Shot by a Stalker, He Came Back to Win the Pennant | The Real Roy Hobbs

Everyone knows The Natural. Robert Redford, Roy Hobbs, Wonder Boy, the home run into the lights. Pure Hollywood fiction, right? Not quite. In June 1949, All-Star first baseman Eddie Waitkus was lured to a room in Chicago's Edgewater Beach Hotel and shot by Ruth Ann Steinhagen, an obsessed fan he had never met. He nearly died. The next season he was back at first base for the 1950 Phillies "Whiz Kids," starting every game and helping bring Philadelphia its first pennant in 35 years. Bernard Malamud knew his story. Roy Hobbs came from it. Peter Lemieux tells the story of the decorated World War II veteran, All-Star, and survivor that baseball forgot. CHAPTERS 0:00 A story everyone thinks is fiction 0:12 The Natural: the Roy Hobbs myth 3:19 Or did he exist? 3:50 Eddie Waitkus, the forgotten All-Star 4:38 The war years 5:47 The shooting at the Edgewater Beach Hotel 7:31 The comeback: 1950 and the Whiz Kids 10:45 Remember Eddie Waitkus Rounding Third is baseball history storytelling from the BadderSports network: https://baddersports.com/roundingthird Love baseball? Like, subscribe, and tell us your story in the comments. #baseball #baseballhistory #TheNatural