The legendary Honus Wagner played 18 of his 21 MLB seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, powering the team to victory in the 1909 World Series and building a Hall of Fame career in the confines of Forbes Field. Wagner won eight National League batting titles, peaking with a .381 mark in 1900, and finishing his career with a healthy .328 average and 3,420 hits, a National League record for decades until Stan Musial came along. The Chartiers Township, Pennsylvania native was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936, alongside Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson as the first five ballplayers inducted into Cooperstown.

Offered here is Wagner’s 1946 Uniform Employee’s Contract for his services as a coach for the Pirates during the 1946 season. Wagner was paid $3,000 for his season of work, a number similar to his Pirates salary in 1901. Wagner has signed the contract in black fountain pen as “J. Honus Wagner”. He inscribed his home address of “Carnegie Pa.” below his signature. Additionally, Ray L. Kennedy, the General Manager of the Pirates, has signed this document in black pen. Kennedy was the Pirates first General Manager in team history, and the 1946 season was his only campaign as a Pirates executive. This contract is accompanied by a LOA from JSA.

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