On the road to becoming one of the game’s greatest closers, Billy Wagner had much to overcome.
His childhood was anything but easy. And at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, many thought he didn’t look the part of an overpowering pitcher.
Yet, when his 16-year MLB career came to an end, no one could deny that Billy the Kid was one of the best.
Growing up in rural Virginia, a broken arm before age 7 forced Wagner – a natural right-hander – to become a lefty thrower.