Hank greenberg military service
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First Base, Outfield
TEAM: Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates
Born: Jan. 1, 1911 - Sept. 4, 1986
Greenberg was the first Jewish baseball superstar, and, as a symbol of pride, one of the most important Jews in America during the 20th Century. While playing for Detroit in 1934, he drew national attention by refusing to play on Yom Kippur despite the Tigers being involved in a pennant race. The American League MVP in 1935 and 1940, he became the first Jewish inductee in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956. “Hammerin’ Hank” signed with the Tigers after being heavily recruited by the New York Yankees, who already had Lou Gehrig at first base. A five-time All-Star, he led the American League in home runs four times, including 58 in 1938. His 331 career home run total would have been higher, had he not lost three full seasons and two partial seasons to military service during World War II. He was the first American League player and first prominent major leaguer to register for the first peacetime draft. In 1940, Greenberg switched from first base to left field to get young
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Hank Greenberg
Hank Benjamin Greenberg is one of the most famous Jewish American baseball players of all time.
Greenberg (born January 1, 1911; died September 4, 1986) was born into an Orthodox Jewish household. By the time he reached high school in the Bronx, Greenberg stood 6'3" and was an All-City athlete in soccer and basketball, but his favorite sport was baseball. Somewhat awkward in the field, Greenberg chose first base as his position. In 1929, Greenberg was offered a contract by the New York Yankees but turned it down because the immortal iron man Lou Gehrig was the incumbent Yankee first baseman. Instead, after spending a year at New York University, Greenberg signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers.
Greenberg spent three years in the minor leagues, working hard each day to improve his fielding and hitting. After being named Most Valuable Player in the Texas League, he was promoted to the Tigers in 1933, batting .301 and driving in 87 runs.
In 1934, led by Greenberg's .339 batting average, the Tigers jumped from fifth place in the American League to
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Hank Greenberg
American baseball player (1911–1986)
"The Hebrew Hammer" redirects here. For other uses, see Hebrew Hammer (disambiguation).
Baseball player
| Hank Greenberg | |
|---|---|
Greenberg in 1946 | |
| First baseman / Left fielder | |
| Born:(1911-01-01)January 1, 1911 Manhattan, New York, U.S. | |
| Died: September 4, 1986(1986-09-04) (aged 75) Beverly Hills, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| September 14, 1930, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| September 18, 1947, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Batting average | .313 |
| Home runs | 331 |
| Runs batted in | 1,276 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| |
| Induction | 1956 |
| Vote | 85.0% (ninth ballot) |
Henry Benjamin Greenberg (January 1, 1911 – September 4, 1986), nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank", "Hankus Pankus", and "the Hebrew Hammer", was an Ameri
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