Hack's 191: Hack Wilson and His Incredible 1930 Season
“I have long been fascinated by Hack Wilson, and his underappreciated RBI record. InHack’s 191, Bill Chastain marvelously explains both the man and the mark. I learned something on every page.”     —Tim Kurkjian, senior writer,ESPN The Magazine“Hack’s 191is a fascinating inside look at not only the 1930 season but also one of the most intriguing, overlooked characters the game has known. Bill Chastain captures the brawling times of Al Capone’s prohibition-era Chicago and the barrel-shaped ballplayers who lived large during it. He also gives us a detailed look at a season that helped create arguably baseball’s most unapproachable record, a season that changed the course of the game.”     —Dave van Dyck,Chicago Tribune“Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak, Cal Ripken’s 2,632 consecutive games played, Pete Rose’s 4,256 career hits. . . . These records may never be broken. The mark least talked about is the record for runs batted in during a season. As a former Major League Baseball player and lifelong fan, I consider Hack Wilson’s 191 RBIs in 1930 to be one of the most amazing achievements in the history of the game. Bill Chastain does an incredible job of taking us back to that magical season. I felt like I was there watching the games at Wrigley Field or enjoying the speakeasy nightlife with Wilson and his Prohibition-era Cubs fans.”  —Tino Martinez, baseball broadcaster, former Major League All-Star“Hack Wilson’s personality and habits—at the ballpark and away—had always intrigued me, as had his record of 191 RBIs in one season, which is an amazing feat and a record that will not likely be broken. Bill Chastain’s fascinating account of that season brings to life Wilson and the city of Chicago during a raucous period complete with gangsters and speakeasies.”—Joe Maddon, manager, Tampa Bay Rays