Stan Hack
Encyclopedia
Stanley Camfield Hack nicknamed "Smiling Stan," was an American
third baseman
and manager
in Major League Baseball
who played his entire career for the Chicago Cubs
and was the National League
's top third baseman in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Usually a leadoff
hitter, he batted
.301 lifetime, scored 100 runs
seven times and led the NL in hits
and stolen base
s twice each. His 1092 walks
ranked fourth in NL history when he retired, and remain a franchise record; he also hit .348 over four World Series
. His .394 career on base percentage
was the highest by a 20th-century third baseman until Wade Boggs
exceeded it in the late 1980s, and was the top NL mark until 2001. Hack led the NL in putout
s five times, in double play
s three times and in assists
and fielding percentage
twice each. At the end of his career he ranked second in major league history to Pie Traynor
in games (1836) at third base, second in NL history to Traynor in putouts (1944), assists (3494) and total chances
(5684), and third in NL history in double plays (255).
and played baseball at Sacramento High School
. After high school worked at a bank and played semi-pro baseball on weekends. He tried out for the Sacramento Solons
in 1931, and was signed by Cubs president William Veeck for $40,000 after hitting .352 in his first minor league season that year. He broke in with the Cubs in , and backed up Woody English
in his first two years – also hitting .299 in the International League
in 1933 – before becoming the full-time third baseman in 1934. In the 1932 World Series
against the New York Yankees
, his sole appearance was as a pinch runner for Gabby Hartnett
in the eighth inning of the final 13-6 Game 4 loss. In his first full year in 1934, he batted a respectable .289 and tied for fifth in the league with 11 steals. In he began to assume Traynor's mantle as the league's top third baseman, batting .311 and finishing third in the NL in on base percentage and tied for fourth in steals.
He quickly became one of the sport's most popular players, and 21-year-old team employee Bill Veeck
(William's son) staged a 1935 promotion in which fans were given mirrors labeled "Smile with Stan", with Hack's face on the reverse side; but the fans used the mirrors to reflect sunlight into the eyes of opposing batters, and the umpires threatened to forfeit the game if they didn't stop. The NL office quickly banned any similar promotions in the future. Batting an unusually low seventh in the 1935 World Series
against the Detroit Tigers
, he hit only .227 as the Cubs lost in six games. In Game 3 he singled, stole second base and scored to give Chicago a 2-0 lead in the second inning, and singled and scored again in the ninth as the Cubs tied the game 5-5, though they lost 6-5 in 11 innings. In Game 6 at Navin Field he doubled
with two out in the sixth inning, and tripled
to lead off the ninth with the scored tied 3-3; but the Cubs were unable to drive him in. Manager Charlie Grimm
opted to let starting pitcher Larry French
bat with one out, and French hit a ground ball to the pitcher, with Augie Galan
flying to left to end the inning; the Tigers won the Series in the bottom of the inning when Mickey Cochrane
scored on Goose Goslin
's single.
In 1936 Hack batted .298, and tied for second in the NL with 17 steals – the first of five straight years in which he finished first or second. He also scored 100 runs for the first time, and had a career-high 78 runs batted in
. He led the league in putouts (151), assists (247) and double plays (25) in , and was second in runs (106) and steals (16) and third in walks (83) while hitting .297. marked his best season to date as he hit .320 (sixth in the league), led the NL in steals (16), was second in hits (195) and runs (109), fourth in walks (94) and fifth in on base percentage (.411). He had 67 RBI as the team featured a remarkably well-balanced offense, with seven of the eight regulars having between 56 and 67 RBI. He was among the league's top ten players in doubles, triples (a career-best 11) and total bases
, led the NL in putouts (178) and double plays (26), and made his first of five All-Star
teams as the Cubs won the pennant by two games; Hack finished seventh in the MVP
voting. In the World Series
against the Yankees, he was one of the Cubs' scarce heroes, batting .471 although they were swept in four games. In Game 1 he had three singles and drove in the only Chicago run in a 3-1 loss. He singled and scored in the first inning of Game 2, and did so again to tie the score 2-2 in the third inning though they went on to lose 6-3. He doubled and scored in the fifth inning of Game 3 for a 1-0 lead, but they lost 5-2; he had two more hits in the 8-3 Game 4 loss.
In he batted .298 and tied for the NL lead in steals with 17, also finishing second in runs (112) and pacing the league in putouts (177). He had another outstanding campaign in , topping the league in putouts (175), assists (302) and double plays (27), finishing fourth with a .317 batting average, and tying for the NL lead in hits (191). He was one behind the league leader with 21 steals, and was fourth in doubles (38, a personal best), fifth in runs (101), and sixth in on base percentage (.395) and total bases (265). Although he did not make the All-Star team, he finished eighth in the MVP balloting. On May 17 of that year, he suffered a concussion after being hit in the head by a foul ball while standing on third base as a baserunner. saw him duplicate the previous year's accomplishments by again finishing fourth in the NL with a .317 batting mark and leading the league in hits; he was second in the league with a .417 on base percentage and 111 runs, fourth in walks and fifth in doubles. And in he was third in hits and doubles, fourth in runs and walks, and fifth in on base percentage, while again batting .300 and leading the NL in fielding average for the first time with a .965 mark.
1943 saw a slight dropoff in his performance, though he was still among the league leaders in walks and on base percentage, with a .289 batting average, and was again an All-Star; but a strained relationship with manager Jimmie Wilson
led Hack to retire at season's end. He was persuaded to return in mid-1944 after Grimm returned to lead the team, and batted .282 in 98 games – his lowest mark in over ten years – with similarly lowered averages in slugging and OBP. But marked a full comeback as he enjoyed one of his best years, leading the NL again in putouts (195) and fielding average (.975), and setting a record with 54 consecutive errorless games. He hit a career-high .323 (fourth in the league), and finished third in OBP (.420), hits (193) and walks (99) and fifth in runs (110). The Cubs won the pennant by three games, and Hack finished eleventh in the MVP vote, won by teammate Phil Cavarretta
. In the World Series
against the Tigers, he hit .367, though memories of the last game of the 1935 Series lingered. In Game 1 at Detroit he was observed staring out toward third base, and when asked what he was looking at he replied, "I was just looking to see if I was still standing there." He reached base four times in a 4-1 loss in Game 2, and had two hits in the 3-0 Game 3 win. Game 6 at Wrigley Field
was a thrilling affair; after a walk and a single in his first two turns at the plate, he singled with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead, and went on to score himself. After another walk and single, he came to bat in the 12th inning with the score tied 7-7, two out and pinch runner Bill Schuster
on first base; Hack doubled to left field off Tiger pitcher Dizzy Trout
, with the ball taking a sharp bounce over outfielder Hank Greenberg
's shoulder, giving the Cubs an 8-7 win and tying the Series. But Chicago lost 9-3 in Game 7, and to date the team has not made another appearance in the Fall Classic.
In 1946 he hit .285 in only 92 games, though he was still fifth in the league with 83 walks. He ended his career in with a .271 average in 76 games. In a 16-season career, Hack had 57 home run
s and 642 RBI; his totals of 1938 games
, 7278 at bat
s and 2193 hits ranked second in Cubs history to 19th-century first baseman Cap Anson
, and his totals in hits, doubles (363) and total bases (2889) placed him behind only Traynor among NL third basemen. His 1239 runs were the third most by a third baseman, behind only Arlie Latham
(1478) and Lave Cross
(1333); his 165 stolen bases were the fourth most by any National Leaguer between 1920 and 1950, trailing only Frankie Frisch
, Max Carey
and Kiki Cuyler
. He was only 27 games behind Traynor's league record for games at third base, and was behind only Traynor and Heinie Groh
in career double plays in the NL. His total of 1092 walks – then the most by any third baseman – placed him behind only Mel Ott
(1708), Jimmy Sheckard
(1134) and Billy Hamilton (1096) in NL history. In , Chipper Jones
moved ahead of his career on base percentage among NL third basemen.
from 1951–53, and then took over as Cubs manager in spring training of 1954, replacing Cavarretta. They had losing campaigns during each of his three seasons running the team. He became a batting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals
in 1957-58, managing them for the last ten games in 1958, and then returned to managing in the minor leagues in Denver (1959), Salt Lake City (1965) and Dallas-Fort Worth (1966).
. His first wife Dorothy Weisel Hack
was a prominent amateur tennis
player. He is buried in Grand Detour Cemetery in Grand Detour Illinois.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played his entire career for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and was the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's top third baseman in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Usually a leadoff
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
hitter, he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.301 lifetime, scored 100 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
seven times and led the NL in hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s twice each. His 1092 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
ranked fourth in NL history when he retired, and remain a franchise record; he also hit .348 over four World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. His .394 career on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
was the highest by a 20th-century third baseman until Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs
Wade Anthony Boggs is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Devil Rays...
exceeded it in the late 1980s, and was the top NL mark until 2001. Hack led the NL in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s five times, in double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s three times and in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
twice each. At the end of his career he ranked second in major league history to Pie Traynor
Pie Traynor
Harold Joseph "Pie" Traynor was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and radio broadcaster. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He batted and threw right-handed...
in games (1836) at third base, second in NL history to Traynor in putouts (1944), assists (3494) and total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
(5684), and third in NL history in double plays (255).
Career
Hack, who batted left-handed and threw right-handed, was born in Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
and played baseball at Sacramento High School
Sacramento High School
Sacramento Charter High School is an independent public charter high school located in the Alhambra Triangle, adjacent to the Oak Park neighborhood in Sacramento, California. Its charter was approved by the Sacramento City Unified School District's Board of Trustees on July 21, 2003...
. After high school worked at a bank and played semi-pro baseball on weekends. He tried out for the Sacramento Solons
Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods . The current Sacramento River Cats began play in 2000...
in 1931, and was signed by Cubs president William Veeck for $40,000 after hitting .352 in his first minor league season that year. He broke in with the Cubs in , and backed up Woody English
Woody English
Elwood George "Woody" English was an American shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for twelve seasons with the Chicago Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers.- Early life :...
in his first two years – also hitting .299 in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
in 1933 – before becoming the full-time third baseman in 1934. In the 1932 World Series
1932 World Series
The 1932 World Series was played between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs , with the Yankees holding home field advantage. The Yankees swept the Cubs, four games to none...
against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, his sole appearance was as a pinch runner for Gabby Hartnett
Gabby Hartnett
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Until the career of Johnny Bench, Hartnett was considered the greatest catcher in the history of the National League...
in the eighth inning of the final 13-6 Game 4 loss. In his first full year in 1934, he batted a respectable .289 and tied for fifth in the league with 11 steals. In he began to assume Traynor's mantle as the league's top third baseman, batting .311 and finishing third in the NL in on base percentage and tied for fourth in steals.
He quickly became one of the sport's most popular players, and 21-year-old team employee Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
(William's son) staged a 1935 promotion in which fans were given mirrors labeled "Smile with Stan", with Hack's face on the reverse side; but the fans used the mirrors to reflect sunlight into the eyes of opposing batters, and the umpires threatened to forfeit the game if they didn't stop. The NL office quickly banned any similar promotions in the future. Batting an unusually low seventh in the 1935 World Series
1935 World Series
The 1935 World Series featured the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, with the Tigers winning in six games for their first championship in five Series appearances. They had lost in , , , and ....
against the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, he hit only .227 as the Cubs lost in six games. In Game 3 he singled, stole second base and scored to give Chicago a 2-0 lead in the second inning, and singled and scored again in the ninth as the Cubs tied the game 5-5, though they lost 6-5 in 11 innings. In Game 6 at Navin Field he doubled
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
with two out in the sixth inning, and tripled
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
to lead off the ninth with the scored tied 3-3; but the Cubs were unable to drive him in. Manager Charlie Grimm
Charlie Grimm
Charles John Grimm , nicknamed "Jolly Cholly", was a first baseman and manager in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Chicago Cubs; he was also a sometime radio broadcaster, and a popular goodwill ambassador for baseball...
opted to let starting pitcher Larry French
Larry French
Lawrence Herbert French was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers . A knuckleball specialist, French batted right-handed and threw left-handed...
bat with one out, and French hit a ground ball to the pitcher, with Augie Galan
Augie Galan
August John Galan was a left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1934 through 1949, he played for the Chicago Cubs , Brooklyn Dodgers , Cincinnati Reds , New York Giants and Philadelphia Athletics . Galan threw right-handed and began his career as a switch hitter...
flying to left to end the inning; the Tigers won the Series in the bottom of the inning when Mickey Cochrane
Mickey Cochrane
Gordon Stanley "Mickey" Cochrane was a professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics and Detroit Tigers...
scored on Goose Goslin
Goose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from until...
's single.
In 1936 Hack batted .298, and tied for second in the NL with 17 steals – the first of five straight years in which he finished first or second. He also scored 100 runs for the first time, and had a career-high 78 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. He led the league in putouts (151), assists (247) and double plays (25) in , and was second in runs (106) and steals (16) and third in walks (83) while hitting .297. marked his best season to date as he hit .320 (sixth in the league), led the NL in steals (16), was second in hits (195) and runs (109), fourth in walks (94) and fifth in on base percentage (.411). He had 67 RBI as the team featured a remarkably well-balanced offense, with seven of the eight regulars having between 56 and 67 RBI. He was among the league's top ten players in doubles, triples (a career-best 11) and total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
, led the NL in putouts (178) and double plays (26), and made his first of five All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
teams as the Cubs won the pennant by two games; Hack finished seventh in the MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
voting. In the World Series
1938 World Series
The 1938 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Chicago Cubs, with the Yankees sweeping the Series in four games for their seventh championship and record third straight .Dizzy Dean, who had helped carry the Cubs to the National League pennant despite a...
against the Yankees, he was one of the Cubs' scarce heroes, batting .471 although they were swept in four games. In Game 1 he had three singles and drove in the only Chicago run in a 3-1 loss. He singled and scored in the first inning of Game 2, and did so again to tie the score 2-2 in the third inning though they went on to lose 6-3. He doubled and scored in the fifth inning of Game 3 for a 1-0 lead, but they lost 5-2; he had two more hits in the 8-3 Game 4 loss.
In he batted .298 and tied for the NL lead in steals with 17, also finishing second in runs (112) and pacing the league in putouts (177). He had another outstanding campaign in , topping the league in putouts (175), assists (302) and double plays (27), finishing fourth with a .317 batting average, and tying for the NL lead in hits (191). He was one behind the league leader with 21 steals, and was fourth in doubles (38, a personal best), fifth in runs (101), and sixth in on base percentage (.395) and total bases (265). Although he did not make the All-Star team, he finished eighth in the MVP balloting. On May 17 of that year, he suffered a concussion after being hit in the head by a foul ball while standing on third base as a baserunner. saw him duplicate the previous year's accomplishments by again finishing fourth in the NL with a .317 batting mark and leading the league in hits; he was second in the league with a .417 on base percentage and 111 runs, fourth in walks and fifth in doubles. And in he was third in hits and doubles, fourth in runs and walks, and fifth in on base percentage, while again batting .300 and leading the NL in fielding average for the first time with a .965 mark.
1943 saw a slight dropoff in his performance, though he was still among the league leaders in walks and on base percentage, with a .289 batting average, and was again an All-Star; but a strained relationship with manager Jimmie Wilson
Jimmie Wilson
James Wilson , nicknamed "Ace," was an American professional athlete in soccer and baseball.He began his professional sports career as a soccer outside right in the National Association Football League and American Soccer League before becoming a catcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball...
led Hack to retire at season's end. He was persuaded to return in mid-1944 after Grimm returned to lead the team, and batted .282 in 98 games – his lowest mark in over ten years – with similarly lowered averages in slugging and OBP. But marked a full comeback as he enjoyed one of his best years, leading the NL again in putouts (195) and fielding average (.975), and setting a record with 54 consecutive errorless games. He hit a career-high .323 (fourth in the league), and finished third in OBP (.420), hits (193) and walks (99) and fifth in runs (110). The Cubs won the pennant by three games, and Hack finished eleventh in the MVP vote, won by teammate Phil Cavarretta
Phil Cavarretta
Philip Joseph Cavarretta was an American Major League Baseball first baseman, outfielder, and manager.Cavarretta spent almost his entire baseball career with the Chicago Cubs. He was voted the National League Most Valuable Player after leading the Cubs to the pennant while winning the batting...
. In the World Series
1945 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 2:Thursday, October 4, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 3:Friday, October 5, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan...
against the Tigers, he hit .367, though memories of the last game of the 1935 Series lingered. In Game 1 at Detroit he was observed staring out toward third base, and when asked what he was looking at he replied, "I was just looking to see if I was still standing there." He reached base four times in a 4-1 loss in Game 2, and had two hits in the 3-0 Game 3 win. Game 6 at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
was a thrilling affair; after a walk and a single in his first two turns at the plate, he singled with the bases loaded in the fifth inning to give the Cubs a 2-1 lead, and went on to score himself. After another walk and single, he came to bat in the 12th inning with the score tied 7-7, two out and pinch runner Bill Schuster
Bill Schuster
William Charles Schuster , was a professional baseball player who played short stop in the Major Leagues from 1937-1945. He would play for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Braves, and Chicago Cubs.-External links:...
on first base; Hack doubled to left field off Tiger pitcher Dizzy Trout
Dizzy Trout
Paul Howard "Dizzy" Trout was a Major League Baseball pitcher primarily for the Detroit Tigers. Born in Sandcut, Indiana, he first played professionally in 1935 with the Terre Haute Tots in the Three-I League before signing with Detroit in 1939.Trout played for the Tigers for fourteen seasons,...
, with the ball taking a sharp bounce over outfielder Hank Greenberg
Hank Greenberg
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg , nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank" or "The Hebrew Hammer," was an American professional baseball player in the 1930s and 1940s. A first baseman primarily for the Detroit Tigers, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation...
's shoulder, giving the Cubs an 8-7 win and tying the Series. But Chicago lost 9-3 in Game 7, and to date the team has not made another appearance in the Fall Classic.
In 1946 he hit .285 in only 92 games, though he was still fifth in the league with 83 walks. He ended his career in with a .271 average in 76 games. In a 16-season career, Hack had 57 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 642 RBI; his totals of 1938 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, 7278 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s and 2193 hits ranked second in Cubs history to 19th-century first baseman Cap Anson
Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson , nicknamed "Cap" and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman...
, and his totals in hits, doubles (363) and total bases (2889) placed him behind only Traynor among NL third basemen. His 1239 runs were the third most by a third baseman, behind only Arlie Latham
Arlie Latham
Walter Arlington Latham was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball from -. He died in Garden City, New York, at the age of 92.-Personality:...
(1478) and Lave Cross
Lave Cross
Lafayette Napoleon Cross was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who played most of his 21-year career with Philadelphia-based teams in four different leagues...
(1333); his 165 stolen bases were the fourth most by any National Leaguer between 1920 and 1950, trailing only Frankie Frisch
Frankie Frisch
Francis “Frankie” Frisch , nicknamed the "Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was a German American Major League Baseball player of the early twentieth century....
, Max Carey
Max Carey
Max George Carey was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who starred for the Pittsburgh Pirates and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961...
and Kiki Cuyler
Kiki Cuyler
Hazen Shirley "Kiki" Cuyler was a Major League Baseball right fielder from 1921 until 1938. He was born in Harrisville, Michigan.Cuyler broke into the big leagues in 1921 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and became a fixture in the lineup in 1924...
. He was only 27 games behind Traynor's league record for games at third base, and was behind only Traynor and Heinie Groh
Heinie Groh
Henry Knight "Heinie" Groh was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball who spent nearly his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. He was the National League's top third baseman in the late 1910s and early 1920s, and captained championship teams with the Reds and ...
in career double plays in the NL. His total of 1092 walks – then the most by any third baseman – placed him behind only Mel Ott
Mel Ott
Melvin Thomas Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
(1708), Jimmy Sheckard
Jimmy Sheckard
Samuel James Tilden "Jimmy" Sheckard was an American left fielder and left-handed leadoff hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms/Superbas , Baltimore Orioles , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago Cubs , St...
(1134) and Billy Hamilton (1096) in NL history. In , Chipper Jones
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
moved ahead of his career on base percentage among NL third basemen.
Managing
Hack became a minor league manager, leading Des Moines in 1948-49, Springfield in 1950 and the Los Angeles AngelsLos Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
from 1951–53, and then took over as Cubs manager in spring training of 1954, replacing Cavarretta. They had losing campaigns during each of his three seasons running the team. He became a batting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in 1957-58, managing them for the last ten games in 1958, and then returned to managing in the minor leagues in Denver (1959), Salt Lake City (1965) and Dallas-Fort Worth (1966).
Personal life and Post-career
He later became a restaurant manager, with his second wife Gwen, and died at age 70 in Dixon, IllinoisDixon, Illinois
Dixon is a city in Lee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,733 as of the 2010 census, down from 15,941 at the 2000 census. Named for its founder, John Dixon , it is the county seat of Lee County. Located on the Rock River, Dixon was the boyhood home of former U.S...
. His first wife Dorothy Weisel Hack
Dorothy Weisel Hack
Dorothy Weisel Hack was born in Sacramento, California, and was an amateur American tennis player in the 1920s and 1930s. She was ranked as high as No. 3 in the U.S. rankings during her career.-Career:...
was a prominent amateur tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player. He is buried in Grand Detour Cemetery in Grand Detour Illinois.
Quotations
- "I watch the ball more than most hitters. I let it get right up on me - maybe I even swing a little late." - explaining why most of his hits went to the opposite field
- "Hack came closest to an earthly manifestation of the ideal third baseman of the day. Tall, slender, handsome, confident – Hack was the idol of every sandlot urchin playing third base in a pair of torn knickers." - William Curran, author of a study on baseball fielding
See also
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
External links
- BaseballLibrary - career highlights