Pittsburgh Pirates Mount Rushmore
By David Hill
Paul Waner (1926-1940)
A brilliant hitter, Paul Waner was not the type of person that one would imagine as a star baseball player.
One of the best players in the game during the late 1920s and into the 1930s, the Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder had several issues. First, he was severely near sighted, something that was discovered late in his career. Being outfitted with glasses hindered him, as he had gotten used to seeing a large fuzzy grapefruit sized object as the baseball. He also was a severe alcoholic, playing much better when drunk or hung over. Casey Stengel once said Waner was a very graceful player, as he could slide without breaking the flask on his hip.
Yet, even with those issues, Waner was a star. He finished in the top ten of the MVP vote five times, winning the award in 1927. Waner was a four time All Star, and won three batting titles, hitting under .300 only twice in his 15 years in Pittsburgh. He had eight seasons with 200 or more hits, leading the league in hits, doubles, and triples twice each.
Overall, the Pirates star right fielder produced a .340/.407/.490 batting line, hitting 558 doubles and 109 homers. He had some solid speed, stealing exactly 100 bases and hitting 187 triples. Waner was also a solid right fielder, ranking first all time in putouts and third in double plays. Considering that he could not really see the ball, his prowess in every aspect of the game was truly impressive.
Paul Waner was said to be the greatest right fielder in Pittsburgh Pirates history when he was sober. Then again, he was also said to be the second best right fielder in Pirates history when he was drunk. Either way, he was one of the greatest players to put on a Pirates uniform.