TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

May 23, 1926, at Wrigley Field, Hack Wilson of the Chicago Cubs becomes the first player to hit a home run that strikes the center field scoreboard at Wrigley Field. The blow was his fifth of the season and came in the fifth inning. According to the paper from that day, it was a prodigious drive. The blast helped kick off a 14-8 victory over the Boston Braves. The Aftermath that day became famously notorious off the field as well. Later that same evening, Wilson and a few of his teammates were arrested during a police raid at an apartment for violating the Prohibition Act, adding a colorful postscript to an already legendary day in Cubs history.

The scoreboard that Wilson hit was situated at ground level at the time. It was later moved to the left field corner in 1937, before the iconic hand-operated bleacher scoreboard was eventually constructed.

Hack was, first of all, a physical phenomenon. There were 195 pounds of him on a 5'6" frame: the height of Phil Rizzuto, only 40-45 pounds heavier. As a young man it was all muscle: a barrel-chested upper body, blacksmith arms, and bulging thighs and calves on the short, short legs that tapered to tiny feet. He wore an 18 collar and size 6 shoe. And until the liquor overmastered him, he could hit a ton.

His nickname derived either from George Hackenschmidt, an old-time wrestler, or from a resemblance to Hack Miller, another sawed-off heavyweight who preceded him in Chicago.

The Chicago Cubs got Wilson on a fluke. Originally a New York Giant, he performed creditably in 1924, but slumped to .239 the following year and was sent down to Toledo (American Association), then a Giant farm. In the postseason draft the Cubs acquired him for a measly $5,000 over a strenuous Giant protest that Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis denied. Thereafter, batting cleanup in the Cubs' awesome array of hitters, he was one of the National League's top power hitters.

At the plate he was a sight to see, squat, stumpy, and menacing, with an earnest, clenched-jaw look on the square face. He loved the high fastball and brought the bat around from the right side to meet it with little grace and mighty effort. Like many big swingers, he often led the league in strikeouts, but unlike today's sluggers, never exceeded 94 strikeouts in any season. Along the way he had 25- and 27-game hitting streaks, hit for the cycle, and in his best year (1930) had a slugging average of .723.

That remarkable 1930 season he set two legendary marks. The 56 home runs he walloped were a National League record that stood until 1998, when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa both obliterated his -- and Roger Maris' -- record. But the single-season record that still stands from that year was his RBI mark of 190 -- later to be officially changed in the record books in 1999 to 191, as he became one of the first dead players ever to notch an RBI. Though contenders to the crown have come close, no player has gotten within 25 RBIs of the mark since 1938.

For all his top-heavy physique, he was a capable centerfielder. Kiki Cuyler may have helped some in right field, but with Riggs Stephenson in left field Hack was on his own. In 1927 he led the league's outfielders with 400 putouts. Although remembered for two crucial hits lost in the sun during the Philadelphia Athletics' memorable 10-run Series rally in 1929, he otherwise fielded without error and led all Series hitters with a .471 average.

His problem was alcohol and the lack of discipline it encouraged. Joe McCarthy knew how to handle him and keep him functioning. Other managers, notably Rogers Hornsby, did not. Following his tremendous 1930, Hack slumped alarmingly, hitting a pussycat .261 with 13 home runs and 61 RBI. Over the winter he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Burleigh Grimes, and from there to the Brooklyn Dodgers for $45,000 and a minor-league pitcher. He checked his slide briefly, but by 1934 his career had ended.

On October 4, 1948, Wilson was discovered unconscious after a fall in his home. Though the accident did not appear serious at first, pneumonia and other complications developed and he died of internal hemorrhaging on November 23, 1948, at the age of 48.

Wilson — once the highest-paid player in the National League — died penniless; his son, Robert, refused to claim his remains. NL President Ford Frick finally sent money to cover his funeral expenses. In 1979, Wilson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee

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May 23, 1901, Clark Griffith, the White Sox’s pitcher-manager, working in relief for his club, decides to walk Philadelphia’s Napoleon Lajoie with the bases loaded intentionally. The strategy proves to be successful when he induces the next three batters to ground out to complete the 11-9 victory at Chicago’s South Side Park

May 23, 1926, at Wrigley Field, Hack Wilson of the Chicago Cubs becomes the first player to hit a home run that strikes the center field scoreboard at Wrigley Field. The blow was his fifth of the season and came in the fifth inning. According to the paper from that day, it was a prodigious drive..

May 23, 1936 — Tony Lazzeri hits 3 home runs‚ 2 in the nitecap‚ good for 4 RBI as the visiting Yankees pound the Athletics‚ 12 – 6 and 15 – 1. ,At the end of the second game the crowd of 24‚240‚ one of the largest in several seasons‚ pelts the field with cushions‚ bottles and other articles‚ making play difficult. Bill Dickey‚ Ben Chapman‚ Red Rolfe‚ and Frank Crosetti also homer for New York.

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May 23, 1948, at Cleveland Stadium – Joe DiMaggio belts three consecutive home runs during the first game of a doubleheader against the Cleveland Indians. The New York Yankees’ star swats two of the home runs against Bob Feller. The Yankees win the game, 6-5.

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May 23, 1962 — At Yankee Stadium, Joe Pepitone of the New York Yankees hits two home runs in the nine-run 8th-inning of the Yankees’ 13 – 7 triumph over the Kansas City Athletics.

May 23, 1965 — In the first inning of a 5-2 loss to San Francisco, Jimmy Wynn is unable to catch Jim Ray Hart’s two-out routine fly ball when he loses the ball in the glare of diffused Texas sunlight streaming through plastic panes of the newly-opened Astrodome. The play, now a base-clearing inside-the-park three-run home run instead of an easy third out, results in the painting of the ballpark’s ceiling the next day and will lead to the use of Astroturf next season because the grass will be unable to be grown due to the reduced amount of sunlight.

May 23, 1969 — Mickey Lolich sets a Detroit record with 16 strikeouts while defeating Andy Messersmith and the Angels, 6 – 3. Mickey Stanley’s grand slam is the difference. Lolich’s mark breaks the record of 15 set by Paul Foytack in 1956.

May 23, 1970 — At Connie Mack Stadium, Dick Allen belts two homers to drive in all the runs as the Cardinals beat the Phillies‚ 3 – 1. Bob Gibson picks up his 3rd win allowing 4 hits and strikes out 16. Jim Bunning takes the loss for the Phillies.

May 23, 1979 — The Texas Rangers’ Al Oliver hits 3 home runs in a 7 – 2 win over the Minnesota Twins at Arlington Stadium .

May 23, 1984 — In a rematch against Steve Carlton‚ who hit a grand slam off him on May 16th‚ Fernando Valenzuela strikes out 15 Phillies while pitching the Dodgers to a 3-hit, 1 – 0 victory. Valenzuela drives in the only run of the game with a 5th inning ground out scoring Mike Scioscia, Carlton collects 1 of the 15 strikeouts and also 1 of the 3 hits on the day for the Phillies.

May 23, 1989, at Arlington Stadium, Bo Jackson of the Kansas City Royals hits a monstrous 461-foot home run against Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers. Jackson had struggled in his previous matchups against the future Hall of Famer, striking out the last six times in succession

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TRIVIA

TRIVIA: What moundsman is the career leader in games started?

Hint:    He gave up more earned runs that any other pitcher in history.

Hint:    He only attended school up until the sixth grade. He dropped out so he could help on the family farm.

Hint:    His only minor league experience was in the city (town) where the Hall of Fame is now.

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