Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-11
HOW HANS WAGNER
RECEIVED HIS START
Was Given Chance Because
There Was Nobody Else to
Fill Hole.
MADE GOOD RIGHT AWAY

of Hans Wagners birthday anniver-
sary in Pittsburgh an interesting story
is told OF how the veteran, then a
rookie, got his first chance to show
his goods with the Louisville club.
According to this story, it was on
July 10, 1897, Ollie Pickering, then
playing the outfeld for Louisville,
sassed the umpire and was put out of
the game.
This is a mess" bemoaned the
manager. Now l haven't got any
body to jam into that outheld but
that clumsy, bowlegged rookie from
Paterson"
The rookie" was none other than
John Henry {Honus) Wagner, who
was told to go play the outheld. From
the moment Wagner made his big
league debut he was star. That first
game stamped him as fine fielder,
powerful, fearless batsman and, de-
spite has apparent awkwardness,
superb base runner.
In his first game-it was against
Neutrality-suspicious. had perfect
day as a gardner, making two put
outs and one assist. At bat--he
amassed a 500 average by shooting
out single and sacrifice in three
times up.
Wagner got away to a sensational
start. He hit safely in each of his
first nine games, macing out fourteen
safeties in thirty-three times up, for
an average Of .424, before he was
halted by Bill Kennedy. He scored
his first run on July 20, his first two
Dagger on July q and his first triple
on July %. The first Of the 100 home
runs that Wagner made during his
twenty years as big-leaguer was
driven out on August u, off the de-
livery OF Jack Dunn, then twirling for
Brooklyn.
On July % Wagner figured in his
first double playa brilliant bit of
work. One of the Bostonian foes
drove a long liner at the Flying
Dutchman." He speared it and al
most with the same motion that he
caught it shot it to Billy Clingman,
who was playing third. Billy ripped
it to Catcher Wilson, who tagged out
the man. a.
Wagner went into tina. July lo COM
bat as a despised substitute. He
emerged wearing the halo OF great
ness. He cos. the Louisville club a
few hundred dollars, and, b. his own
wonderful playing, drew into the
turnstile close to 100000 over the
span OF 20 years. 1t was the playing
of Wagner that was the real factor
in swinging three pennants to Pitts
burgh; the greatness of this one man
that kept the Pirates in the fight for
so many years year; the love and
esteem for this bowlegged German
that still brings crowds - see the
Pirates, although long ago they
ceased being bunting chasers.
Wagner started as an outhelder, as
has been told. On August Is, 1897,
the regular second baseman Of the
Louisville club was injured.
do you think you can play Sec
ondf" asked Wagner's manager.
"I'll try-and I'll do the best | can"
was the modest reply.
Since that day Wagner has played
every position on the diamond. Once,
in an emergency, in the earlier days,
he pitched a game-and won it. On
several other occasions he went be-
bind the bat. He played second fire.
quently, was a star at first, officiated
at third and, in the garden. But it
was at short that he rose to the SUI
preme; it was there that he performed
such wonderful feats and earned for
himself the title, "The super short
stop" ...
Since 1897 thousands have risen to
big league heights; hundreds have
flashed brilliantly for a while-and
then faded and died from major league
view. Wagner alone remains. And,
fandom as unit rises up and wishes
him life eternal in the big league
realms that he has honored and glor-
flied.