Wyandot Sports Hall of Fame

William Edgar “Ed” Hahn was born in Nevada, Ohio, on Aug., 27, 1875. Very little is known of Hahn until he made his appearance into the frays of Major League Baseball.

Hahn started his major league career with the New York Highlanders in 1905 after hitting .305 for the New Orleans Pelicans in the Cotton States League. After a slow start for New York in 1906, he was sold to the Chicago White Sox and became the team’s starting right fielder. In that first year, his batting average wasn’t the greatest but he was third in the American League in walks with 72 and hits by pitches with 11. It was said his “style of play” fit right in as Chicago was known as the “Hitless Wonders.”

The White Sox advanced and won the 1906 World Series against the cross-town rival and heavily favored Chicago Cubs, still considered one of the biggest upsets in World Series history, and Hahn was a factor in the win. The leadoff hitter, Hahn struggled at the plate the first two games, and in game three sustained a broken nose when hit by a pitch. He came back to hit .429 in the series as the White Sox won in six games.

1907 was Hahn’s best season. He was in the top five in the league in runs scored (87), walks (84) and hit by pitches (12). He also led all outfielders with a .990 fielding percentage.

Hahn had another solid year in 1908, but after poor hitting 1909 and 1910 seasons, he was sent to the minors. He played a year in Ohio and then went to Des Moines, Iowa, where he played for five years.

Hahn owned a pottery business during the off-seasons and after baseball he became a night watchman for a cement company in Des Moines. He died in 1941.