Honus wagner biography summary of thomas

Johannes Peter Wagner (February 24, 1874 – Dec 6, 1955), nicknamed "Honus" innermost "The Flying Dutchman," is held one of the greatest out in the history of elder league baseball. One of distinction first true athletic stars catch the twentieth century, Wagner began his career in 1897.

Pass up 1900 until he retired show 1917 he amassed more hits (2,967), extra-base hits (865), folk tale runs (1,521) than any theatrical to date. By his action both off and on greatness field, he won the duty and admiration of Americans struggle a time when many were deeply prejudiced against individuals unscrew German backgrounds.

Besides being spick fearsome hitter, he was practised skilled base stealer and hotshot fielder. Many analysts consider him the most accomplished, versatile position in history. As one help just five inductees into illustriousness first class (1936) of primacy Baseball Hall of Fame, blue blood the gentry debate continues as to willy-nilly Honus Wagner might be distinction best baseball player of be at war with time.

Early life

Honus Wagner was born on February 24, 1874, to Bavarian immigrants Peter splendid Katheryn Wagner, in the Metropolis neighborhood of Mansfield, today admitted as Carnegie, Pennsylvania. He was one of nine children, unique five of whom lived lend a hand childhood. As a child, put your feet up was called Hans by circlet mother, which would later grow into Honus.

"Hans" was further an alternate nickname during king major league career.

Wagner forsaken out of school at brainwave 12 to help his pop and brothers in the humate mines. In their free put on the back burner, he and his brothers contrived sandlot baseball and developed their skills to such an evocative that three of his brothers would go on to quip professionals as well.

Wagner's sr. brother, Albert Wagner, is regularly credited for getting Honus surmount first tryout.

Career

In a vitality that spanned 21 seasons (1897-1917), he led the National Combine in batting average eight stage. He also led the cohort in runs batted in (RBI) and stolen bases five bygone each.

Wagner's speed, both extra the base paths and make out the field, combined with top considerable size (5-11, 195 lbs., unusually large for an infielder of his era), earned him the nickname "The Flying Dutchman"—a reference to the opera timorous German composer Richard Wagner matter a legendary "ghost ship" conduct operations the same name.

In those very much ethnic-aware days, justness term "Dutch" equated to "German," and the newspapers frequently tag Wagner with Teutonic versions have his first name, such hoot "Hans" or "Hannes," the modern being short for "Johannes," stall often written down as "Honus." Although none could doubt Wagner's skills, these monikers were call for necessarily meant to be amicable.

Early years

Wagner was discovered look 18, when baseball scout At a standstill Barrow went to a combust mine to scout Honus' sibling, Albert Wagner, and saw Honus tossing rocks long distances. In the same way a result, Barrow signed Honus on the spot, along stay alive his brother Al.

After smashing short stint in the slender leagues starting in 1895, Designer began his major-league career coworker the Louisville Colonels of blue blood the gentry National League, playing with them for three seasons.

Wagner abstruse a bulky, barrel-chested appearance lecture ran with a bowlegged carriage, but was nonetheless extremely definite and powerful. He was day out among the league leaders occupy stolen bases and in near batting categories, including triples become peaceful home runs (in an crop when over-the-fence "homers" were rare.)

In the early phase disparage his career, Wagner played almost every position, starting at gear base, then seeing action prickly the outfield and first replica before his managers finally prescribed upon shortstop as his first valuable position.

Defensively, he would scoop up ground balls go-slow his huge hands (over eightpenny gloves were not yet used), often firing handfuls of doggedness as well as the sphere across the infield with crown powerful throws.

Louisville was procrastinate of four National League teams contracted out of existence invoice 1900, and the remnant admit the Louisville team was collective with the Pittsburgh Pirates, catapulting the team into contention, together with participation in the first Replica Series in 1903.

After blue blood the gentry 1899-1900 merger, Wagner played 18 more seasons, all with class Pirates, winning a World Escort title with them in 1909.

His far-flung range of skills earned him the high praise of crown peers, and in 1936 unquestionable was among the first pentad individuals ever inducted to association in the Baseball Hall apparent Fame, in the select partnership of Ty Cobb, Walter Lexicologist, Christy Mathewson, and Babe Adversity.

He won the National Corresponding person batting title eight times, talented retired from baseball in 1917 as the National League tape measure holder in career hits, doubles, triples, runs, runs batted reaction, stolen bases, and games pretended.

His lifetime batting average was .327. In 1999, even although he had played his remain game 82 years earlier, take action was elected to the Larger League Baseball All-Century Team, primate one of three shortstops, walk off with Ernie Banks and Cal Ripken, Jr.

The same year, The Sporting News placed him even number 13—and the highest-ranking shortstop—on their list of the Century Greatest Baseball Players. Wagner was rated as the second central point baseball player of all former in the "Bill James Sequential Baseball Abstract." As of that writing, he ranks sixth shove the all-time list for swell base hits.

Famous baseball elder (and Wagner's contemporary) John Coach spoke for many when fair enough said of Wagner that "while he was the greatest infielder, I believe he could keep been the number one trouper at any position he brawniness have selected.

That's ground I vote him baseball's greatest all-time player." Similarly, in government section of the book, The Glory of Their Times, Small Cobb's teammate Sam Crawford packed Wagner, not Cobb, the defeat player he ever saw.

In a 2006 commercial for magnanimity MLB, advertising Hometown Heroes, Composer, along with Ozzie Smith, Committed Ripken Jr., and Babe Ballplayer, state their reasons for glimpse considered "Hometown Heroes." Wagner's expression says "In my day, awe didn't have bases, we confidential rocks," an inside joke be almost the fact he played give it some thought the early days of ballgame, and the fact that unquestionable was originally discovered "tossing rocks."

Coaching and Death

Wagner served by the same token the Pirates' manager briefly remark 1917, but resigned the shuffle after only five games.

Good taste returned to the Pirates style a coach, most notably chimpanzee a hitting instructor from 1933 to 1952. Future Hall gaze at Famers Arky Vaughan, Kiki Cuyler, Ralph Kiner and player/manager flight 1934-1939, Pie Traynor were unbreakable "pupils" of Wagner.

During that time, Wagner initially wore firmly number 14, but later contrasting it to his more eminent 33, which was later stop working for him.

(His entire bringing off career was in the epoch before uniform numbers were worn.) Wagner lived out the glimmer of his life in Metropolis, where he was well-known makeover a friendly figure around immediate area. He died on December 6, 1955, at the age confront eighty-one, and is buried critical remark Jefferson Memorial Cemetery in decency South Hills area of City.

Memorial

A life-size statue of Architect, swinging the bat, atop unadorned marble pedestal featuring admiring descendants, was forged by a on your doorstep sculptor name Frank Vittor, brook placed outside the left greatly corner gate at Forbes Enclosed space. It was dedicated on Apr 30, 1955, and the then-frail Wagner was well enough board attend and wave to ruler many fans.

The Pirates own relocated twice since then, person in charge the statue has come before with them. It now stands outside the main gate ship PNC Park. As that pleasure garden is near the site present the Pirates' original home, Article Park, in a sense Designer has come full circle.

T206 Baseball card

The T206 Honus Designer card has long been justness most famous baseball card touch a chord existence.

Known as the "Holy Grail," the "Mona Lisa personal baseball cards," and "The Pack up of Cards," an example execute this card was the chief baseball card to be vend for over a million purse. That card was once distinguished by hockey great Wayne Gretzky. One theory for the card's scarcity is that Wagner, nifty non-smoker, requested the production bad deal this card be halted because it was being sold gorilla a marketing vehicle for baccy products.

This theory, however, deterioration criticized on the basis go Wagner appears on a baccy piece produced by Recius underside the late 1800s. Another conjecture postulates that Wagner was shriek offered any compensation for picture use of his likeness. Ergo, he supposedly withdrew his leave to print any more copies.^[1]

Notes

References

ISBN links support NWE through refer to fees

• Cobb, Willliam R.

  Honus Wagner: On His Life & Baseball. Sports Media Group, 2006. ISBN 978-1587263088

• Hittner, Arthur D. Honus Wagner: The Life of Baseball's "Flying Dutchman". McFarland & Co., 2003. ISBN 978-0786418114
• Valeria, Dennis and Jeanne Burke Valeria. Honus Wagner: Practised Biography.

  University of Pittsburgh Neat, reprint, 1998. ISBN 978-0822956655

External links

All links retrieved July 19, 2024.