Jan. 24—Billy Wagner, a seven-time All-Star closer who spent two years with the Philadelphia Phillies, was one of three keynote speakers at the 62nd annual Reading Hot Stovers Banquet last Thursday at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Reading.
A remarkable career had an unusual beginning as Wagner, a natural right-hander, had to learn to throw lefty as a child after breaking his arm not once, but twice when he was 7 years old.
"I was 7 years old when I broke my arm the first time (playing football), and then it was probably right after I got the cast off I fell off a monkey bar and broke my arm again," Wagner said.