Selected by the Veterans Committee, Wilson was a true character of the game during the 1920’s and 1930’s, slugging his way into the record books.
While he did have a productive career, it’s arguably the 1930 season alone that got him on the road to Cooperstown when he hit 56 home runs, a National League record that stood until guys like McGwire and Sosa came along, while driving in a STILL record 191 runs, along with 146 runs scored, 208 hits and a .356 batting average.
Easily one of the greatest offensive seasons in baseball history, it kept Wilson on the minds of baseball fans decades after his playing days were over.
He hit a total of 244 homers during his 12-year career, with 1063 RBI’s and 884 runs scored to go along with his .307 batting average.
A bit of a drinker in his lifetime, his career was derailed by the time he was in his early 30’s, having his last productive season in 1932 at the age of 32 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
He was out of the game by 34 after a handful of games with the Philadelphia Phillies, and sadly died at the age of 48 penniless in part because of his drinking and hard life.