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 Hank Greenberg Photo Gallery
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Let’s Remember Hank Greenberg!

 

Thanks to our resident baseball artist, Don Stokes, for reminding us that January 1 is the birthday anniversary of Hank Greenberg.  So to commemorate the occasion, here’s a beautiful colorization of Hank from Don’s skillful hands done a couple years ago. 

We know Don always does extensive research for his work, so we can always be sure of the accuracy of the colorization. Also, check out the patch on Hank’s sleeve. That’s the Baseball Centennial patch, commemorating baseball’s 100th anniversary (1839-1939). It’s our clue the photo is from the 1939 season. 

This also gives me a chance to say a few words about the career of the great slugger, born this day in 1911. The 6’3″, 210 lb. first baseman/outfielder was one of the premier sluggers of his generation and is widely considered by baseball historians one of the best hitters ever. He played 13 seasons in the majors (1930-’47), with three prime seasons lost to military service. Known for his success with the Tigers (1930, 1933-’41, 1945-’46), he also played one season for the Pirates (1947). That year he was one of the few opposing players to welcome Jackie Robinson to the major leagues. Hank is also recognized as the first Jewish superstar, attracting national attention in 1934 when he refused to play on Yom Kippur.

Over his career, the four-time All-Star hit .313, with 337 home runs,1276 RBIs, .412 on-base percentage, .605 slugging average, and 158 OPS+ (100 being the major league average), hitting over .300 eight times. Hank had many great seasons, but his best might be 1937 when he hit .337, with an American League record 184 RBIs, 40 home runs, 49 doubles, 14 triples, 137 runs, .436 on-base percentage, .668 slugging average, and 171 OPS+. His 58 home runs in 1938 equaled Jimmie Foxx’s 1932 mark for the most in one season by anyone but Babe Ruth.

Hank was a two-time American League MVP (the first player to win the award in two different positions), a four-time home run leader, a four-time RBI leader, and a member of four Tiger pennant winners and two World Series championships. Hank was the first major league player to hit 25 or more home runs in a season in each league.

After his playing career ended, Hank teamed up with Bill Veeck and entered the executive ranks as farm director and later General Manager for the  Indians. During his tenure, Hank sponsored more African American players than any other major league executive which led to the team’s success in the 1950s. In 1959, Veeck and Greenberg purchased the White Sox, with Veeck serving as president and Greenberg as vice president/General Manager, leading the White Sox to their first pennant since 1919.

Hank Greenberg was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956. He passed away on September 4, 1986 age 75.

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Gary Livacari 

Photo Credits: Featured photo colorized by Don Stokes; all others from Google search

Information: Excerpts edited from Hank Greenberg Wikipedia page; Stats from Baseball-Reference

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