Hans Lobert

Who was Hans Lobert?

John Bernard "Hans" Lobert was an American infielder, coach, manager and scout in Major League Baseball.

Lobert was born in Wilmington, Delaware. Like shortstop Honus Wagner, a teammate of Lobert's when he first came to the major leagues, the German-American Lobert earned the nickname "Hans" as a familiar form of Johannes, the German version of his given name, and was dubbed "Hans Number 2" by Honus Wagner. Lobert batted .274 for his career and played 14 seasons with five National League clubs, including regular stints as a third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies. He also played with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and New York Giants.

During his career, Lobert was known as one of the fastest players in the game. He once raced a racehorse around the bases before a game, an event that he recounted in The Glory of Their Times. On September 27, 1908, Lobert became the first Reds player to steal 2nd base, 3rd base, and home plate in the same inning.

After managing in the minor leagues during the 1920s and early 1930s, Lobert became a coach for the Phillies from 1934 through 1941.