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Why MLB Star Rogers Hornsby Hated Talking To Pitchers But Thought Umpires Deserved Better
The baseball Hall-of-Famer was an all-time great player and decent manager, but he often rubbed people the wrong way
Hall-of-Fame second baseman Rogers Hornsby was known for his prickly nature, but that didn’t stop him from being a lifelong baseball man. Once his playing days were over, he continued coaching and managing for years across many levels. As a skipper, his take it or leave it personality only became magnified. However, he clearly believed he was straightforward and easy to understand — at least that’s what he told the press.
Hornsby played for 23 years (1915–1937), batting a remarkable combined .358, which is still the third best mark of all-time. He also accumulated 2,930 hits, 541 doubles, 169 triples, 301 home runs, 1,584 RBIs and 1,579 runs scored. Nicknamed as “The Rajah,” he was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1942, which was almost certainly on the strength of his impressive record of play rather than his reputation for niceties.
During the height of his playing career, Hornsby also began managing. In just his second season as a player/manager, he led the St. Louis Cardinals to the 1926 World Series title, beating the mighty New York…
