thegruelingtruth.com is available in the following countries: The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. [35] The Wagner cards in particular advertised the Piedmont and Sweet Caporal brands of cigarettes and were produced at Factory 25 in Virginia, as indicated by the factory stamp imprinted on the back of the cards.[36]. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Honus Wagner (1065)? He would steal 6 bases while Cobb only took 2. background-image:unset; Wagner and the Pirates declined together. Mathewson, Christy. Bet $1 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets at bet365. The statue roughly faces the site of the Pirates' original home, Exposition Park, so in a sense, Wagner has come full circle. Quoting from The Baseball Biographical Encyclopedia: There probably has never been a more genuine, honest, decent, and beloved ballplayer than Honus Wagner. Raised just outside Pittsburgh, he became the face of the city for the first half of the 20thcentury. Wagner was born just . The baseball player Honus Wagner died at the age of 81. Omissions? Failed to delete memorial. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. He would play for the Colonels until they were dissolved in 1899. PITTSBURGH, Tuesday, Dec. 8 (AP) - John (Honus) Wagner, one of baseball's greatest shortstops died today at his home in near-by Carnegie. Honus Wagner would go home. Jim Cheney is the creator of UncoveringPA.com. Due to a below average arm, his range at Shortstop was very limited. Leaders of the machine-led Republican Party were touting Wagner for sheriff of Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh. "He's the best third baseman in the league.". 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). He lived out the remainder of his life at home in Carnegie and passed away on December 6, 1955. I was kind of surprised, but the guy sitting next to me on the bench poked me in the ribs and said, Watch this next one. Those kids figured they had the old mans weaknesses, you see, and served him up the same dish-as he knew they would. He was perhaps the greatest right-handed hitter of all time. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The backs of the cards featured the monochromatic colors of the 16 tobacco brands for which the cards were printed. or Walter at number one? And the question of the greatest shortstop of all time is a clear example of that. Who is this man? Tommy Morrison burst onto the professional boxing scene in 1988. There was an error deleting this problem. He retired from the sport in 1917 and is still recognized as one of the premier players of all time. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Cobb denied it in his autobiography, and the play-by-play of the 1909 World Series confirms that the event could not have happened as stated: Cobb was never tagged out by Wagner in a caught-stealing. The 1930s Yankees tie them at .636. He was, however, very fast as a base runner and as a defensive player. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Many of Wagner's descendants are also from the Pittsburgh suburb, including his nephew, Bill Gallagher, and niece, Marie. After browsing through the many items in the Honus Wagner Museum, makes sure to step into the Historical Museum of Carnegie next door. An outgrowth of baseball greatness is of course baseball card greatness, and in . They won the National League Pennant in 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1909. I never have been sick. 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. The Pirates have relocated it twice since 1954, and it now stands outside the main gate of PNC Park. One of the sad things about sports commentary now is a lack of historical perspective. Call 1-800-Gambler 21+. But the Cobb-Wagner rivalry was one of the best all-time. Dreyfuss and Clarke were not impressed with the awkward-looking man, not surprising, as Wagner was oddly built: he was 5ft 11in (1.80m) tall, weighed 200 pounds (91kg), and had a barrel chest, massive shoulders, heavily muscled arms, huge hands, and incredibly bowed legs that deprived him of any grace and several inches of height. Honus Wagner - Wikipedia Wagners total of 252 triples is the greatest ever attained by an NL player. Wagner won his eighth (and final) batting title in 1911, a National League record that remains unbroken to this day, and matched only once, in 1997, by Tony Gwynn. Even better, while visiting, take the short drive up the hill to see the home the Honus Wagner lived in for many decades at 605 Beechwood Avenue. And now neither do you. This time, Wagner could not be stifled as he outhit Cobb, .333 to .231, and stole six bases, establishing the new Series record. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. He lead the NL in many hitting categories throughout his 21-year career. These include just about every imaginable type of item that features Wagners image, ranging from coffee cups to bobbleheads. He held the bat with his hands apart to be able to pull balls to the foul line. [fn]"Honus Wagner for Sheriff: Famous Pirate Is Logical Candidate of Pittsburg Republicans," New York Sun, March 25, 1917. In his work Inside T206: A Collector Guide to the Classic Baseball Card Set, Scot A. Honus Wagner was the most beloved man in baseball before Babe Ruth. The proudest moment of his life was being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in its inaugural year in 1936. That year Wagner and the Pirates would go to the World Series that year and face off against the Detroit Lions and the antithesis of Wagner, Ty Cobb. Fellows like Marion, Bancroft, Peck and Billy Jurges were all great fielders. Though his choices were OK otherwise I immediately dismissed him as a serious evaluator. Phoenix, AZ 85004 Heres a story recounted by the Baseball Hall of Fame how the awkward, smart guy could out fox his competition. Bill James says that Wagner is easily the greatest shortstop of all time, noting that the difference between Wagner and the second greatest shortstop, in James' estimation Arky Vaughan, is roughly the same as the gulf between Vaughan and the 20th greatest shortstop. Garden of the Cross, Section 7, Lot 327-C, Space 1, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1065/honus-wagner. [3][4], Wagner was one of nine children. Baseball Almanac presents the actual word-for-word transcript from the obituary of Honus Wagner, taken from The New York Times. 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. Learn more about merges. The following story is probably false. [32] In 1933, the card was first listed at a price value of US $50 in Jefferson Burdick's The American Card Catalog, making it the most expensive baseball card at the time. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Honus Wagner | American baseball player | Britannica His biography on BaseballBiography.com describes his gritty style: Bowlegged, barrel-chested, long-limbed he was often likened to an octopus. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Honus Wagner I found on Findagrave.com. 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). April 3, 2004. Carnegie, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. We kept the squawk going for a minute or so, making no headway of course, and then Cobb spoke up. "I was too bum last year", he wrote. [18][19] Statisticians John Thorn and Pete Palmer rate Wagner as ninth all-time in their "Total Player Ranking". To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. I don't make speeches. The Greatest Short Stop of All-Time is now mainly remembered for his baseball card, which is the most expensive. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less. Thats better than the 1920s Yankees, the 1940s Cardinals, the 1950s Yankees, the 1970s Reds, or the 1990s Yankees. The 1909 World Series that pitted the two giants against each other would not disappoint. Honus Wagner AKA John Peter Wagner Born: 24-Feb - 1874 Birthplace: Carnegie, PA Died: 6-Dec - 1955 Location of death: Carnegie, PA Cause of death: unspecified Remains: Buried, Jefferson Memorial Cemetery, Pleasant Hills, PA Gender: Male Race or Ethnicity: White Sexual orientation: Straight Occupation: Baseball Nationality: United States Wagner, the longtime Pirates star and Baseball Hall of Famer, lived in the house until his death in the mid 1950s. "Pitching in a Pinch." Remembering Honus Wagner. They participated in the first modern World Series in 1903 (they lost), came back to play Ty Cobbs Detroit Tigers in 1909 (they won). - John McGraw in The Sporting News (December 6, 1955), Appeared in The New York Times on December 6, 1955 | Obituaries | Honus Wagner, HONUS WAGNER DIES AT AGE OF 81_____________________________, Shortstop, one of Baseball Immortals, Made Mark With Pittsburgh Club_____________________________, MANY RECORDS STAND_____________________________, Played Most Games, 2,785 and Led League 8 Times - Lifetime Average of .328_____________________________. Honus was awkward looking, he had a big nose, bowed legs, huge hands, and a barreled chest. He was the first winner of 'The World's Championship Batsman' 's Cup, in 1908, made by Welshman George "Honey Boy" Evans. I would be ashamed to have my picture up now."[16]. 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 . Also, if youre going to discount Wagner because of his era, then players such as Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker and Babe Ruth should not be considered either since they all were active during Wagners time. In all my career, I never saw such a versatile player." If they said Cal Ripken Jr., the correct reaction is to shake your head in sadness. Mr. Wagner was an immediate success at Steubenville and the next year advanced to the Paterson, N.J. club of the old Atlantic League. In 1900, Wagner won his first batting championship with a .381 mark and also led the league in doubles (45), triples (22), and slugging percentage (.573), all of which were career highs. The bandy-legged, barrel-chested star of the early part of the century, had been in ill health for the last several years. He retired on a Pirate pension in 1951 and two years later the locker he had used as a player and coach was shipped to the baseball shrine at Cooperstown, N.Y. At the turn of the century the bat-manufacturing concern of Hillerich & Bradsby conceived the idea of having major league ball players endorse their product with the players autographing their particular models, Mr. Wagner was the first to have his autograph appear on one of these bats. Vaughn played in the high run 1930s, so he matches up well. Honus Wagner, a Family History Researcher and Baseball Best Online Sports Books Reviews: How To Find The Right One. Honus Wagner Quotes. 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. Honus Wagner. According to an October 12, 1912, issue of The Sporting News, Wagner did not give his consent to appear on the baseball card. Well, Honus hit a line drive so hard the fence in left field went back and forth for five minutes.. The answer to this question is clear and unarguable. The Baseball 100: No. 12, Honus Wagner - The Athletic Brunauer Press, 2008. But its expensive because it is rare and because he is that good. Honus' brother Albert "Butts" Wagner was considered the ballplayer of the family. This article is about the American baseball player. His baseball card was so rare that it became the highest priced baseball card of all-time. Copyright 1999- Baseball, Famous Baseball, Greatest Baseball. In 1928, Wagner ran for the office of Sheriff of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, but lost. This account has been disabled. Wagner, along with his famous baseball card, was one of the earliest athletes to make the crossover into pop culture film. Gambling Problem? 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, . Wagner recounted: "We had him out at second. Honus Wagner - Bio, Personal Life, Family & Cause Of Death - CelebsAges 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. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? He never was a hold-out. 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 catcher was a kid, too. The encapsulated card was rated as only a 2 on a scale to 10. During this period he served as manager of a sporting goods store and in other ways kept in contact with baseball. "Why, that's Wagner," he says. And the next decade of baseball would belong to him. Honus Wagner, a Family History Researcher and Baseball The man on the legendary and most valuable baseball card, Honus Wagner, comes to life as RecordClick's professional genealogist Joan Shurtliff hits it out of the park with a look at his family and his ancestry. 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. Top 11 Hottest Teams Starts in MLB History: Where do the Rays rank? He still is regarded as the yardstick of excellence for shortstops. Please try again later. The Flying Dutchman, Pittsburg's finest, Honus Wagner. He would stand beside Cobb, Mathewson, Walter Johnson and Babe Ruth. [31] The ATC ended production of the Wagner card and a total of only 57 to 200 cards were ever distributed to the public, as compared to the "tens or hundreds of thousands" of T206 cards, over three years in 16 brands of cigarettes, for any other player. Wagner retired with the National League record for most steals of home (27), which was broken by Greasy Neale in 1922. The answer is rather obvious. 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. He ended the series when he watched Strike 3 go by, humiliation complete. His assistant has to point out that they are not only retired but long-dead Anson having played in the late 19th century. Note that mlb.com's Total Bases do not correspond to the number of hits, 2B, 3B, and HR listed. Deposit required. Bill James is the most knowledgeable person on baseball I know. He led the National League eight times, 1900, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1911. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 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. Secret Owner Of The Original, $750K Honus Wagner Baseball Card - Forbes Honus Wagner: Baseball's Prototypical Five-Tooler? After retirement, Wagner served the Pirates as a coach for 39 years, most notably as a hitting instructor from 1933 to 1952. Death 6 Dec 1955 (aged 81) Carnegie, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. Following his brother, Wagner trained to be a barber before becoming successful in baseball. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Lets just say its not enough to get any other Shortstop close to Honus Wagner. "I name Wagner first on my list, not only because he was a great batting champion and base-runner, and also baseball's foremost shortstop - but because Honus could have been first at any other position, with the possible exception of pitcher. (Note that this home is privately owned, so please only view it respectfully and from a distance). Runs were harder to come by in his time than any other. Honus came from a family of 5 boys and his older brother, Albert, was considered the most talented baseball player of the family. The current owner rents space to tenants, one of whom was home with his. update=copyright.getFullYear(); Honus Wagner Obituary - Baseball Almanac Bessie would then have 2 daughters and their oldest Bessy would give them their only grandchild, a daughter. Also known as: Flying Dutchman, John Peter Wagner. Another highlight of the visit is the chance to hold a 1910s era Honus Wagner brand bat that is said to be game-used. Playing at the height of the dead-ball era, he never amassed large home run totals (his career high, which he reached twice, was 10), but he was a prodigious power hitter for the time, leading the league in slugging percentage on six occasions. His love for baseball went far deeper than the money he made in the game. Honus Wagner - Baseball-Reference.com In 1900 he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates and helped lead them to National League [NL] titles from 1901 to 1903 and to a World Series victory over the Detroit Tigers in 1909. Returning in June, he was spiked in July and played only sparingly for the remainder of the year, batting .265. 1917-09-17 Honus Wagner, retires at 43, Pirates retire his #33. The speed demon Cobb only managed two steals, one of which Cobb himself admitted was a botched call. To use this feature, use a newer browser. He received the second-highest vote total, behind Ty Cobb's 222 and tied with Babe Ruth at 215. Top 20 College Basketball Point Guards of All Time. Bet with your head, not over it. He also led the league in slugging six times and stolen bases five times. Thats about where the Flying Dutchman is generally rated, between ten and twenty. Was Mike Tyson really that great. Rare Honus Wagner baseball card sells for record $6.6 million at - CNN 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. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. In 1901, the American League began to sign National League players, creating a bidding war, which depleted the league of many talented players. Wagner was selected as a member in the inaugural class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. My friend said that he'd like to be president of the United States. When the National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted its inaugural class in 1936, he received more votes than any other player, including Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, Christy Matthewson and Honus Wagner . This style won him 7 batting titles. A sporting goods store bearing the name "Honus Wagner" operated in downtown Pittsburgh for 93 years before closing permanently in 2011. Top 10 Baltimore Orioles of all time: Ripken at Number One? Whats that player worth? 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. He was well-known to people in the community, including many that still have memories of their interactions with him as children. He retired as the NL's all-time hit leader, with 3,430. Mastro pleads guilty to mail fraud, admits trimming famed Honus Wagner Finally, family history researcher, the seasons are changing. The Pirates won the series in seven games behind the pitching of rookie Babe Adams. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. 555 N. Central Ave. #416 Looking for more things to do in the area? For people with similar names, see. 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. Strikeouts are not shown comprehensively for Wagner's MLB.com totals, because the stat was not regularly captured until 1910. 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. Now lets look to see where Wagner should rate among all ballplayers. Wagner dropped out of school at age 12 to help his father and brothers in the coal mines. Wagners six steals in a World Series would stand until 1967. Wagner lived the remainder of his life in Pittsburgh, where he was well known as a friendly figure around town. They had me by a foot. He led the league in stolen bases and had 722 steals on his career. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. His contributions to a winning team: The Pittsburgh Pirates from 1900 until 1909 had a record of 938-538, a .636 winning percentage. And it also turned out that while Honus was the best third baseman in the league, he was also the best first baseman, the best second baseman, the best shortstop, and the best outfielder. "[33] These discrepancies were taken advantage of by "card doctors" who trimmed corners and dirty edges to improve the appearance of the card. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. . [45], On May 29, 2019, a Honus Wagner T-206 sold for $1.2 million by SCP Auctions in Southern California. His lifetime fielding mark was .945, and he was first among the National League shortstops in 1912, 1914 and 1915. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link: Top 9 Biggest Potential Draft Busts in the 2023 NFL Draft, Top 10 Biggest NFL draft busts of all time. Visiting the Honus Wagner Museum at the Historical Society of Carnegie He would pass away in Carnegie, Pennsylvania in 1955. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. Try again later. 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. Weve updated the security on the site. Wagner was part of the Pittsburg Pirates greatest season, going 110-42 in 1909. During this time, he wore uniform number 14 but later changed it to his more famous 33, which was later the number retired for him. Cobb was a fierce and feisty on the baseball diamond and looked the part of star athlete, where Wagner did not. He only led in one category and that was his 6 errors on the series. That blew away the previous record . He also retired with 722 stolen bases, which was the second highest total in major league history at the time. Failed to delete flower. Why the Movie Hoosiers was Nowhere Near as Good as the True Story of Milan 1954, Memphis Grizzlies provide injury update on Ja Morant, Top 10 Greatest Shooters in Indiana Hoosier Basketball History, Top 10 Most Disappointing Losses in Indiana Hoosiers Basketball History, Top 10 Indiana Hoosier Basketball Wins of all time, MLB All-Time Steroid Team: Position by position, with a Few Backups. Wagner was rated 10th. He was 81 years old. Wagner was a guy who out-thought his competition. This accomplishment, however, came during a down period for Wagner and Pirates. Wagner waited for the ball, swung his arm down and smacked Cobb across the face, taking out teeth some say. With the opening of the 1954 season at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, the Pirates as part of the inaugural day ceremonies presented a special plaque to Wagner as baseball's Mr. Shortstop. The definitive question in my family of weeding out knowledge sports fans from yuppies is, Who is the greatest Shortstop of all time?. #shorts. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. I just let my bat speak for me in the summertime. memorial page for Honus Wagner (24 Feb 1874-6 Dec 1955), Find a Grave Memorial ID 1065, citing Jefferson Memorial Park, Pleasant Hills, Allegheny County . 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. We are talking about the greatest teams ever. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? The Cobb-Wagner rivalry has become something of folklore and the more time passes it becomes forgotten folklore. 17 Reasons why Jordan is greater than Lebron, 16 Reasons why Lebron is greater than Jordan, The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History, The Top 21 Offensive Linemen in NFL History, The Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all Time, 19 undeniable Lies in Disney's Remember the Titans, If you enjoy hearing from the legends of pro sports, then be sure to tune into The Grueling Truth sports shows, Where the legends speak.