National Baseball Hall of Fame

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
  • N
  • O
  • P
  • Q
  • R
  • S
  • T
  • U
  • V
  • W
  • X
  • Y
  • Z

Zack Wheat

Outfield
  • Series: Diamond Heads '15
  • City: Brooklyn
  • Team: Robins
  • League: National League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Zachariah Davis Wheat (1888-1972) starred in left field for the Brooklyn Superbas/Robins/Dodgers and still holds team bests in hits, doubles, triples, RBI and total bases. Wheat defied the Deadball trend of choking up on the bat, swinging away with a “smashing swipe” according to one reporter. Yet, his stylish fielding drew the most praise (“the finest craftsman of them all.”)

  • 5 of his 9 HRs in 1914 were over the fence, rare in that era
  • Again defying tradition, used a light (40oz) bat and a wrist-snap unheard of then
  • Survived long enough to see the lively ball, hitting .357 at age 37
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1959

Auction History

Ed Walsh

Pitcher
  • Series: Diamond Heads '15
  • City: Chicago
  • Team: White Sox
  • League: American League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Edward Augustine Walsh (1881-1959) still holds the ML record for ERA with 1.82 lifetime and hurled himself into the Hall of Fame as one of the most dominant and durable pitchers of the early 20th century. He needed a year off in 1913 but felt the White Sox needed him more. He ruined his arm and effectively ended his career demanding more of that right arm than it could give after 195 wins and 1,736 SOs.

  • Reputed to have guided the owner’s architect into shaping the AL park to Walsh’s liking, making Comiskey Park a “pitcher’s park” for 80 years
  • Earned “workhorse” status with an average of 395 innings per season 1907-1912
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946

Auction History

Bobby Wallace

Shortstop
  • Series: Diamond Heads '15
  • City: St. Louis
  • Team: Browns (AL)
  • League: American League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Rhoderick John Wallace (1873-1960) had a Hall of Fame career as one of the top shortstops for 24 years before going on to one of the longest tenures in MLB as coach, manager, scout and even a short stint as an umpire. Playing primarily in St. Louis for the Cardinals and Browns, Wallace set records, including a mournful one: longest career by a player to never make the World Series.

  • Too good a fielder to stay on the mound, became the premier defensive SS of his era
  • In 1911, Pirates’ owner declared Wallace the one player in the AL he desired above all others
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1953

Auction History

Honus Wagner

Shortstop
  • Series: Diamond Heads '15
  • City: Pittsburgh
  • Team: Pirates
  • League: National League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Johannes Peter Wagner (1874-1955) was, simply, the greatest shortstop who ever played the game. The Pittsburgh icon was among the first five selections to Cooperstown in 1936 in recognition of overall prowess afield, at bat and on base unparalleled in baseball. Even his closest rival for “All-Time Best” honors, Ty Cobb, said Honus was “maybe the greatest star ever to take the diamond.” Badgered mercilessly by ‘Nuf Ced’ McGreevy’s Royal Rooters in the ’07 Series with Boston, Wagner was deeply wounded by his mediocre performance. He achieved some vindication 2 years later, leading the Pirates over Cobb’s Tigers.

  • Space doesn’t allow a fair summary of Wagner’s hitting records. A marvel at the plate.
  • A Pirates’ coach for 39 years, Hans mentored several future Hall of Famers
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1936

Auction History

Joe Tinker

Shortstop
  • Series: Diamond Heads '15
  • City: Chicago
  • Team: Chi-Feds
  • League: Federal League
  • Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame

Joseph Bert Tinker (1880-1948) sparkled at short, helping the Cubs to 4 pennants and 2 Series wins. He and fellow rookie Johnny Evers turned their first double-play to Frank Chance on Sep 13, 1902. A fight over a cab ride left Tinker and Evers estranged for years, but didn’t prevent them from playing 2nd “like one man, not two.” Tinker was widely held to be second only to Honus Wagner at SS, leading the league in many fielding categories. As skilled as he was afield, Tinker was also one of the great clutch hitters. Christy Mathewson deemed him the NL player he least wanted to see.

  • On June 28, 1910 Tinker became one of a handful to steal home twice in a game
  • Asked to leave the Cubs when Evers was made manager in 1913 but filled that role himself after a hiatus with the Federal League
  • Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946

Auction History