Stan Musial receives the Medal of Freedom - CBS News

Stan "The Man" Musial wear Cardinal Red Medal of Freedom (PA)

(CBS / AP) St. Louis Cardinals legend Stan "The Man" Musial one of 15 people Medal of Freedom by President Obama was received today. At a White House ceremony, awarded the President's Medal, the highest civilian honor in the country to Musial, and poet Maya Angelou, renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and basketball Bill Russell.

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Obama called the receiver, "the best of who we are and who we want to be."

In the baseball world at the height of some of this praise as much as Stan Musial. When St. Louis Cardinal Musial was three times world champion and appeared in 24 games of the stars. He retired after the 1963 season with a .331 batting average and 475 home runs. In his 3630 career hits, exactly half were at home and half on the road. And despite the years he has taken during WWII in the Navy.

Musial, 90 wore his familiar red jacket cardinals at a ceremony in St. Louis television and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Web site showed. He beamed as the President put the medal around his neck.

Musial, native of Donora, Pennsylvania, was signed by the Cardinals as a pitcher, but converted to the outfield after a shoulder injury in the lower leagues. It worked well.

He received the nickname "The Man" in 1946, when Post-Dispatch sports writer Bob Broeg heard Ebbets Field fans welcome Musial, the plate with the words: "Behold the Man."

Musial was the CEO from 1964 Cardinals won the World Series in seven games over the Yankees in New York. The win comes a year after his retirement from the game.

He remained a beloved figure in St. Louis. In fact, it was a grassroots campaign that helped persuade the White House in honor of the Medal of Freedom Musial "Stan Stand". The Cardinals have promoted the idea to Facebook, Twitter and other social media and politicians quickly came to letter campaigns.

The Liberty Medal is awarded the highest award for civilians. The price is for people who have exceptional merit in national security, peace seen in the world, or culture as a whole. Only 257 Americans have already received this honor.