Remarkable: one-season performances: here are some extraordinary accomplishments achieved by batters and pitchers that are among the greatest in baseball history

Baseball Digest, Sept, 2005 by George Vass

There were other highlights in Medwick's career, of course, including setting the N.L. record for doubles with 64 in 1936, hitting 40 or more doubles seven consecutive seasons (19331939), and leading the N.L. in RBI for three straight years (1935-1937).

It's his near monopoly of the batting categories in 1937 that was his most remarkable achievement, a fact somewhat obscured by the usual almost offhand mention of the Triple Crown he won that year.

Medwick was gone by the time Musial joined the Cardinals in 1941. Stan the Man almost duplicated his predecessor's 1937 achievements in his most remarkable season, 1948, when he just missed the Triple Crown, his 39 home runs falling one short of the 40 hit by the Giants' John Mize. Musial led the N.L. in batting (.376), runs (125), hits (230), doubles (46), triples (18), RBI (131), and slugging (.702).

Until a few years ago, Hack Wilson was credited with 190 RBI for the Chicago Cubs in 1930, before research corrected it to 191 This is one of the most enduring major league records, withstanding occasional assault for 75 years. Perhaps unfortunately, it also remains Wilson's chief claim to be recalled among the great sluggers of the past

Every once in a while, some modern hitter gets off to a huge start in RBI, and Wilson's mark surfaces in the media. It happened in 1998 when the Texas Rangers' Juan Gonzalez reached the All-Star Game break with more than 100 RBI. He faded to finish with a still creditable 157, even if 34 short of Wilson's total. The next year the Cleveland Indians' Manny Ramirez drove in 165, the most by a major leaguer since Jimmie Foxx's 175 for the Red Sox in 1938.,

Yet, only Lou Gehrig (184 in 1931) and Hank Greenberg (183 in .1937) have truly threatened Wilson's total, and that was long ago.

What seems odd in all this is that little attention has been paid to Wilson's complete achievements in 1930, a remarkable season for him--or anyone --over-all.

First of all, Wilson set the N.L. record for home runs with 56. It stood even longer than Babe Ruth's major league mark of 60 in 1927 which was eclipsed after 34 years by Roger Marls with 61 in 1961. Wilson's N.L. record endured 68 years, until the Cardinals McGwire wiped out both his and Maris-marks with 70 in 1998.

Additionally, Wilson batted .356 with 208 hits in 1930, among them 111 singles, 36 doubles, and six triples, while setting the RBI and home run records, and slugging .723. It was his fourth N.L. home run title.

Wilson also led the N.L. in RBI with 159 in 1929. That gave him 350 RBI over two seasons, a figure topped only by Gehrig with 358 (174 in 1930 and 184 in 1931). No one else has ever even come close to that many RBI in consecutive seasons.

Manager Joe McCarthy, who later directed Ruth, Gehrig, and DiMaggio as the Yankees' field boss, was sold on his stumpy (5-6), barrel-chested center fielder after the Cubs obtained him in the mid-1920s.

"I wouldn't trade him for any other outfielder in baseball," said McCarthy. "He can hit, field, run and throw."