Honus Wagner was near the end of his marvelous career in 1916, still playing shortstop at age 42, when Burleigh Grimes was called up to pitch for the Pirates.
Grimes, in his major league debut, took a 1-1 tie into the seventh against the Brooklyn Dodgers. A Dodger reached first. The veteran Wagner came to the mound. "Make 'em hit it to me, kid," the greatest shortstop ever said.
Grimes did just that, inducing a perfect double-play grounder to short. But Wagner kicked it into center, the runner scored, and the batter reached third base.
Wagner returned to mound to tell Grimes: "Those damn big feet have always been in my way."
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