The Washington times., 1920-01-22
HONUS WAGNER STARTED
AGAINST CAPITAL CLUB
tcopyrisht, 1910. By International News
Service. Ine.)
By FREDERICK G. LIEB.

Yes, Wagner's laying was good. He
started out his big league career with
q batting average of 800. In four
times up he hit a single. tapped
sacrifice and drew a base on balls.
He also contributed the frst steal to
one of the greatest assortments or
stolen bases ever acquired by any big
league collector Of stolen goods. On
the de efense he caught two flies and
threw out one runner on the bases.
Louisville's pos tion in the race
eleventh in a twelve-club league
tells the story Of the caliber OF the
team which formed the background
when Wagner made his first appear
ance in a big league box score.
There was no wealth of talent on
the Coloneis. The dashing young
manager. Fred Clarke, was In left
field. and his aggressive play was the
feature Of an otherwise colorless and
dismal club. Chick" Frazer, then
Louisville. while Joe ("Cozy') Dolan.
already well past his crest. was at
second base.
The Washington club. which saw
this hulking Dutchman in big league
action for the first time. had better
assortment of players. Al Selbach
was in left field for the Senators and
Gene De Montreville at short. "Dea-
con" Jim Mcclure caught and Tom
Tucker was at first base. Tucker
then was completing National
League career which ran almost as
long as Wagner's twenty-one term In
the parent major league.
Kicked Around Minors.
Wagner had done quite bit OF
Knocking around in the minors before
he got his chance with Louisville. He
was twenty-three years old when he
first Joined the Louisville club. He
was born in Mansfield. Pa. (now known
as Carnegie). on February "a. 1874.
Early in his career Wagner was ap-
prenticed to a barber. but he saw the
safety razor age coming and decided
to try baseball. Like Sam Crawford.
1t may be remarked that Hans welded
a wicked razor.
He played semi-pro ball around
Mansfield, his home town, and Denni-
son, Ohio. In 1895 he shifted about
quite a bit, playing with Warren and
Adrian in the Iron-Oil League and
Steubenville in the Interstate League.
He transferred his activities to the
East in 1896, playing with Paterson of
the old Atlantic League.
The Barrow who managed Paterson
is the same Barrow who now Is man.
aging the Red Sox. Sam Crane, the
veteran sporting writer and old-time
second baseman, was president of the
Atlantic League. Emmet Heidrick,
who later starred In the outfield in
both major leagues, was teammate
of wagner's at Paterson.
Most Of the Eastern National
League clubs heard of the exploits
which young Wagner was doing with
his mace over In Paterson, but on
looking him over decided he was too
clumsy and awkward for the big
league. At least they wouldn't take
him on Paterson's terms. Wagner
played one season at first base for the
"atersons and the next year. 1897,
Barrow sent him to the outfield. That
is when Louisville plucked him. Prior
to that he had tried his hand at short
and third.
shifted Him Around.
Fred Clarke, the young Louisville
manager, did quite a bit of shifting
around with the big fellow. playing
him where he was most needed. De-
spite the assertion that Hans Wagner
wouldn't set the league afire as n
third baseman" Clarke played HIM at
that bag during part of the seasons
of 1898 and 1899 and he got along
nobly.
Wagner did everything well, but II
wasn't until he was stationed perma-
nently at short for the Pirates that
he discovered his real native element.
When the National League cut down
from a twelve to eight-club league In
the winter of 1S99-1900, Barney Drey-
fuss bought the Pittsburgh club and
took with him the pick OF his Louis
Vile Colonels-Clarke, Wagner. Tom
my Leach, Deacon" PHILIPPE. "Ruhe"
waddell. Pat Flaherty and several
others.
The amalgamation of two second
clubs produced one of the
crack teams Of baseball. The Pirates
finished second In 1900 and then won
the National League championship in
the next three years. Wagner was
the great individual star OF these
clubs and the player around whom
was built the Pittsburgh offense and
defense.
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