Never met a pitch that he didn't like.

The triple is the most exciting play? How about Willie legging out an inside-the-parker? Wow.

We elected Cool Papa Bell and we're not going to elect Wilson, and I suppose there are differences - longer career for Bell, maybe more power. Bell was, by reputation, the fastest player of the Negro Leagues. Among major leaguers, Wilson's statistical record shows the clearest evidence of speed of anyone.

Wilson's career OPS+ was 93; Bell's was 103 (using Chris Cobb's early estimates for his seasons in the Mexican League) or 106 (using Dr. C's later estimates). Wilson's last year as a regular came at age 36; Bell's at age 43. Those are the kind of differences that define the HoM's in/out line.

I'm a bit surprised that Garry Maddox is not on his BBRef comps, I thought of them as being similar players, fast turf OF's with a couple of WS. Maybe Lonnie Smith would have a good idea whether they had similar styles since he played with both.

Some oddities about Wilson - never did learn any plate discipline- it's well known (or often alleged) that he altered his approach to make harder contact- but if so it had no effect on his XBH rate...

It was a commment about Wilson in the 1986 Baseball Abstract that lead me to realize that yes, the fanboy side of Bill James could periodically cloud his analysis... He had taken umbrage with a pre WS artcle which had compared the Royals and STL position by position- he had a few points namely the paper had listed STL's pitching and defense as both being superior- yet KC had teh better ERA relative to league...
Where he lost it was the temerity of some writer in asserting that Willie McGee was a better player, in 1985, than Willie Wilson- he claimed that McGee's 1985 batting title was no more relevant that Wilson's 1982 title...
McGee in 1985 was 26 coming off three straight seasons of 91, 104 and 148 OPS+, Wilson was 29, coming off three straight season of 85, 104, 97. I think it was pretty clear that by 1985 McGee was the better player. Throw in 20/20 hindsight, McGee's OPS+ for the next 3 seasons would be 87, 94, 101- but Wilson's were 83, 83, 74...

Amazingly fast runner though.

Willson still has the single season AB record. Ichiro fell one short in 2004.

Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies broke Wilson's record tonight with two-plus games remaining. If current events hold up there is a very good chance he will, like Wilson in 1980, take a few hacks in October.

Wilson only had 28 bb in 1980, and only about 15 other plate appearances from HBP, IBB and sacrifices, which is one reason he had so many abs. Never realized he never had more than 39 bb in a season, despite lots of plate appearances.