Before his epic 1948 season, Stan Musial had won two MVP Awards, two batting titles, had led the league in doubles, triples, hits, runs... he had been a great player. But his career high in home runs was 19.
        This year, Stan's power exploded, and he hit 39 home runs. Add that to a .376 batting average, a bunch of doubles, triples, and more, and you've got the best year in the career of a great player. And the best year of any National League player of the 1940's.

         Musial led the league in just about everything. He missed the Triple Crown by one home run. He also just missed becoming the only player to lead the league in doubles, triples and home runs in one year. Simply put, it was a great performance... you know, there are some players from baseball's great history whom I really can't say enough good things about. Musial is one of them; if I could, I would repeat over and over and over how great a player Musial was. As great as Ted Williams, or Joe DiMaggio, or Willie Mays, or Hank Aaron, Cobb, Mantle, whoever... Stan Musial was as great a player as anyone except Ruth, and he deserves more credit for it.
        To recap: Stan Musial played in the majors for 22 years, all of them with the St. Louis Cardinals. He won three MVP Awards, and led the Cardinals to three world championships. He was an All-Star 20 times; he won seven batting titles, led the league multiple times in runs scored, RBI, hits, doubles, triples, on-base and slugging percentage. He never led the league in home runs, but still managed to mash out 475 in his career. Aaron, Ruth, and Gehrig are the only players with more career RBI; Aaron is the only player with more extra-base hits. Only Speaker and Rose have more career doubles; Musial is also among the Top 20 in triples and home runs. What more do you want? Musial was a team leader, a fine defensive player, a smart baserunner... it's all there in the record books, yet somehow Stan's greatness seems to have faded over the years. I hope the trend is reversed one day.
         Bob Elliott won the MVP the previous year; this year, he had another big season, but he dropped to 13th in the voting. No matter; it was still a great year for Elliott, and for the Boston Braves, who won their first pennant since 1914. The Braves were then beaten in the World Series by the Indians. A few years later, they left Boston forever, and moved to Milwaukee
        After Musial, the top vote-getters among the players were Alvin Dark and Sid Gordon. Dark helped Boston win the pennant, so I can understand that (Jackie Robinson was probably a better player, though Jackie also played 30 games at first base). Gordon and Johnny Mize both played for the Giants; it's a close call, but I think I would have to vote for Mize.