Cubs 365, March 7

Every day in 2012, the Just One Bad Century blog will feature a story about this day in Cubs history. We're calling it Cubs 365.

On this day in 1979, Cubs slugger Hack Wilson was selected to be in baseball's Hall of Fame by the Hall of Fame's veteran committee. He had already been dead for more than thirty years. Also inducted into the Hall of Fame that year; Willie Mays.

Though Hack's demise is well chronicled and quite sad, during his heyday with the Cubs he was simply the most feared slugger in the National League.

The following poem was featured in The Sporting News in 1930 (author unknown), and pretty much says it all...

“How do you pitch to Wilson?”
Asked the rookie up from the sticks,
“I’m up to learn the hitters,
And know their little tricks.”

“I’ll tell ya,” said the veteran,
who had pitched for many years,
“When ya dish up Hack yer fast one,
You’d better watch your ears.

“He’ll drive that agate at ya,
Like ya never seen before
He’ll learn ya in a jiffy,
Not to show him speed no more.

“N’then y’ll try to curve him,
N’he’ll crash one off yer shins:
If ya keep on throwin hookers,
He’ll tear off both yer pins.

“N’then ya’ use year change of pace,
He might strike out on that;
N’perhaps he’ll ride the ball so far,
You don’t know where it’s at.

“I’ll tell ya son,” the veteran said,
“When ya see that sawed-off squirt,
Just flip one towards the platter,
N’take care ya’ don’t get hurt.”