Joe decides to learn more about Honus Wagner and rides his bike to the Ekstrom Library at the University of Louisville. Although he doesn’t find any books specifically about Wagner, nearly every baseball book mentions him. Joe already knew Wagner was a Hall of Famer, but he is amazed to learn just how great he was. Wagner hit over .300 for 17 straight seasons, and won the National League batting championship eight times (including four consecutive years). He was incredibly fast despite his stocky build. He also had huge hands, which helped him on the field. Every book agrees: “Wagner was undisputably the greatest shortstop ever” (26). Interestingly, many of the books mention that Wagner was funny-looking. Joe reflects: “He reminded me of me a little bit. I wondered if kids made fun of him when he was growing up” (26).

Next, Joe looks up the value of the T-206 Honus Wagner card. He learns that one was sold in 1991 for $451,000. He is thrilled. Alongside the short article he found is a picture of card—it’s the exact same card in his backpack. Dreaming about what he would do with the money, Joe imagines buying his mom a house in a nice neighborhood and a new car.