Honus wagner biography summary of 100

American baseball player (1874–1955)

This article is about the American baseball player. For people with similar names, see Hans Wagner (disambiguation). For the baseball card, see T206 Honus Wagner.

Baseball player

Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner (HAW-nəs WAG-nər; February 24, 1874 – December 6, 1955), was an Americanbaseballshortstop who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1897 to 1917, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nicknamed "the Flying Dutchman" due to his superb speed and German heritage, Wagner was a prototypical five-tool player, known for being a versatile defender who could combine a strong throwing arm with the ability to play almost any defensive position as well as being capable of hitting for average and for power. He is widely regarded as the greatest shortstop of all time. In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Wagner as one of the first five members.

At the age of 15, Wagner began his professional baseball ca

Johannes Peter Wagner (February 24, 1874 – December 6, 1955), nicknamed "Honus" and "The Flying Dutchman," is considered one of the greatest players in the history of major league baseball. One of the first true athletic stars of the twentieth century, Wagner began his career in 1897. From 1900 until he retired in 1917 he amassed more hits (2,967), extra-base hits (865), and runs (1,521) than any player to date. By his example both off and on the field, he won the respect and admiration of Americans at a time when many were deeply prejudiced against individuals of German backgrounds.

Besides being a fearsome hitter, he was a skilled base stealer and expert fielder. Many analysts consider him the most accomplished, versatile shortstop in history. As one of just five inductees into the first class (1936) of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the debate continues as to whether Honus Wagner might be the best baseball player of all time.

Early life

Honus Wagner was born on February 24, 1874, to Bavarian immigrants Peter and Katheryn Wagner, in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Mansfield, today known as Carnegie, Pennsylvania. He was one of nine children, only five of whom lived past childhood. As a child, he was called Hans by his mother, which would later evolve into Honus. "Hans" was also an alternate nickname during his major league career.

Wagner dropped out of school at age 12 to help his father and brothers in the coal mines. In their free time, he and his brothers played sandlot baseball and developed their skills to such an extent that three of his brothers would go on to be professionals as well. Wagner's older brother, Albert Wagner, is often credited for getting Honus his first tryout.

Career

In a career that spanned 21 seasons (1897-1917), he led the National League in batting average eight times. He also led the league in runs batted in (RBI) and stolen bases five tim

Regarded by most experts as the greatest shortstop in baseball history, Honus Wagner (1874-1955) was the game's most complete star in the early twentieth century. Known as the "Flying Dutchman" for his speedy base-running, Wagner was a perennial batting champion and a versatile fielder during his 21 big-league seasons, 18 of them with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

One of five men who were the original inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, Wagner was a stocky, clumsy-looking athlete who had surprising agility and unsurpassed baseball acumen. Perhaps the best all-around player in baseball history, Wagner played every position during his career except catcher. Burly and intimidating on the field, he was known for his kindness and humility off the diamond.

Up from the Mines

Johannes Peter Wagner was born in Mansfield, Pennsylvania on February 24, 1874. He was one of nine children born to German immigrants Peter and Katheryn Wagner, who came to western Pennsylvania from Bavaria in 1866. Three of their children died in infancy. Johannes was the fourth of five surviving sons. His family called him Hans or Honus (pronounced HAH-nus), the latter a term usually given to awkward children. From infancy, Honus was big, clumsy, and bowlegged. He also acquired the common nickname "Dutch," a corruption of "Deutsch," the German word for the German language. That was how he later became known as "The Flying Dutchman."

Honus was raised in Chartiers, but most records list his birthplace as Mansfield, an adjacent town. Both towns were within a few miles of Pittsburgh. In 1894 they were merged into the town of Carnegie. Peter Wagner worked in the mines. Like his older brothers and most boys in western Pennsylvania in that era, Honus began working in the mines at the age of 12. He also took jobs in steel mills and helped his oldest brother, Charley, in his barber shop.

All five Wagner brothers played ball every Sunday and most evenings in the sum

Game 2 of the 1909 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates: The man who would lead the majors in hits over the next decade took his lead off first base. He glanced toward the shortstop, who had been the hit leader for the decade just ended.