1900's Sports | "How to Play Shortstop"

Essay

By: John "Honus" Wagner

Date: 1949

Source: Wagner, Honus. "How to Play Shortstop." The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball. New York: A.S. Barnes, 1976, 667–668. Condensed from Wagner, Honus. "How to Play Shortstop." The Sporting News, April 13, 1949.

About the Author: Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner (1874–1955), known as the "Flying Dutchman" for his heritage and amazing speed, played most of his professional career for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wagner was a versatile player who set numerous records in his long career. After retiring from baseball in 1917, Wagner came back to coach for the Pirates from 1933 to 1951. He was one of the original five Baseball Hall of Fame inductees in 1936.

Introduction

By 1900, professional baseball had existed for thirty-one years, but it was largely a game of bunting, base stealing, and well-placed hits,...