Official RBI Mark in Question
Juan Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers might break major league baseball’s RBI record. A baseball historian is trying to change the mark before the power-hitting outfielder does.
Clifford Kachline, a former historian with the National Baseball Hall of Fame, says the RBI record currently on the books--190 by the Chicago Cubs’ Hack Wilson in 1930--is one off, citing an official scorekeeper’s mistake.
Kachline claims a scorekeeper shortchanged the Cub slugger of an RBI during a game against Cincinnati on July 28, 1930. Researchers say that newspaper accounts verify the mystery RBI.
Kachline and other historians say they researched all of Wilson’s other RBIs that year the same way, and came up with 191. He will present the information to official record-keepers.
Gonzalez has a major-league leading 101 RBIs, but he hasn’t driven in a run since the All-Star break.
With the Ranger outfielder threatening the record, Kachline feels now is the time to correct the record books.
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