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Hack's 191: Hack Wilson And His Incredible 1930 Season
Hack Wilson’s record 191 RBIs in 1930 may well stand the test of time, and so may the record of his hard-drinking lifestyle. In Hack’s 191, Bill Chastain recreates the most productive offensive season in baseball history while giving readers unique insight into the life of one of baseball’s most fascinating, enigmatic, and yet neglected characters.
Drunk or sober, Wilson lived large in Prohibition-era Chicago, where the entertainment and nightclub industries thrived, and Al Capone, a friend of Wilson, reigned as the most publicized gangster in America. Hack finished the 1929 season batting .345 with 39 home runs and 159 RBIs, giving him his fourth consecutive 100-plus RBI season before for misplaying two fly balls in the World Series. Despite losing the Series, the Cubs entered the 1930 season favored again to win the National League pennant. After a slow start and many bad breaks, the team was in first place by the end of August, with Hack Wilson leading the way. Chronicling the ups, downs, and record-setting accomplishments of Lewis R. “Hack” Wilson, this book returns arguably the most hard-living, hard-hitting ballplayer in history to the lineup of the game’s greats.
Drunk or sober, Wilson lived large in Prohibition-era Chicago, where the entertainment and nightclub industries thrived, and Al Capone, a friend of Wilson, reigned as the most publicized gangster in America. Hack finished the 1929 season batting .345 with 39 home runs and 159 RBIs, giving him his fourth consecutive 100-plus RBI season before for misplaying two fly balls in the World Series. Despite losing the Series, the Cubs entered the 1930 season favored again to win the National League pennant. After a slow start and many bad breaks, the team was in first place by the end of August, with Hack Wilson leading the way. Chronicling the ups, downs, and record-setting accomplishments of Lewis R. “Hack” Wilson, this book returns arguably the most hard-living, hard-hitting ballplayer in history to the lineup of the game’s greats.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 24, 2012
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34 people want to read
About the author
Bill Chastain
21 books11 followersBill Chastain began his journalism career as a freelance writer shortly after graduating from Georgia Tech in 1979. Some of the more notable publications where his stories have appeared over the years include: Razor Magazine, Nation’s Business, SPORT Magazine, and Inside Sports. Chastain worked as a sports reporter for The St. Petersburg Times and The St. Petersburg Evening Independent before going to The Tampa Tribune in 1990, where he worked for twelve years as a columnist and sports reporter. While with the Tribune he also served as a correspondent for Sports Illustrated. Currently he covers Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays for MLB.com.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 5, 2017
In terms of the great single baseball campaigns of all-time, Hack Wilson's 1930 assault on the record book is easily of the most impressive. "Hack's 191" tells the story of that season, while also filling in some of the gaps that history may have embellished or forgotten along the way.
The first half of the book sets the groundwork, discussing Hack's "Sunny Boy" miscue in the 1929 World Series, as well as such important Cubs figures at the time as manager Joe McCarthy and polarizing personality Rogers Hornsby.
After that, the book does a month-by-month description of Hack's 1930 season.
For fans of baseball history, this book will automatically be a decent read for the amount of research put into it. Though countless books have been published about the Ruths or Gehrigs of the similar era, there is a bit of a gap in terms of Hack Wilson considering the fact that he did set the all-time RBI record that still stands to this day. Thus, even for relatively seasoned baseball historians, "Hack's 191" may contain some stories or information that hasn't been unearthed in quite a long period of time.
However, the main attribute of the book that renders it little above average is that it can be so dry at times. While reading (and learning quite a bit), I never felt as if I were truly drawn into Hack's record-setting season. I think the problem stems from the fact that the book almost tries to do a bit too much in terms of scope. It tries to be a history lesson, a character study, a biography, a "story of the times", and a "thriller" ("Hack's RBI heroics"), but ultimately doesn't shine on any of those fronts.
Thus, while I would recommend this to the hardcore fans of baseball history who already have a working knowledge of the events/people, those who don't have a studied interest in the topic might want to look elsewhere.
The first half of the book sets the groundwork, discussing Hack's "Sunny Boy" miscue in the 1929 World Series, as well as such important Cubs figures at the time as manager Joe McCarthy and polarizing personality Rogers Hornsby.
After that, the book does a month-by-month description of Hack's 1930 season.
For fans of baseball history, this book will automatically be a decent read for the amount of research put into it. Though countless books have been published about the Ruths or Gehrigs of the similar era, there is a bit of a gap in terms of Hack Wilson considering the fact that he did set the all-time RBI record that still stands to this day. Thus, even for relatively seasoned baseball historians, "Hack's 191" may contain some stories or information that hasn't been unearthed in quite a long period of time.
However, the main attribute of the book that renders it little above average is that it can be so dry at times. While reading (and learning quite a bit), I never felt as if I were truly drawn into Hack's record-setting season. I think the problem stems from the fact that the book almost tries to do a bit too much in terms of scope. It tries to be a history lesson, a character study, a biography, a "story of the times", and a "thriller" ("Hack's RBI heroics"), but ultimately doesn't shine on any of those fronts.
Thus, while I would recommend this to the hardcore fans of baseball history who already have a working knowledge of the events/people, those who don't have a studied interest in the topic might want to look elsewhere.
May 24, 2012
There was a little to much focus and general statements about individual games that tended to either lose me or really question---ok, so Hack got 3 RBIS in that game.....and? There were some good details, about Wilsons life and the actual year of 1930, just feel that it could have been done more concisely by the author.
December 6, 2019
True character from a bygone era
I’m just old enough to remember a day when larger than life characters seemed to dominate the sporting scene. Today’s prima donnas live a pampered life in comparison to Hack Wilson, the subject of this book. Wilson, like Babe Ruth and later Mickey Mantle lived hard on and off the field and the stage was never bigger than 1930, the original year of the hitter, when he set the MLB record with 191 RBIs. Author Bill Chastain does a good job of capturing the man, flaws and all. He also gives an insight into the Cubs, namely manager Joe McCarthy and teammate Rogers Hornsby, who I’ve learned was quite the back-stabbing clubhouse cancer. This book gave me a deeper understanding of this unique season and the hard-drinking lifestyle of many of the players of that time.
I’m just old enough to remember a day when larger than life characters seemed to dominate the sporting scene. Today’s prima donnas live a pampered life in comparison to Hack Wilson, the subject of this book. Wilson, like Babe Ruth and later Mickey Mantle lived hard on and off the field and the stage was never bigger than 1930, the original year of the hitter, when he set the MLB record with 191 RBIs. Author Bill Chastain does a good job of capturing the man, flaws and all. He also gives an insight into the Cubs, namely manager Joe McCarthy and teammate Rogers Hornsby, who I’ve learned was quite the back-stabbing clubhouse cancer. This book gave me a deeper understanding of this unique season and the hard-drinking lifestyle of many of the players of that time.
November 11, 2022
Enjoyed the book, say its closer to a 3.5. Its always fun to learn more about such a character like Wilson and the book does a good job going through his monster year. However the book seemed to sort of meander into other areas to try to get a word count. The author does get into Wilson's childhood some and other aspects of his life, which is good, learn a lot of new things about him. Just think the narrative could have been better overall without some of the meandering and maybe more flavor of Hack's antics which I'm sure there were more with the media basically following him in Chicago.
Recommended, Wilson seems to be a player that doesn't get mentioned as much now and anything about him is worth a look.
Recommended, Wilson seems to be a player that doesn't get mentioned as much now and anything about him is worth a look.
June 15, 2024
Wonderful, well researched book for anyone who loves baseball. The book focuses mainly on one season in the career of Hack Wilson, when he set the all-time record for RBIs in one season. Mostly overlooked at the time, it is now considered an unreachable record. Chastain did an excellent job researching the team, fellow players, manager, and front office. I learned so much about baseball during that time.
February 14, 2023
Many baseball biographies suffer from being written by well meaning fans rather than professional authors, but that’s not the case here.
This is an easy read that doesn’t get bogged down too often.
While I’d like to have had a bit more about Wilson’s life after 1930, this was a fun and informative read.
This is an easy read that doesn’t get bogged down too often.
While I’d like to have had a bit more about Wilson’s life after 1930, this was a fun and informative read.
April 11, 2019
Begins with the Cubs inability to win the 1929 World Series. From there it recounts the life of Wilson with some good insight and numerous character profiles.
The second half is a chronicle of stats of the 1930 season. B/w images.
The second half is a chronicle of stats of the 1930 season. B/w images.
July 25, 2024
Solid book about Hack Wilson's remarkable 1930 season where he set the MLB record for RBI with 191. That great season is worthy of a book, but fans of baseball in the 20s and 30s and Cub fans will especially appreciate this book.
April 5, 2014
A detailed account of a little known great baseball player.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews