Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner (/ˈhɒnəs ˈwæɡnər/; February 24, 1874 – December 6, 1955 ) was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He was nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman" because he was German and very fast. He played in the National League from 1897 to 1917. He played for the Louisville Colonels for two years, and then for the Pittsburgh Pirates for 17 years. Wagner won eight batting titles, the most in National League history. He held the league record for slugging percentage six times, and the record for stolen bases five times.
He was inducted (added to) the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. He was one of the first five members of the hall of fame. He received the second-highest vote total to be added. Ty Cobb is the only person to get more votes. Babe Ruth tied with Wagner for second-highest.
Most historians think that Ty Cobb is the greatest player of the dead-ball era. But some think that Wagner was a better all-around player. Most baseball historians think that Wagner was the greatest shortstop ever. Cobb said that Wagner was "maybe the greatest star ever to take the diamond."