Leon Wagner

Leon Lamar Wagner (May 13, 1934 – January 3, 2004) was an American professional baseball left fielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1958 through 1969. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

Wagner was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Eugene and Hattie Lee Wagner. His father found work near Detroit, and the family moved to that area when Wagner was an infant. He attended Inkster High School and later graduated from Tuskegee University.

He began his major league career with the San Francisco Giants, appearing for the club in 1958 and 1959 before returning briefly in 1969. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1960, then spent 1961 through 1963 with the Los Angeles Angels. From 1964 to 1968 he was a member of the Cleveland Indians, and he finished the 1968 season with the Chicago White Sox.

Wagner was known during his playing days as "Daddy Wags," a nickname tied to his distinctive left-handed batting style and the body gesticulations, primarily below the waist, that preceded his stride. He was also called "Cheeky" for his high cheekbones; he was of half Native American and half African-American descent. While his hitting was regarded as stellar, his outfield play did not match it. He was at least briefly in the clothing business, advertising the venture with the line "Get your glad rags from Daddy Wags."