april november player played seasons new_york_giants chicago cubs philadelphia_phillies despite stature accomplished power hitters game late 1920s early 1930s season cubs widely considered memorable individual single season hitting performances baseball history highlights included home runs national_league record years runs batted mark surpassed brief span years wrote sportswriter day little actually mighty wilson excessive alcohol consumption colorful sports personalities era drinking fighting undoubtedly contributed premature end athletic career ultimately premature demise inducted baseball career early life minor leagues born april pennsylvania steel mill town north pittsburgh mother unemployed philadelphia father steel worker parents married heavy mother died age lewis left school job locomotive factory swinging hammer dollars week feet inches tall weighed pounds inch neck feet fit size half shoes sportswriter later observed built lines beer wholly unfamiliar contents unusual physique considered time large head tiny feet short legs broad flat face recognized wilson moved west_virginia join class blue ridge league breaking leg sliding home plate professional game moved catcher position outfield met year old office clerk married following year playing division led hitting batting average late season new_york_giants manager purchased contract portsmouth new_york_giants wilson major league debut giants september starting left fielder following season mid july ranked second national_league hitting ended season average home runs runs batted rbis new_york won pennant world series averaged seven game loss multiple stories exist explain origin wilson nickname account new_york newspaper held contest winning entry hack reminded fans athlete popular wrestler version said remarked wilson physique reminiscent hack slang era giants teammate claimed nickname based wilson resemblance outfielder chicago_cubs new_york_times printed documented usage hack june early season wilson hit longest home run record field fell slump replaced left field july hit home runs inning tying major league record set hitting slump continued august told reporters mistake rushing wilson sent giants minor league affiliate season end office oversight left unprotected roster place chicago cubs acquired let best outfielder played alongside said giants right fielder going regret world series senators pittsburgh_pirates wilson son robert born glory years cubs wilson regained form cubs center fielder soon favorite chicago fans hit center field longest home runs field history cubs came defeat later evening news arrested police raid prohibition era trying escape rear window fined dollar ended season league leading home runs doubles rbis batting average base percentage cubs improved fourth place wilson ended year ranked fifth voting valuable player mvp award strong performance followed wilson led league home runs cubs place heading final month season team finished fourth wilson posted average home runs rbis led led home runs consecutive year rbis average cubs improved place wilson streak initiated fights opposing players fans june near riot broke ninth inning field wilson jumped box seats attack fan estimated spectators field police separate combatants restore order fan sued wilson jury ruled favor following year took offense remark cincinnati reds pitcher reaching base hitting single charged reds punching times separated later evening train station wilson exchanged words blows cincinnati player late signed contract fight chicago_white_sox boxing match cubs president enlisted hack wife virginia dissuade lost fight chicago bears gain wilson said fighting defeated boxer wilson penchant festivities documented described baseball player age american excess time baseball america favorite sport love drinking cubs owner alcohol consumption wilson insisted played drunk hung yes drunk manager worked hard shield wilson keel better manager wrote sportswriter joe understood hack failed rewarded praise joe strict stern players hack hack playing wilson hit home runs league record rbis new teammate contributed home runs led cubs pennant years world series wilson hitting performance eclipsed fielding errors park trailing series games cubs leading score fourth game athletics mounted run rally seventh inning wilson lost fly balls sun second runners base led inside park home run athletics won game mccarthy reportedly told boy asking baseball come tomorrow stand wilson able pick balls want athletics won day series games peak wilson season aided lively ball wound special australian wool considered best single season hitting performances baseball history middle july accumulated rbis august hit home runs rbis september reached rbis breaking major league record established years earlier ended season record home runs batting average base percentage league leading slugging percentage unofficially voted useful player official mvp award commissioner baseball officially increased wilson rbi total box score analysis baseball historian revealed mistakenly credited rbi actually driven home wilson second game july wilson rbis remains baseball enduring records came close challenges years best recent effort reds catcher asserted wilson credited additional home run hit cincinnati day said way seats hit hard bounced right field umpire bad angle ruled hit screen bounced sitting cincinnati bullpen course weren going hack hit year wilson official total stood record season broken decline wilson success season served fuel drinking habits reported spring training pounds overweight addition responded offensive statistics previous year season league batted introducing heavier ball raised allow pitchers gain better grip throw wilson complained new cubs manager teammate allow swing away hit career home run field june fourth player fell protracted slump late late august publicly expressed desire trade september suspended pay remainder season fight reporters aboard train cincinnati hitting home runs production august time december cubs traded wilson month later cardinals sent minor league outfielder wilson hit home runs rbis brooklyn began ninth inning game winning pinch hit inside park grand slam home run field pinch hit grand slam history inside park pinch hit grand slam mlb history season end offensive totals dropped substantially hitting dodgers released mid season philadelphia_phillies signed immediately hits bats released month later final season class new york pennsylvania league wilson retired age career statistics year major league career wilson played games accumulated hits bats career batting average base percentage hit home runs batted runs led home runs times surpassed rbis times defensively finished career fielding percentage life baseball wilson returned opened pool hall encountered financial problems failed sporting goods business venture divorce virginia working near brooklyn field sang drinks quit customers abusive night club venture suburban chicago financial failure took job good ambassador professional basketball team washington lamented fans remembered dropped fly balls world series far home runs rbis unable find work professional baseball moved baltimore worked tool airplane manufacturing plant later municipal authorities realized manager baltimore public swimming pool october wilson discovered unconscious fall home accident appear pneumonia complications developed died internal november age wilson highest paid player national_league died son robert refused claim remains president finally sent money cover funeral expenses gray burial suit donated undertaker marked contrast funeral attended thousands months earlier people present wilson services buried town professional playing debut west_virginia months later organized second complete memorial service attended players cubs team renamed granite unveiled inscription baseball hack wilson rests week death wilson gave interview reprinted chicago newspapers cubs new manager posted framed excerpt interview cubs remains reads talent isn need common sense good advice tries tell different tell story kids baseball think talent world tail isn kids don big accept advice don let happened happen wilson inducted street named honor access road large city park home town pennsylvania known
Hack Wilson