Career Timeline of Honus Wagner: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Honus Wagner made an impact.
Honus Wagner, nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman", was a dominant American professional baseball shortstop who played from 1897 to 1917, primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Known for his exceptional speed, fielding versatility, strong arm, and hitting prowess (average and power), Wagner is considered one of the greatest shortstops ever. He was among the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. Wagner's all-around skill set defined the five-tool player archetype, making him a legendary figure in baseball history.
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1900: Wagner as Best Major League Player
In 1900, Honus Wagner was rated as the best major league player by Bill James.
1900: Wagner's Dominance
In 1900, Honus Wagner was recognized as the best third baseman, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, and outfielder in the league, as well as the best hitter and base runner.
1900: First Batting Championship
In 1900, Honus 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 career highs.
1901: Contract Offer from Chicago White Sox
In 1901, Honus Wagner was offered a $20,000 contract by the Chicago White Sox, but he turned it down and continued to play with the Pirates.
1902: Wagner as Best Major League Player
From 1902, Honus Wagner was rated as the best major league player each year by Bill James.
1902: Stealing Bases Record
In 1902, Honus Wagner was one of the few players to steal second, third, and home in succession. He was also the first to accomplish this feat under the new rule differentiating between advanced bases and stolen bases.
1903: Wagner becomes a Regular Shortstop
By 1903, Honus Wagner had become a regular shortstop after excelling at playing several positions.
1904: Settling into Shortstop
Prior to 1904, Wagner had played several positions but settled into the shortstop role full-time that season, where he became a skilled fielder.
September 1905: Endorsement Deal with Louisville Slugger
In September 1905, Honus 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.
1907: Stealing Bases Record
In 1907, Honus Wagner was one of the few players to steal second, third, and home in succession. He was also the first to accomplish this feat under the new rule differentiating between advanced bases and stolen bases.
1908: Wagner's Exceptional Season
Bill James cites Honus Wagner's 1908 season as the greatest single season for any player in baseball history, highlighting his high batting average and RBI count in a low-scoring environment.
1908: Awarded The World's Championship Batsman's Cup
In 1908, Honus Wagner was the first winner of The World's Championship Batsman's Cup.
1908: Return to the Pirates
In 1908, after a brief retirement, Honus Wagner returned to the Pirates, becoming the highest-paid player. He led the league in multiple categories and came close to winning the Triple Crown.
1908: Wagner as Best Major League Player
Until 1908, Honus Wagner was rated as the best major league player each year by Bill James.
1909: Pirates' First World Series Title
In 1909, Honus Wagner and the Pittsburgh Pirates won their first World Series title.
1909: Stealing Bases Record
In 1909, Honus Wagner was one of the few players to steal second, third, and home in succession. He was also the first to accomplish this feat under the new rule differentiating between advanced bases and stolen bases.
1909: World Series Against Ty Cobb
In 1909, Honus Wagner's Pittsburgh Pirates faced Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers in the World Series.
1910: Batting Average Drop
In 1910, Honus Wagner's batting average fell to .320, his lowest average since 1898.
1911: Honus Wagner's Dominance
By 1911, Honus Wagner had lead the league in batting eight times between 1900 and 1911.
1911: Winning the Batting Title
In 1911, Honus Wagner won the batting title by the narrowest of margins, edging Doc Miller.
June 28, 1914: 3,000th Hit
On June 28, 1914, at age 40, Honus Wagner recorded his 3,000th hit, becoming the second player in baseball history to reach the figure after Cap Anson.
July 1915: Oldest Player to Hit a Grand Slam
In July 1915, Honus Wagner became the oldest player to hit a grand slam, a record which stood for 70 years.
1916: Oldest Player to Hit an Inside-the-Park Home Run
In 1916, Honus Wagner became the oldest player to hit an inside-the-park home run.
1917: Retirement from MLB
In 1917, Honus Wagner retired from MLB, setting numerous MLB career records, later broken by Ty Cobb.
1917: Wagner's MLB Career End
In 1917, Honus Wagner retired from Major League Baseball after 21 seasons, setting numerous MLB career records at the time.
1917: Final Season
In 1917, Honus Wagner returned for his final season in MLB. After returning in June, he was spiked in July and played only sparingly for the remainder of the year, batting .265. He also briefly held the role of interim manager, but retired from the role after going 1-4.
1922: National League Record Broken
In 1922, Greasy Neale broke Wagner's National League record for most steals of home (27).
1933: Pirates Coach
In 1933, Honus Wagner began serving as a coach for the Pirates, notably as a hitting instructor.
1934: Pie Traynor as player-manager
In 1934, Pie Traynor began his role as player-manager for the Pittsburg Pirates, under the tutelage of Honus Wagner.
1939: End of Pie Traynor's time as player-manager
In 1939, Pie Traynor finished his role as player-manager for the Pittsburg Pirates, having served in that role since 1934 under the tutelage of Honus Wagner.
1942: Appointed Deputy Sheriff
In 1942, Honus Wagner was appointed as a deputy of the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office.
1944: Honorary Coach
In 1944, Honus Wagner was invited to be an honorary coach for the National League squad at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, hosted at Forbes Field.
1947: Hank Greenberg's only season with the Pirates
In 1947, Hank Greenberg, a future Hall of Famer, played his final major league season with the Pirates under Honus Wagner's tutelage.
1952: End of coaching career as hitting instructor
In 1952, Honus Wagner ended his time coaching as a hitting instructor for the Pittsburg Pirates, after having served in that role since 1933.
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