records. I spoke with him after a game or two, and he seemed exhausted.”

Dick continued, “I wasn’t on scholarship, but winning my track letter in my junior year is one of my personal accomplishments. My dad and Hall of Fame Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck saw me race in Milwaukee during the Milwaukee Relays in 1961, just as the Cardinals were playing there.

“I didn’t run track in my senior year because I was chosen to lead my ROTC cadre as Vietnam was beginning to escalate. We were preparing for deployment. I later served as a First Lieutenant with the 1st Division at Fort Riley and eventually became a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves, though I was not called back as we had three children by then.”

Dick’s mother, Lil, was proud when Dick graduated as the first Musial to earn a college degree.

Over the years, Dick had the chance to meet many notable individuals. One memorable encounter was in 1969, when his father was inducted into the Hall of Fame. “My family met Mrs. Ruth in Cooperstown, and she signed a picture for our son,” he recalled. That Mrs. Ruth was Julia Ruth Stevens, the daughter of Babe Ruth.

Regarding his father’s teammates, Dick said, “They were exceptional baseball players, and I enjoyed being part of the baseball scene back then.” Cardinals teammates included stars such as Bob Gibson, Ken Boyer, Harvey Haddix (later a Pirate), and future Pittsburgh manager Harry Walker.

For fans of Stan the Man, it’s comforting to know that he was as kind as everyone claims. Dick emphasizes, “Dad was a great father, which mattered more to me and our family than his impressive baseball accomplishments!”

Additionally, Linda Ruth Tosetti, a granddaughter of Babe Ruth, praised Musial in 2005, stating, “I never saw him say no to an autograph. He took time for fans. He is the nicest Hall of Famer I have met.”

Dick recounted a story about a young neighbor who repeatedly came over to ring their doorbell for autographs. With remarkable patience and kindness, Stan signed countless papers, baseballs, and other items—each time provid-

AP ing personalized messages, such as, “To Richard, a fine young man, best wishes from your friend, Stan Musial.”

“Dad had a high tolerance for pain and great patience. However, he needed consideration from those ringing the doorbell at 7:00 AM after a night game. Sometimes, they would become very possessive of his attention. We eventually moved from the house I grew up in due to the frequent doorbell interruptions. Neither Mom nor I felt we had an image to uphold, so we kindly requested that visitors respect our privacy.”

The move allowed Stan to feel “more relaxed” as he enjoyed simple pastimes like tinkering in the garage. Fortunately, most of his fans were kind and appreciative. “St. Louis was great,” he remarked.

Ruth’s granddaughter also recognized Stan’s generous spirit: “We really need more ballplayers to be like Stan Musial. He is a true gentleman of the game—an unassuming great player with a wonderful personality. I love him and Lil dearly.”

In a recent interview, Dick shared, “I have been married to the same woman for 62 years. We live near our married daughter Natalie, a speech pathologist in Texas, and her three daughters. I have another married daughter and a son, Jeffrey, in St. Louis who runs his own national marketing consulting company—he has four adult children. We now live in Texas due to my wife’s health, which is marginal, but at our age, that is to be expected.”

Incidentally, Dick was named after a manager his father admired, Dickey Kerr. Although Dick was born in Daytona Beach while his father was playing minor league ball there for Kerr and his Islanders, his roots remained firmly in Donora.

Without a doubt, Stan, Lil, and Dick have given Donora three champions to be proud of.

Portions of this story were edited using Grammarly’s generative AI.