I'm a Baseball historian, I love to discuss the sport. I decided to create this new thread called Ask Honus Wagner. It's a thread that you can ask me questions about the history of Baseball. Please use common sense though when asking these questions, example of questions that I would like are who was a better hitter Ted Williams or Babe Ruth, questions I don't want, how many beers Babe Ruth could drink in a night. Hopefully, a lot of people will ask different type of questions. This is a great way to improve your knowledge. Side note number one: Some questions might take longer to answer, but don't worry they'll all be answered. Please take this seriously, I will report every post that I believe doesn't belong in this thread. Ask away!!!
I made this an article so you will see it on the homepage. I also love the history of the NHL and NFL. I usually look at how the leagues started. So my question is.. How did the MLB start? How many original teams were there.
So are questions about the infamous Ten Cent Beer Night in Cleveland out? Joking aside...this is a bit subjective, who, in your opinion, was the best pitcher of the Dead Ball Era?
As long as you're interested in baseball history... I wrote a college thesis on the history of the game. It wasn't invented by Abner Doubleday, as many claim. The game had its origins in numerous other bat and ball games, including rounders and cricket. The indians also played bat and ball games going back centuries. The guy who deserves the real credit for inventing the game as we know it is Alexander Cartwright. He designed the playing field, 90 ft. between the bases, 60'6" from the mound to the plate. Doubleday was in the Union Army at the time he supposedly invented the game, and was actually in the brig. The first game ever played was at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey, between the Knickerbockers and the New York Baseball Club. The game was originally played by "amateur" players from their home towns against teams from other towns. Then the teams hired ringers who became the first professional players. The first all professional (paid) team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869, just 4 years after the game was invented. I asked about Wagner's baseball card because it is very rare and worth a small fortune. The card was distributed in tins of tobacco and he was an anti-tobacco guy and made the company take his card out of the packages. Just a few cards survived to this day.
To me Walter Johnson, who won 416 games over a 21 year carrer with the Washington Seanators which perienally was little more than a second divison team. A lifetime ERA of 2.17, he won 20 games 12 times and more than 30 twice and still holds the MLB record with 110 shutouts.. Of his 279 losses, 65 were by he giving up 2 runs or less, I think he was beaten 1-0 35 times. he led the American League in strikeouts 12 times, victories 6 times and a streak of 7 straight years he had an ERA under 2.00. He also had a lifetime batting average of .236 and holds the record for a pitchers batting average season when he batted .440. He was so good that Charlie Cominsky of the rival Chicago White Sox payed half his salary NOT to pitch for the rival Chicago Whales of the Federal League, to keep him from jumping to them. He was also a humble man, probably baseballs most beloved personality before Ruth became the mega star of his era. His 1913 season was such a vintage, evergreen season for the ages. My award winner, Walter Johnson's 1913 campaign led his league in: Wins, W-L%, shutouts, CG, innings, SO, ERA, ERA+, Total Baseball's RATIO, Opponents BA, Opponents on-base ave., pitching runs+, wins shares, total pitching wins, fewest hits/g, fewest BB/g, SO/g, Total Baseball's starter runs, adjusted starter runs, total pitcher index. In other words, Walter swept the boards that year. And he did it while pitching 346 innings. He also won the MVP award. A true evergreen, classic, vintage Year For the Ages. Walter was also a superlative fielder, with several seasons without an error. He was a good hitter too. Had a intensely competitive, if quiet, fighting spirit.
Do you think 21 shuld be retired league wide? If you had a choice, would you rather have a guy hit 362, or a guy that can hit a zillion HR's? Why does Hawk Harlson suck so much?
Christie Mathewson had a career 2.13 ERA and a 373-188 record in 17 seasons. Cy Young had a 511-316 record and a 2.63 lifetime ERA in 22 seasons. FWIW
It really depends on a number of factors. Condition, back (i.e., the kind of tobacco it was sold with), whether the card was graded or not, who graded it, etc. The most famous of the Wagners is what's known as the "Gretzky card," because Wayne Gretzky once owned it. That one has a relatively common (but not the most common) Piedmont back. It's now owned by an anonymous California collector who paid $2.8 million for it. The problem is that many collectors, myself included, believe that it was altered over the course of its existence. PSA Graded, it's an 8...the best possible condition...and a lot of people have wondered just why the surface of the card seems slightly worn but the corners are so crisp. A lot of experts think it was cut out of an uncut sheet (this is my belief, as well)...ironically, if that uncut sheet was still intact, you'd have more like a $10-$15 million uncut sheet on the market. But there are other Wagners. The Sweet Caporal back variation is the most common. The Sweet Caporal version in the same shape sold for $75,000. Sweet Caporal PSA 2's usually go for around $100,000-$500,000. However, other back variations (Polar Bear being the rarest) in the same or slightly better shape have gone for $500,000-$800,000. Then there's the infamous John Cobb/Ray Edwards fake. Cobb (no relation to Ty) and Edwards to this day claim the card is real, but virtually all serious collectors believe it to be a masterful forgery. Nobody knows how they did it, since the printing presses and original card stock would've cost a fortune, but they slipped up by using modern ink. A Newport, KY lawyer who has stayed anonymous has repeatedly claimed that the card was his and was stolen. He explains that he wanted the best quality reprint if he couldn't have the original, and paid over $1,000 to have it made. Most people believe the Newport lawyer, since his T206 collection is supposedly vast. Others, however, believe the Newport lawyer would have eventually attempted to pass it off as real, just like Cobb and Edwards did.
Walter had as good a record as Cy or Matty, when he team was worse. As an overall career, Matty was done by age 35. Walter and Cy lasted into their 40's. Walter would have lasted even longer if a line drive in spring training, 1927 didn't break his knee cap and end his career. He might have gone on another 2-3 seasons. Look what he was able to do in 1924-25, at his advanced age, when his team finally gelled under new whiz-kid, Bucky Harris? By the way, he pitched with a sore arm, 1920-23. His arm ached but he still pitched through it. He went to spring training in 1924 and was amazed that his sore arm stopped aching. Cy was never the dominant pitcher that Walter or Matty was. He was like the Warren Spahn or Robin Roberts of his day. His biggest virtue is his excellent level lasted so long.
Is there anything to stealing a base other than just sneaking your way to the next base without anyone noticing?
Just to date myself... Growing up I went to about 40 Cubs games a year. It cost $1 for bleachers, $2.50 for grandstand, $3.50 for reserved grandstand and more than $5 (don't remember) for box seats (which I never bought). That was before there were free agents. Oscar Gamble was one of the early FAs, leaving the White Sox for the Padres. When the Padres came into Wrigley, he was mercilessly booed. There was also a big stink when Charlie Finley tried to sell Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers, and Joe Rudi to the Yankees for cash. Bowie Kuhn voided those deals. LOL.
Great article focusing on Catching prospects and new Sabermetrics index which measures future MLB prospects. Article looks at returning PAC-10 Catchers and other prominent national prospects at the catching position in upcoming 2011 college baseball season. Perhaps we could start our own college baseball fantasy club? http://road2rosenblatt.com/?p=2546
Marty Walter CY or a good record when his team worse. Career as a whole, by 35-year-old Marty. Walter and CY continued into the 1940s. Walter will continue to 1927 or even longer, if the drive is not in spring training to break his knee and ended his career. He may have another 2-3 season. To see if he is able to do in 1924-1925, in his advanced age, when his team finally under the new prodigy, Bucky Harris gelling? By the way, he pitched with a sore arm, from 1920 to 1923. Pain in his arm, but he still cast through it.
