This card is the reason why I decided to start this blog in the first place. On the surface, it looks pretty much like every other card in the set; a bunch damaged corners with a little bit of ink on the front that doesn't match his uniform number. It's when we turn the card over when the real story begins.
But let's start with the front, shall we?
Waitkus' career path was very much like many other baseball players of the era. He got a cup of coffee with the Chicago Cubs in 1941 before spending the next three years in the Army fighting in World War II. Waitkus was awarded four Bronze Stars for bravery during the War.
When he returned to baseball, he quickly became one of the better players in the game - finishing 13th in MVP voting in 1946. Waitkus made the All-Star team in 1948. In that off season, he was traded to Philadelphia with Hank Bowory for Monk Dubiel (awesome name) and Dutch Leonard (not too shabby either). That 1949 season was going very well for Waitkus, including getting picked for his second All-Star team until June 14. And that's when the back of the card comes in.
Now, I'm not one to judge, but I wouldn't call getting shot a thrill.
On June 14, 1949, Waitkus and the Phillies were making their first road trip to Chicago of the season, and his first return to the city since the trade. After the game that day, as he returned to the hotel, Waitkus was given a note from Ruth Ann Steinhagen saying that she didn't know him, but she needed to see him urgently in her room. For whatever reason, he went up to her room.
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| Ruth Ann Steinhagen |
Soon after entering the room, Steinhagen shot Waitkus in the chest with a .22 rifle. She then called the police to inform them of what she had done, and waited with Waitkus until they arrived. Waitkus nearly died serveal times in surgery, but eventually recovered. One of the things that really struck me was that the Phillies and Cubs went ahead and played a doubleheader the very next day.
If the story about a baseball player getting shot by an obsessed fan sounds familiar, this story was one of a handful that were used as the basis for the book, and later the Robert Redford movie, "The Natural."
Steinhagen spent roughly three years in a mental hospital and then was released. Waitkus, wanting to put the whole thing behind him, refused to press further charges. Steinhagen lives the rest of her life in relative seclusion and passed away in 2012 at the age of 83 after hitting her head in a fall at her house. She is buried in Chicago.
As for Waitkus' career, he returned in 1950 and had a pretty good season, finishing 24th in MVP voting, winning the Comback Player of the Year award, and seeing his only postseason action of his career.
Waitkus has two more good years as the starting 1st baseman for the Phillies, but in 1953 he only played in half of their games. In 1954 his contract was bought by the Baltimore Orioles. He played just over half of the Orioles games that season. In 1955, he started the season with the Orioles, but was released late in July. He was resigned by the Phillies to finish the season, but was released and that was the end of his career.
For his 11 season career Eddie Waitkus hit a very respectable .285. He had 372 walks compared to 204 strikeouts. Three players had more strikeout than that in 2023 alone.
After retiring, Waitkus went into the trucking industry in Buffalo (I think this is the second time that has come up). He later became a manager at a department store in Watham, Massachusetts. He passed away from esophageal cancer in 1972 at the age of 53. He is buried in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
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