Readers: Name New Bridge After Stan Musial
As expected a majority of readers think we should name the new Mississippi River Bridge after baseball legend Stan Musial, but he barely got more than 50% of the vote:
Q: Name New Bridge After Dred & Harriet Scott, Stan Musial or…?
- Stan Musial 100 [53.19%]
- Dred & Harriet Scott 30 [15.96%]
- Don’t name it after a person(s) 22 [11.7%]
- Other: 13 [6.91%]
- Sell the corporate naming rights 12 [6.38%]
- Unsure/no opinion 7 [3.72%]
- Wait until the bridge opens to decide 4 [2.13%]
Hardly a consensus. The other answers were:
- Mullanphy Bridge
- Sacagawea
- Mounds Heritage. The footprint of the bridge on both sides are mound sites
- geographic name
- President Barack H. Obama
- General Pershing
- Andy Gammon, worker who died on the bridge (His family is hoping for this.)
- “Taxpayers” – we’re paying for it!
- The Gateway Bridge
- Bob Cassilly Bridge. Love Stan, but too much emphasis on sports in stl.
- Nikola Tesla
- Dred Scott seems appropriate since the bridge links two areas mostly AA occupied
A couple of comments on the original post referenced the PSB (Poplar Street Bridge) being formally the Bernard F. Dickmann Bridge, named after former Mayor Dickman.
Will be interesting to see what formal name is given to the bridge and what we end up calling it over the years.
— Steve Patterson
Personally, I believe that significant public structures (like this bridge) should only be named for true heroes, people who do something selflessly to protect or to improve their communities. A prime candidate would be the school bus driver in this past week’s hostage situation in Alabama. Politicians and pro sports stars are already recognized on a daily basis, why should they be recognized in perpetuity? Realistically, the best names are geographic ones, so I’ll vote for the Brooklyn Bridge . . .