ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – Federal legislation to name the new I-70 bridge in St. Louis after St. Louis Cardinals great Stan Musial has gained support from all four Illinois and Missouri senators.

“I’m thrilled to have all four of us working together to honor such a great ballplayer, and more than that, a great person,” McCaskill said in a press release. “I’m confident that once we’re successful, the ‘Stan-span’ will remind future generations of a role model and hometown hero.”

The official name of the new bridge would be the “Stan Musial Memorial Bridge” if the bi-partisan effort is successful. McCaskill and Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin are both Democrats while Senators Roy Blunt of Missouri and Mark Kirk of Illinois are Republicans.

“Stan Musial was the best ballplayer ever to wear a Cardinals uniform and one of the best ever to play the game of baseball. He was my hero when I was a boy and he remains one of my heroes to this day,” Durbin said. “On the field and off, Stan Musial was always a gentleman, always a champion. He exemplified the values of sportsmanship, discipline, hard work, grace and consistency.”

“Stan Musial was a great part of our community, our state, and the game of baseball for a long time,” Blunt added. “Naming this bridge after Stan is a way for us to ensure that his legacy lives on.”

“As both a World War II veteran and baseball great, Stan Musial leaves behind a legacy defined by commitment, kindness and hard work and I am pleased to join this bi-partisan effort to name the new I-70 bridge in his honor,” Senator Kirk said.

The legislation must first receive passage in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee before being brought to the Senate floor. In 2010, a similar push led to Musial being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama.

Shortly after Musial’s death, a petition on KMOX.com to name the bridge after Musial received thousands of signatures.