New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-31

John (Honus) Wagner. having com
pleted twenty seasons IN the big show
as a shortstop- barring year or 80
in the outfeld, will next year start all
over again and get "tryout" on hrss
base with the Pirates.
The fact that Honus Is about 10 do
this stunt and also that re Is the sole
remaining member OF the pennant win
ming Pirates, makes It seem . ripe time
for a review Of his work in the past
The record is such as to indicate that
the forty-threeyear-old recruit first
baseman should mako good
Wagner participated in i23 gAmss
last season, making 124 hits and IS
runs. The Flying Dutchman had an
average Of PSF, which is precisely 10
points better than his batting mark
Of 1918. His safe wallops for 1915
Melted him 80 extra bases, for he was
credited with l home run, triples and
Is doubles.
Remarkable Record
The famous shortstop's consistent
performance for the entire twenty
years is shown by glance at his grand
totals for this length Of time. He has
been at bat 10,l9S times, and his safe
swats foot up TO 1859. Thus, he can
boast of a grand average Of $50 In
spite of the fact that his last three
campaigns have found him below the
coveted 800 mark.
Another interesting fact is disclosed
by the records. Hans still has the dis
tinction OF having registered a frsc-
ton more than one nit per game for
his score Of years in the National
League. He has played in 2,722 games.
This means that he has placed almost
five drives in safe territory in each OF
his four games. on On average.
Thus it is seen that basebalPs grand
old patriarch continues to uphold his
unique record for reliability. While he
is naturally proud of his dazzling dia-
mond achievements, Wagner plays ball
for results and not FOR glory. He clout.
ed in the 800 class the largest part OF
the last season, but late in the race q
series OF injuries got the better OF him,
and he fell into slump which took
him down below the triple century
mark, at which every batsman aims.
Cobb Close Second
Ty Cobb comes nearer 10 wagner's
record in this line than any other
hitter now in baseball. The famous
slueeer of the Detroit Americans has
rounded out his eleventh consecutive
campaign as 800 batsman, but he
must travel six more seasons at this
clip before he can equal the Pitts
burgher's wonderful mark Of seven
teen straight years. Dan Brouthers,
the oldtimer, therefore remains second
to Wagner. Dan smote 300 for four
teen seasons
Wagner played IN sixty-one games
during 1897. which was his first season
as a major Lacquer. He made S3 hits
and SO runs out Of 24i times at bat
giving him an average Of .344 as a
starter He fell back to .305 in his
second year, getting $50 hits and 80
runs out of sol times up and psrtici-
pating in l48 games. In 1899. which
was his third and last season at Louis
Vile, Hans hung up the batting aver.
age OF .359. He took part IN la
games. :.
The Louisville stars were transferred
to Pittsburgh in 1900, and Wagner con-
/ tinued his wonderful work with tho
] n.
| figures in the following thirteen sea-
ssons were $50, .S2a, 1855, .34s, 1858,
1888, $3.50, 1854, .$39, $40, 1874, .324 and
! 800. By this time he had rounded out
seventeen consecutive seasons without
falling below the 300 class. No other
player in fast company ever registered
/ such an achievement, and IL Is believed
I that this enviable record never Will BE-
| equalled in the annals Of modern base
ball.
Big Drop In 1914
Hans wagner's first year outside tbs
cherished 300 circle was In 1914. when
his figures dropped to .252 However,
! he made 139 safeties out Of 662 times
! at bat. In 1915 his showing was . tri-
fe better, for his I55 hits out Of 56e
! times up gave him a percentage Of .77%
| The season Just ended Melted him ia
hits out of 432 times Mt bat, his aver
age being .2s7.
During his twenty years OF service
under Barney Dreyfuss the Dutchman
has stolen a grand total Of TIT baseS
His best season in the pilfering OF pill
/ lows was in 1907, when he was credited
with sixty-one steals. His poorest show
/ ing in this respect was made this year,
when eleven steals were recorded By
this great athlete. Prior to the season
lust finished his worst attempt was in
/ 1911, when he purloined exactly TWEEN
~. The latter number was just two
shy Of the pilfering total he made In
his first campaign at Louisville.
Hans enjoyed bis banner campaign
as a run-get-er in 1905, when he crossed
the plate ia times. For his twenty
years in the big show he has averaged
eighty-six tallies to the season. This
is based upon the official figures OF the
J National League for nineteen years and
the unofficial averages for the present
season.
Here are the records of Wagner In a
nutshell, showing what he has done In
all Of his twenty years as q batsman.
beginning with 1897 and ending with
1915.