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Baseball Legend Honus Wagner’s German Double-Cross of John McGraw
Two MLB titans see-sawed back and forth in a battle of wits
It’s often said in baseball that “if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying.” Regardless if it is legal or not, players and teams throughout history have looked for whatever ways they can to get an advantage on their opponents. Hall-of-Famer shortstop Honus Wagner recalled how he once set up fellow Cooperstown inductee, manager John McGraw , after he found out he had stolen his signals in a game, by doublecrossing him — in German.
Wagner spent his entire 21-year big-league career (1897–1917) with the same franchise, the Louisville Colonels (which became the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1900). He was a remarkable athlete who no apparent weakness, claiming eight batting titles and playing outstanding defense. Despite having pronounced bowed legs, he was strong and fast, producing career totals of a .328 batting average, 101 home runs, 1,732 RBIs, 3,420 base hits and 723 stolen bases. Long regarded as one of the best players in baseball history, he was part of the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 1936.
In parts of 17 seasons (1891–1907) as a player, McGraw played third base and hit a robust combined .334 with a .466 on-base percentage and 436 stolen bases. Known for his tough…
