Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg (January 1, 1911–September 4, 1986), nicknamed
"Hammerin' Hank," was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseballBaseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system.-North America:...
player in the 1930s and 1940s.
A
first basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base, and is responsible for the...
primarily for the
Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in . The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant 10 times...
, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation. He hit 58 home runs in
1938-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Chicago Cubs *All-Star Game, July 6 at Crosley Field: National League, 4-1-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Jimmie Foxx, Boston Red Sox, 1B...
, equalling
Jimmie FoxxJames Emory "Jimmie" Foxx was an American first baseman and noted power hitter in Major League Baseball...
's mark for the most home runs in one season by any player between
1927-Headline Event of the Year:*Murderers' Row lead New York Yankees to World Series victory.*Babe Ruth hits 60 home runs.-Champions:* World Series: New York Yankees over Pittsburgh Pirates...
(when
Babe RuthGeorge Herman Ruth, Jr. , also popularly known as "Babe" Ruth, "The Bambino", and "The Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from –...
set a record of 60) and
1961-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Cincinnati Reds ; Whitey Ford, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Candlestick Park: National League, 5-4 *All-Star Game , July 31 at Fenway Park: 1-1 tie...
(when
Roger MarisRoger Eugene Maris was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who is primarily remembered for hitting 61 home runs for the New York Yankees during the 1961 season...
surpassed it).
Henry Benjamin "Hank" Greenberg (January 1, 1911–September 4, 1986), nicknamed
"Hammerin' Hank," was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseballBaseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system.-North America:...
player in the 1930s and 1940s.
A
first basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base, and is responsible for the...
primarily for the
Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in . The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant 10 times...
, Greenberg was one of the premier power hitters of his generation. He hit 58 home runs in
1938-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Chicago Cubs *All-Star Game, July 6 at Crosley Field: National League, 4-1-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player**Jimmie Foxx, Boston Red Sox, 1B...
, equalling
Jimmie FoxxJames Emory "Jimmie" Foxx was an American first baseman and noted power hitter in Major League Baseball...
's mark for the most home runs in one season by any player between
1927-Headline Event of the Year:*Murderers' Row lead New York Yankees to World Series victory.*Babe Ruth hits 60 home runs.-Champions:* World Series: New York Yankees over Pittsburgh Pirates...
(when
Babe RuthGeorge Herman Ruth, Jr. , also popularly known as "Babe" Ruth, "The Bambino", and "The Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from –...
set a record of 60) and
1961-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Cincinnati Reds ; Whitey Ford, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Candlestick Park: National League, 5-4 *All-Star Game , July 31 at Fenway Park: 1-1 tie...
(when
Roger MarisRoger Eugene Maris was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball who is primarily remembered for hitting 61 home runs for the New York Yankees during the 1961 season...
surpassed it). Greenberg was a five-time
All-StarThe Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also popularly known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, was twice named the
American LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, that eventually aspired to major league...
's Most Valuable Player, and was elected to the
Hall of FameThe National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
in
1956-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers ; Don Larsen, MVP*All-Star Game, July 10 at Griffith Stadium: National League, 7-3-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Cienfuegos *College World Series: Minnesota...
.
Greenberg was the first Jewish superstar in American professional sports. He attracted national attention in
1934-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers *All-Star Game, July 10 at Polo Grounds: American League, 9-7-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player:**American League: Mickey Cochrane, Detroit Tigers, C...
when he refused to play baseball on
Yom KippurYom Kippur , also known as the Day of Forgiveness, is the holiest day of the year for religious Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services...
, the Jewish day of atonement, even though the Tigers were in the middle of a pennant race.
Early life
Greenberg was born on January 1, 1911, in the Bronx
http://www.ujc.org/page.aspx?id=985, New York City to an Orthodox Jewish family. Greenberg lacked coordination as a youngster and
flat feetFlat feet is an informal reference to a medical condition in which the arch of the foot collapses, with the entire sole of the foot coming into complete or near-complete contact with the ground...
prevented him from running fast.
http://espn.go.com/classic/s/add_greenberg_hank.html But he worked diligently to overcome his inadequacies. He attended
James Monroe High SchoolFor schools with a similar name, see James Monroe High School.James Monroe High School was a New York City public school located in the Soundview section of the Bronx....
in
the Bronx