Hank Greenberg was six feet tall and broad, a man known for his massive forearms and a last name that made headlines in all the wrong ways.

In Detroit, Hank Greenberg became more than a baseball player.

He was a statement in the form of a man.

One that proudly declared that a Bronx Jewish kid could be right at the forefront of America’s favorite game.

Hank Greenberg was raised in working-class Bronx, the son of Romanian-Jewish immigrants. A smart man with a deep love of sports, he chose baseball over basketball, football, and the Ivy League at a time when antisemitism simmered just beneath the surface of American life, recognizing that while the odds were stacked against him, that didn’t mean he had to stop chasing his dreams.

Instead, he went full in on them, and by 1930 the Detroit Tigers had signed Greenberg, with him making his big debut in 1933.</p

By 1934, Hank Greeberg was a starting first baseman, and by 1935, the most feared hitter in the American League, hitting .328 with 36 homers and 170 RBIs that year and winning his first MVP award before going on to help the Tigers win their first World Series title.

He was so memorable on the field that many referred to him as “The Hebrew Hammer” – and not always kindly.

Fans and opposing players hurled antisemitic slurs at Greenberg from dugouts, bleachers, and the press box, yet he seldom replied.

Instead, his bat spoke for him.

In 1938, he hit 58 homers – two shy of Babe Ruth’s record – a near-miss some believe was tainted by pitchers who did not want to see a Jewish man remake baseball history.

But Greenberg never complained.

He simply showed up and hit, making being Jewish look like a strength and not a weakness.

In the 1934 pennant race, Greenberg made national headlines not for hitting, but for refusing to hit.

In honor of his faith, he sat out a crucial late-season game on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.

His absence drew immense public backlash, yet it also turned him into a cultural icon practically overnight.

No other major leaguer other than Hank Greenberg lost nearly four full seasons of playing time because of their beliefs.

Hank then briefly enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces shortly after Pearl Harbor without deferment.

At 30, it seemed he had chosen country over career.

That is until 1945, when he landed a grand slam on the final day of the Tigers’ regular season, which would ultimately lead to them going on to win the 1945 World Series -their second championship under Greenberg.

In 1947, Greenberg was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and retired after one season, going on to become an executive, scout, mentor, and eventually, the first Jewish general manager in American team sports – a feat that helped open doors for players of all backgrounds, including African Americans in the post-Jackie Robinson era.

In short: Hank Greenberg was more than a baseball icon.

He was a man who stood tall and proud even in the face of hatred and the kind of pressure that most of us cannot even fathom.

He made being different just a little bit easier, turning Detroit into a place where a Bronx Jewish kid could not only survive – but become a king.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: June 21, 2025