Honus Wagner photograph

Dateapproximately 1914

DescriptionA black-and-white photograph of Honus Wagner captured sitting on top of a medicine ball. Wagner is holding a baseball bat in this hands. Wagner is dressed in the Pittsburgh Pirates road uniform. One caption on the back of the photograph states, "Honus Wagner waiting a turn at bat on practice field in 1914." Another caption on the back of the photograph states, "Honus Wagner- No. 1 stand-patter." The final caption on the back of the photograph states, "Among the baseball anecdotes about Honus Wagner, told again following his death today, was this one of his early playing days: 'I'm covering third for Louisville back in '97,' Honus used to say 'when Joe Gore, leftfielder for the Giants, wallops his second homer. As he passes third I says 'nice hit' and Gore yells back 'go to hell.' That was the first time any big league player ever spoke to me on the diamond.' Baseball salaries weren't always what they are today. Wagner drew nearly $300 a month his first year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, $5,000 a season for the next five years, and a top of $10,000 in 1908. He once refused a $10,000 contract, saying $7,500 was all he was worth. Honus was a major league manager once, for one of the shortest terms on record. It was in 1918, after his playing days had ended. Owner Barney Dreyfuss of the Pittsburgh Pirates fired manager Jimmy Callahan in June and asked Honus to take over. Honus, after three days, told Dreyfuss it wasn't his type of job, and Hugo Bezdek was picked to succeed him. The huge hands of Honus Wagner often looked like scoop shovels when he was grabbing infield grounders. But at least once they got him into difficulty. Honus had reached into his hip pocket for a chew of his favorite plug tobacco, but couldn't get his hand out again. A friend finally had to cut the pocket off Honus' trousers to set him free. The box score of Wagner's first major league game showed him playing center field and batting third for Louisville against Washington July 19, 1897. He was at bat twice, officially, connected for a single, had a sacrifice and a stolen base, made two putouts and assist as Louisville won 6-2. One of Wagner's youthful admirers during his playing days was Dwight D. Eisenhower, who, as President of the United States, wrote on his eightieth birthday: 'I venture to say that your name and the records you established are as well known to the boys of today as they were to me. That I think must prove that you are truly one of baseball's immortal heroes.'" Based on the first captions listed above (not shown) and his uniform, this photograph was taken in approximately 1914.

Object numberBL-1968-01451-0863

Publisher New York World-Telegram

Subject Wagner, Honus, 1874-1955

Subject Pittsburgh Pirates (Baseball team)

Subject Major League Baseball (Organization)

Subject National League of Professional Baseball Clubs

Attributes

Classificationsphotographic materials

Collection NumberBA PHT 001 New York World-Telegram photographic materials

Dimensions7.5 x 8 in.

Copyrighthttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

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