The epitome of the Cardinals’ legendary franchise, Stan Musial tees off for five long balls in a doubleheader against the New York Giants
On May 2, 2026, Cardinals outfielder Stan Musial hit five home runs across the two games of a doubleheader against the New York Giants. Stan the Man’s Herculean feat on this day was just another in a long list of accomplishments that led to his being recognized as the greatest player in franchise history.
In the opener of the twin bill, Musial drove a pitch deep to right-center in his first at-bat, a soaring shot that seemed to hang in the St. Louis sky before disappearing into the seats. By the middle innings, he had struck again—this time turning on an inside offering and sending it screaming down the right-field line.
The Cardinals’ star opened the second contest of the day with yet another home run, a smooth, controlled swing that produced a towering drive to left. In a later plate appearance, he launched his fifth homer of the two games. His Redbird teammates greeted him with a mix of awe and celebration. On that special day, Stan the Man had turned a routine doubleheader into a show, adding another chapter to a career that was defined by consistency and excellence.
Musial is so closely tied to the Cardinals organization, that he’s virtually the epitome of the team’s 120+ year history/ Memorialized with not only a Hall of Fame selection in 1968, but Musial was also the first player in the organization’s history to have his statue erected outside of the team’s home stadium.
It was initially dedicated at Busch Stadium II in August 1964, before moving down the street next to the newest model, Busch III, when the park opened in 2006. For years, the edifice has been somewhat of an unofficial landmark, with game goers often instructing others to, ‘Meet me at the Musial statue.’
