"It is hoped that Louisville didn't throw away very much money on the Wagner deal, as times are hard and Wagner won't set the world afire as a third baseman. He is a better outfielder than infielder."

-- From a July 24, 1897 article in the "Sporting Life" assessing Wagner's talents.

One can only hope that the less-than-prescient scribes at "Sporting Life" had employment options other than sportswriting as Honus Wagner's baseball career unfolded, one so stellar that it once prompted Hall-of-Fame New York Giants manager John McGraw to remark that Wagner was "the nearest thing to a perfect player" he had ever seen.

	File, Post-Gazette Honus Wagner in a photograph from 1909. Click photo for larger image. Return to index

Born Johannes ("Honus" for short) Peter Wagner in Carnegie, he began his major league career in 1897 with the Louisville Colonels of the National League, playing with them for three seasons before the team merged with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In a career that spanned 21 seasons (1897-1917), he led the National League in batting average eight times, and in RBIs and stolen bases five times each.

Wagner's Pirates played in the first World Series in 1903; after winning the batting title in 1909, he was pitted against the Detroit Tigers and Ty Cobb, the AL batting champ, in the Series. According to baseballlibrary.com, Cobb notified the "krauthead" of his intention to steal second during game two. The normally even-tempered Wagner's message-laden tag in Cobb's mouth resulted in three stitches and Cobb's lasting respect. In Game Three, Wagner drove in three runs and stole three bases. The Pirates won the Series in seven games with Wagner batting .333 and stealing six bases, including home.

Wagner's speed and size earned him the nickname "The Flying Dutchman," a reference to the opera by composer Richard Wagner.

In 1936 Wagner, along with the immortal company of Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Babe Ruth, were the first five players ever inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame. His accolades have stood the test of time -- though he hasn't played in nearly a century, he is still among the top 10 all-time leaders in hits (3,415), doubles (640), triples (252), stolen bases (722) and in the top 20 all-time in runs (1,736), RBI (1,732) and games played (2,792). His lifetime batting average was .329. In 1999 he was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, as one of three shortstops, along with Ernie Banks and Cal Ripken, Jr.

A life-size statue of Wagner, swinging the bat, atop a marble pedestal was dedicated outside the left field corner gate at Forbes Field on April 30, 1955. The aging Wagner was well enough to attend the dedication, but passed away in December of that year at the age of 81. He is buried at Jefferson Memorial Cemetery in Pleasant Hills, and his home still stands at 605 Beechwood Ave. in Carnegie. The statue now stands outside the main gate of PNC Park and Pennsylvania State Historical marker is at the intersection of Mansfield Boulevard and Chartiers Street in Carnegie.

	AP The legendary T206 Honus Wagner baseball trading card, the so-called "Mona Lisa" of all trading cards, universally recognized as the most valuable and desirable among collectors and dealers. Click photo for larger image.

Wagner was the first player to have his signature emblazoned on a Louisville Slugger bat, but today might be best known for having the most valuable and sought after baseball trading card. Known as the "Mona Lisa of baseball cards," the Wagner card from the 1909 T206 tobacco card set was the first trading card to be sold for more than $1 million. The cards were printed by the Piedmont Cigarette Company, and according to popular legend Wagner requested that the production of his card cease because he did not want to influence children to use tobacco, though opinions differ as to the veracity of that account. Regardless, fewer than 10 authentic cards are known to exist. The finest example of the card was once owned by hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, and today it is valued at more than $1.5 million.