Winter Auction 2017 Ending January 29
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/29/2017
If you lined up 10 random men and was asked to pick out the one who hit 56 home runs and set the record for RBI in a single season, Hack Wilson would be the last one you’d put the finger on. Wilson was a stout 5’ 6” with hands so small that he had to use specially made bats with dinner handles, and built like a beer keg perched on tooth picks shod in size 5 cleats.
Regardless of how he appeared, for a few precious seasons Hack Wilson was the National League’s answer to Babe Ruth. The ebullient slugger embodied everything decadent about 1920’s Chicago, and his nightlife antics made him as much of a star as his on-field heroics did. After leading his Chicago Cubs to the NL Pennant in 1929, Wilson followed that year up with one of the most incredible seasons ever recorded in modern times: 191 RBI (still the record), .356 average, 56 home runs, .454 on-base-percentage and .723 slugging percentage. The Baseball Writers of America voted Wilson the “Most Useful Player” in the National League (now known as the MVP Award). Due to alcoholism and a change in management, Wilson’s career declined rapidly and the one-time National League Babe Ruth was out of baseball by 1934.
Because of Hack’s quick rise and even quicker fall, any game used pieces are extremely sought after. However, this bat is a real find. The reason is that this bat dates to the year the Cubs won the 1929 pennant and Wilson’s incredible MVP season of 1930. Hack’s Hillerich & Bradsby has a handle crack and chip on the knob which has been professionally repaired. There is some checking on the back barrel from repeated ball contact that has been repaired with clubhouse nails. As you’d expect from the man who knocked in 191 runs in a single season, Hack’s bat has many ball marks with stitch impressions on the barrel. There are cleat marks visible and a light coat of pine tar is on its handle. The letter “H” is carved into the knob end and the letter “J” is carved in the barrel end. A spectacular gamer from an elusive Hall of Famer and Cubs great that comes with a Letter of Authenticity from PSA/DNA (G55110) who have graded it a GU 7.