He went hitless in a 10 win against the Cubs on May 30, but a successful league protest by the Cubs wiped out the result (and Wagner's at-bats). Shortly before the 1908 season, Wagner retired. Be this as it may, there have been or are now no serious challengers to Mr. Wagner in his generally accepted designation as baseball's greatest shortstop. [44], On October 1, 2016, a T206 Wagner card graded PSA-5 sold for $3.12 million, setting yet again the record for the highest price paid for any baseball card. But, as with Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson and a select few other outstanding performers, there has been almost perfect unanimity among the experts that Honus Wagner belonged among the immortals of the game. Failed to report flower. Honus Wagner would go home. In his work Inside T206: A Collector Guide to the Classic Baseball Card Set, Scot A. The medias negative attention about the greatest player in the game would haunt Wagner. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. In 1999, 82 years after his last game and 44 years since his death, Wagner was voted Number 13 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Players, where he was again the highest-ranking shortstop. Now, this choice was not as outrageous as Wulfs, because this was a fan vote and Ripken was winding down on a brilliant career, but they also placed Ernie Banks second. [12] In August 1899, he became the first player credited with stealing second base, third, and home in succession under the new rule differentiating between advanced bases and stolen bases. [3][4], Wagner was one of nine children. Bet with your head, not over it. Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner (/hns wnr/ HON-s WAG-nr; February 24, 1874 December 6, 1955[1]), sometimes referred to as Hans Wagner, was an American baseball shortstop who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1897 to 1917, almost entirely for the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the 5thinning of the First Game of the World Series Cobb reached First Base. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Honus-Wagner, Society for American Baseball Research - Honus Wagner, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum - Biography of Honus Wagner, Pennsylvania Center for the Book - Honus Wagner, Honus Wagner - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Whats that player worth? The team fell to seventh in 1914 as Wagner hit .252. I just dont know what it would feel like to have a cold I never had one. (Honus Wagner), I wont play for a penny less than fifteen hundred dollars. (Honus Wagner), There aint much to being a ballplayer, if youre a ballplayer. (Honus Wagner), Copyright 2023 /The Celebrity Deaths.com/All Rights Reserved. (Subsequent research has since revised this total to 3,418.) background-image:unset; He lead the NL in many hitting categories throughout his 21-year career. He was, however, very fast as a base runner and as a defensive player. That same year, he was selected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team by the oversight committee, after losing out in the popular vote to Cal Ripken Jr. and Ernie Banks. Call 1-800-Gambler 21+. His play at Patterson attracted the attention of the Louisville club, then a member of the National League and operated by Mr. Dreyfuss, Louisville purchased Mr. Wagner's release for $2,200 and he began his major league career with the Colonels in 1897, winning a regular position at the start. This site is using Cloudflare and adheres to the Google Safe Browsing Program. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. He would hit .252 in 1915 (still worthy of 7thin the League). Share this memorial using social media sites or email. . After gaining prominence on the sandlots while earning his livelihood as a barber, Mr. Wagner broke into professional baseball in 1895 with the Steubenville (Ohio) club. document.write(update); Top 10 Dirtiest Coaches in College Football History, Forget Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia - Joe Cordina vs. Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov was the fight of the weekend. Recognizing that Wagner should be playing at the highest level, Barrow contacted the Louisville Colonels, who had finished last in the National League in 1896 with a record of 3893. By his second season, Wagner was already one of the best hitters in the National League although he came up short a percentage point from finishing the season at .300. Garden of the Cross, Section 7, Lot 327-C, Space 1, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1065/honus-wagner. Barrow proved to be a good talent scout, as Wagner could play wherever he was needed, including all three bases and the outfield. "[33] These discrepancies were taken advantage of by "card doctors" who trimmed corners and dirty edges to improve the appearance of the card. He had a lifetime mark of .328, hit more than .300 in seventeen consecutive seasons. Michael Haupert research of HOF contracts. The Pirates have relocated it twice since 1954, and it now stands outside the main gate of PNC Park. He played for the love of playing and his interest in baseball survived his playing days and he retained his active connections until the very end. Wagner and Cobb would go hunting that off-season in Georgia. Honus' brother Albert "Butts" Wagner was considered the ballplayer of the family. Well, this big Louisville third baseman jumped over after it like he was on steel springs, slapped it down with his bare hand, scrambled after it at least ten feet, and fired a bullet over to first base. Neither of us got our wish. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Pittsburgh lost in the best-of-nine series, five games to three, to a team led by pitchers Cy Young and Bill Dinneen and third basemanmanager Jimmy Collins. 548549. Especially playing in his hometown, Wagner represented what his city was. He also retired with 722 stolen bases, which was the second highest total in major league history at the time. PITTSBURGH, Tuesday, Dec. 8 (AP) - John (Honus) Wagner, one of baseball's greatest shortstops died today at his home in near-by Carnegie. The Wagners, who was pregnant when he retired, would lose their first baby who was stillborn. Phone: 602.496.1460 While you shouldnt come expecting a collection of game-used items from Wagner, the chance to see a few of his personal belongings, learn more about his life, and to uncover the history of an Allegheny County community make this a neat spot to check out if youre in the area. For people with similar names, see. In 1901, the American League began to sign National League players, creating a bidding war, which depleted the league of many talented players. Wagner would get redemption. Wagner, the aging star faced off against the rising star as the next pitch was thrown and Cobb headed to second. Wagners six steals in a World Series would stand until 1967. Even if you can look past the legend of the Iron Horse, the games played streak, the martyrdom of his tragic death and the "luckiest man alive" speech, or the stable counterpoint he provided to . The Pirates won the series in seven games behind the pitching of rookie Babe Adams. He batted .354, with an OBP of .415 and a SLG of .542. They know very little of the game prior to the 1950s. Wagner had a terrible series, going just 1-14 in the best of 9 series. Bill James is the most knowledgeable person on baseball I know. Wagner was a guy who out-thought his competition. Baseball can be as controversial a topic as politics, especially when it comes to ranking the great players of the past and present. He was 81 years old. It took 45 years for St. Louis' Stan Musial to surpass Wagner's hit total. Learn more about merges. to the tune of "Tessie", a popular song of the day. There was also a story that was widely circulated over the years and famously recounted in Lawrence Ritter's The Glory of Their Times, that at one point Cobb was on first; he bragged to Wagner that he was going to steal second and threatened to assault him physically doing it; Wagner defiantly dared him to try it and placed an especially rough tag to Cobb's mouth; and the two exchanged choice words. Wagner and the Pirates declined together. Conclusion: If I was selecting the greatest player of all time, the list would be: Ill quote Bill James again from the original Historical Baseball Abstract. (Wagner) was the greatest athlete in baseball. When the Baseball Hall of Fame held its first election in 1936, Wagner tied for second in the voting with Babe Ruth, trailing Cobb. In 2000, Wagner was honored with a U.S. postage stamp. [18][19] Statisticians John Thorn and Pete Palmer rate Wagner as ninth all-time in their "Total Player Ranking". Biography Johannes Peter Wagner, named for his father, was born on February 24, 1874. A rookie battery. You may request to transfer up to 250,000 memorials managed by Find a Grave. The shortstop remained with the Pirates until he retired from active play in 1917 at the age of 43. Hours: Tues, Thurs, Fri: 10am-4pm With the Colonels he would play first, second, third and hit .299 (it would be the last time he would hit under .300 for 16 years in the big leagues). Wagner retired with the National League record for most steals of home (27), which was broken by Greasy Neale in 1922. This account has been disabled. Wagner helped the Pirates to the first World Series title in their franchise history in 1909. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. He received the second-highest vote total, behind Ty Cobb's 222 and tied with Babe Ruth at 215. 1916-07-01 Pittsburgh shortstop Honus Wagner, at 42 and 4 months, connects at Cincinnati to become the oldest to hit an inside-the-park HR; Pirates beat Reds, 2-1. He received a trial at the insistence of his older brother, Albert, also a ballplayer, who refused to sign unless the club took Honus as well. Wagner was part of the first ever World Series in 1903 when his Pirates from the National League challenged the winners of the American League Boston Americans (now the Red Sox). Wagner was nicknamed "the Flying Dutchman" due to his superb speed and German heritage. Bonus Bets winnings are added to Bonus Bets balance. And since he led the league in batting eight times between 1900 and 1911, you know that he was the best hitter, too. Thats about where the Flying Dutchman is generally rated, between ten and twenty. Prior to 1904, Wagner had played several positions but settled into the shortstop role full-time that season, where he became a skilled fielder. Well compare him to Wagner, Vaughn and Rodriquez as an offensive player: Jeter was not a match for any of the three as an offensive or defensive player. Honus was awkward looking, he had a big nose, bowed legs, huge hands, and a barreled chest. That blew away the previous record . That is certainly what the club president and club secretary for the Louisville Colonels thought when they first saw him. A system error has occurred. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. April 3, 2004. That is way too low. Top 10 Baltimore Orioles of all time: Ripken at Number One? or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. This museum chronicles life in the community, and even if you have no connection to the area, its interesting to learn about what life was like in this part of Allegheny County (including why the community was named after industrial tycoon Andrew Carnegie). Bet $1 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets at bet365. Honus came from a family of 5 boys and his older brother, Albert, was considered the most talented baseball player of the family. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Baseball Almanac presents the actual word-for-word transcript from the obituary of Honus Wagner, taken from The New York Times. Wagner was a resident of Carnegie (his house sits less than half a mile away from the museum) so the town is a logical spot to have a small museum in his honor. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less. When he fielded grounders, his huge hands also collected large scoops of infield dirt, which accompanied his throws to first like the tail of a comet.[11]. Top 20 College Basketball Point Guards of All Time. But the Cobb-Wagner rivalry was one of the best all-time. Saturdays: 10am-2pm, Website: Facebook.com/HistoricalSocietyofCarnegie. The Top 15 Biggest Hits in NFL History (With Video), Beckham signs with Ravens without assurance of Jackson as QB, 2023 NFL Mock Draft 3.0 - The Trades Mock, Top 10 Indiana Hoosier Football Players of all-time. About Honus Wagner. A 1942 Sporting News poll of 100 former players and managers confirmed this opinion, with Wagner finishing 43 votes behind Cobb and six ahead of Ruth. The 1920-1929 Yankees had Hall of Famers; Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Earl Combs, pitchers Waite Hoyt and Herb Pennock. $1000/month annualized, Honus Wagner, p. 272:10000, 2/24/17 SL: $8,000. We adapted Google's Privacy Guidelines to keep your data safe at all times. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Pulliam, though, persuaded Dreyfuss and Clarke to take a chance on him. Both museums are housed within the historic Husler Building, which was built in 1896 according to the numbers in the stonework, and are free to visit (though donations are appreciated). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Due to a below average arm, his range at Shortstop was very limited. But youve got to know your stuff. Thats 80 years of history that they know very little about. He still is regarded as the yardstick of excellence for shortstops. It took all 7 games to decide the winner. Visitors receive replicas of the famous card. 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Some of Mr. Wagner's records that still are on the books are the National League marks for playing the most games, 2,785; leading the league the most times in batting, eight; hitting more than .300 the most times, seventeen; and making the most hits, 3,430; the most runs, 1,740; and most total bases, 4,878. He briefly held the role of interim manager, but after going 14, Wagner told owner Dreyfuss the job was not for him. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. The definitive question in my family of weeding out knowledge sports fans from yuppies is, Who is the greatest Shortstop of all time?. He turned to O'Loughlin, an American League umpire, by the way, and said, 'Of course I was out. Wagner is the one who made the Pirates great. As well as the best base runner. The card featured in the plot of the Nickelodeon film Swindle. How to Win While Sports Betting? As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. Here is all you want to know, and more! I thought you might like to see a memorial for Honus Wagner I found on Findagrave.com. An outgrowth of baseball greatness is of course baseball card greatness, and in . Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. This was 1905. In 2010, a previously unknown copy of the card was donated to the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Baltimore. So many modern fans and sports experts only know sports from their memory or from the video available. By this time the Series had been whittled down to a best of 7 series. Now Clarke and Willis are legitimate Hall of Fame selections, but were they equal to Gehrig, Dickey, and DiMaggio? copyright=new Date(); The card, which was in poor condition, sold in November 2010 to a collector for $262,000, well over the $150,000 that was expected at auction. Honus Wagner, byname of John Peter Wagner, also called the Flying Dutchman, (born Feb. 24, 1874, Mansfield [now Carnegie], Pa., U.S.died Dec. 6, 1955, Carnegie, Pa.), American professional baseball player, one of the first five men elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame (1936). The answer to that question is an article upon itself. Wagner was 5-for-5 in the game; after each hit, he reportedly held up another finger to Donlin, who went hitless, and who had just beaten runner-up Wagner by a wide margin in a "most popular player" poll. "[42], On April 20, 2012, a New Jersey resident purchased a VG-3 graded T206 Wagner card for more than $1.2 million. In his final season he was made manager of the team, but the task was not to his liking and he gave it up after less than a week. [46], In May 2021, one example sold for a new record $3.75 million. Top 14 Big Ten Quarterbacks of All-Time: Where does C.J. Joyce vs Zhang: Can Joe Zap Zhang and Continue his Climb? Top 12 Greatest Home Runs in MLB History! [50] Other private research sites may have different figures. "Why, that's Wagner," he says. In 1992 Sports Illustrated did a piece written by Steve Wulf titled The All-Time Dream Teams. The Shortstop on his baseball team was Cal Ripken. Nuclear Powered Baseball, .avia-section.av-k6v62xgq-c0812a68936ee67ed4883eaa9d35be9b{ [47], In August 2021, another example sold for $6.6 million exceeding the previous high for most valuable sports card at the time. Wagner was born one of 9 children in the heart of American coal country in western Pennsylvania on February 24, 1874. LEOMINSTER DAILY ENTERPRISE, Massachusetts, December 6, 1955 This 12 page newspaper has a two column headline on page 6: "HONUS WAGNER, ALL-TIME GREAT SHORTSTOP, DIES AT 81 NEAR PITTSBURGH" Other news of the day including a report on the upcoming fight involving Sugar Ray Robinson late in his career. For the next nine seasons, Wagner's average did not fall below .330. A very rare, recent photo sold on eBay further refutes the myth that Honus Wagner opposed tobacco. Wagner waited for the ball, swung his arm down and smacked Cobb across the face, taking out teeth some say. In September 1905, Wagner signed a contract to produce the first bat with a player's signature, the Louisville Slugger, becoming the first sportsperson to endorse a commercial product;[13] the Honus Wagner was to become a best-seller for years. We are talking about the greatest teams ever. Honus Wagner's Death - Cause and Date Born (Birthday) Feb 24, 1874 Death Date December 6, 1955 Age of Death 81 years Cause of Death N/A Profession Baseball Player The baseball player Honus Wagner died at the age of 81. The encapsulated card was rated as only a 2 on a scale to 10. or Walter at number one? Interestingly, Wagner was a lifetime resident of the town, and the museum also sits less than 100 yards from where Wagner was born in 1874, though that building is no longer standing. Another highlight of the visit is the chance to hold a 1910s era Honus Wagner brand bat that is said to be game-used. This style won him 7 batting titles. In their free time, he and his brothers played sandlot baseball and developed their skills to such an extent that three of his brothers went on to become professionals as well. He hit for average and power and could change the dynamics of a game on . Top 10 Pound for Pound Boxers 4/25/23: Where does Gervonta Davis Rank? Bill James ranks Wagner as the best player in baseball every year between 1900 and 1908 except 1901 (Nap Lajoie, in an expansion league, Wagner was the best player in the National League). Sorry! Wagner won the 1911 batting title by the narrowest of margins. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. "He was clearly among the better-fielding shortstops of his time, just not an all-time great." Bill James, though, in his New Historical Baseball Abstract, wrote, "Wagner was among the greatest defensive players in the history of baseball." James's . Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. In 1932, the Pirates struck gold again at shortstop, bringing in rookie Arky Vaughan, who many consider the second best shortstop ever behind Honus Wagner. "I was a joke in that Boston-Pittsburgh Series. A life-size statue of Wagner swinging a bat, atop a marble pedestal featuring admiring children, was forged by a local sculptor named Frank Vittor, and placed outside the left-field corner gate at Forbes Field. A sporting goods store bearing the name "Honus Wagner" operated in downtown Pittsburgh for 93 years before closing permanently in 2011. He is generally considered the greatest shortstop in baseball history and is regarded by some as the finest all-around player in the history of the National League (NL). Mr. Wagner was born in Carnegie, Pa., on Feb. 24, 1874. Wagner, the longtime Pirates star and Baseball Hall of Famer, lived in the house until his death in the mid 1950s. Please reset your password. This was the real tragedy in Wagner's career. Ulysses S. Grant was President of the United States and the country was still trying to heal from the Civil War that had ended just 10 years prior. Wagner and the Pirates would prevail in the seven games World Series. Many of us dream of celebrity sports fame, but only cruel individuals "Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for (An excerpt chapter from the book,Boxing In The Time Of Christ,$5.99 atamazon.com.) He only stood 511 and weighed about 200 lbs. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. He starred as a sports hero in 1919's Spring Fever with Moe Howard and Shemp Howard of the Three Stooges,[26] and has been depicted as the subject of The Winning Season (2004) and in a brief scene in Cobb (1994). In fact, there are many who will argue that the "Flying Dutchman" should be placed at the top of the list. Most baseball historians consider Wagner to be the greatest shortstop ever and one of the greatest players ever. There was an error deleting this problem. So outstanding were his abilities at the plate and in the field, primarily at short stop, that he was one of the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. In doing so, it became the second most expensive baseball card sold at auction at the time. What does it profit a man to hammer along and make a few hits when they are not needed only to fall down when it comes to a pinch? "[15], Wagner was distraught by his performance. In 1910, Wagner's average fell to .320, his lowest average since 1898. In 1969, on the 100th anniversary of professional baseball, a vote was taken to honor the greatest players ever, and Wagner was selected as the all-time shortstop. They were doing better in 1897 when Barrow persuaded club president Barney Dreyfuss, club secretary Harry Pulliam, and outfielder-manager Fred Clarke to go to Paterson to see Wagner play. Some cards were awkwardly shaped or irregularly sized, which prompted a belief that many of the cards in the series had been altered at one point or another. The character Mr. Burns lists three ringers he wants for his company's baseball team, but they are Honus Wagner, Cap Anson, and "Mordecai 'Three Fingers' Brown". He led in almost every significant category through those years. The most famous baseball card ever printed is the Honus Wagner T206. Cal Ripken (1984) is tied for tenth with another Wagner Year (1901) and two Alex Rodriquez seasons (2000, 2001) at 37. Baseball historian and statistician Bill James named Honus Wagner as the second-best player of all time after Babe Ruth, rating him as the best major league player in 1900 and each year from 1902 to 1908. Try again later. During his term as coach of Pittsburgh, Mr. Wagner also served for several years as commissioner for the National Semi-Pro Baseball Congress, in which capacity he had jurisdiction over 25,000 sandlot teams. But it needs to be shared here or we would be leaving out part of the aura of the two players. Hall of Fame skipper John McGraw called Honus Wagner "The nearest thing to a perfect player no matter where his manager chose to play him.". 50 Copy quote. Owner Barney Dreyfuss, who had purchased half ownership in the Pirates, took Wagner and many of his other top players with him to the Pittsburgh team. [48], On August 3, 2022, a T206 Honus Wagner was sold in a private sale for a sports card record high of $7.25 million, eclipsing the previous high of $6.6 million.[49]. The numbers shown below are the figures officially recognized on MLB.com. [5], Wagner's older brother, Albert "Butts" Wagner, who had a brief major league career himself, is often credited with getting Honus his first tryout. Although in recent years Mr. Wagner remained confined to his home in Carnegie, honors continued to be showered upon him. Primary salary data ( about) courtesy Doug Pappas, and the Society for American Baseball Research. Mr. Wagner was an immediate success at Steubenville and the next year advanced to the Paterson, N.J. club of the old Atlantic League. If someone said Derek Jeter, the correct response is to laugh at them and then move on- they know nothing. On the occasion of his eightieth birthday in 1954, he was deluged with greetings, one of them from President Eisenhower. If they said Cal Ripken Jr., the correct reaction is to shake your head in sadness. Whereas Wagner, with his unassuming ways, quiet dignity and homespun humility endeared him to the baseball community. One of the two most over-rated players since World War II (the other being Nolan Ryan). The answer to this question is clear and unarguable. Copyright 1999- He would retire the following season after an unsuccessful attempt at Managing his beloved Pirates. And now neither do you. Omissions? Good enough to make a mockery of any modern Short Stop. And the next decade of baseball would belong to him. The Honus Wagner Museum is part of the Historical Society of Carnegie and these two museum spaces are housed within the same building in downtown Carnegie, . Ogden Nash, Sport magazine (January 1949)[29]. Sports, "Rare baseball card tops $1 million in auction", "Honus Wagner baseball card sells for $2.1M at auction", "A Honus Wagner Baseball Card has been sold privately for $1.2 million", "Rare Honus Wagner card sells for record $3.75 million, trails only Mike Trout in MLB cards", "T206 Honus Wagner baseball card sells for $6.606 million, shattering previous record", "Rare T-206 Wagner card sold for record $7.25M", Hall of Fame Network: "Honus Wagner as Mona Lisa", The T206 Collection The Players & Their Stories, National League season runs batted in leaders, National League season stolen base leaders, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Honus_Wagner&oldid=1152108464, Major League Baseball players with retired numbers, People from Washington County, Pennsylvania, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, July 19,1897,for theLouisville Colonels, September 17,1917,for thePittsburgh Pirates, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 28 April 2023, at 07:30. lettre de motivation customer success manager, miss america 1969,
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