1961 Fleer Autograph Project - Part 13

 I really need to get caught up here.  I now have 4 autograph project posts that need to written and one addition to my player collections to review.   This is the 13th signed 1961 Fleer card I have added to my collection:

The back reads:

Hack was one of the greatest of all National League third basemen.  With only two years of minor league ball at Sacramento and Albany, Hack became a Cub regular in 1934, hitting .289.  In six seasons, he hit .300 or better. In five years, he led third basemen in put outs, two years in fielding and two years in assists. After retiring from playing in 1948 he managed Des Moines, Springfield, Los Angeles and the Cubs.

I am not sure on what basis they consider him among the greatest third baseman, at the time. Modern metrics peg him as a roughly league average fielder.  I have to assume it is based on his offense. He put up 52.7 oWAR (vs. 1.4 dWAR) over his career.  Though not a power hitter (57 career HRs), he did manage a .301/.394/.397 slash line over 16 years with the Cubs. He was an on base machine, scoring nearly twice as many runs as he drove in.  He was close to being a Cubs lifer, except for a short stint as a Cardinals coach and manager (10 games to close out 1958.)

Many, including Bill James, thinks Hack should be in the Hall of Fame. Modern HOF metrics don't look favorably on him, but it is hard to say how much of that is due to the changing nature of baseball and the "popularity" of power.

Coming up next:  A fabulous Christmas gift to myself

What I am listening to: I'll Drink to You by Duke Jupiter