Honus Wagner [Unabridged] [Audible Audio Edition]

by Dennis DeValeria (Author), Jeanne DeValeria (Author), Ian Esmo (Narrator)

Product Details

• Audible Audio Edition
• Listening Length: 14 hours and 2 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
• Audible.com Release Date: May 8, 2006
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000FMQPV6
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

Editorial Reviews

Honus Wagner, whose career in baseball (most of it with the Pittsburgh Pirates) stretched from 1895 to 1917, was the first American sports superstar of the twentieth century. One of the first five players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in its first year (1939), he was probably the best shortstop in baseball's history. His great career and the dawn of baseball as popular entertainment occurred simultaneously, and he has become an icon of the early game; his 1909 baseball card, one of which sold four years ago for $451,000, is a holy grail of American memorabilia. This first major biography shows why Wagner was America's favorite image of sport during baseball's transition to the modern era.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not enough about the man., June 12, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Honus Wagner: A Biography (Hardcover)

I eagerly awaited this book, as it was touted as THE definitive bio on arguably the greatest player in baseball history. Most of the book dealt merely with game summaries and rivalries. It wasn't until the last pages that I felt any real understanding on Wagner the man. It was a struggle to finish, and is a big disappointment

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Honus And The Pirates, December 2, 1998

By 

Grissum C. Smackerson (Toronto, Ontario CANADA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Honus Wagner: A Biography (Hardcover)

Well researched. Well written. It just lacked something resembling a solid base hit up the middle. I really enjoyed the history and background on the Pirates. At times I was not sure if the authors were writing a book about Tommy Leach, Fred Clarke, or Honus Wagner. Not until the end did you actually get an appreciation for Honus the man. At that, perhaps you understand why they stuck so closely to developing the story behind the Pirates rather than just Wagner. If that is all that is available about Honus, then the title of the book should have been, HONUS AND THE PIRATES. Good effort, but just another baseball history book with inconsistencies and missing information.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Flying Dutchman Grounded, February 22, 2002

By 

W. Wayne Marlow (Schofield Barracks, Hi United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Honus Wagner: A Biography (Paperback)

If took almost 100 years for us to get Wagner biograhy. Unfortunately, we're still waiting for an effort worthy of the man universally considered the greatest shortstop ever.
The main problem with the book is that it gets too bogged down in detail. It goes through tedious information, like his getting three hits in an Iron & Oil League game.
Also, there's not enough about what kind of person Wagner was. Generalities are mentioned, but few specifics.
In defense of the authors, it would be tough to paint a portrait of a man when there is almost no one left who knew him pesonally. Then again, with such a handicap, they probably shouldn't have tried it in the first place.