Hatred and home runs in the shadow of war, it was going to be a fairly straightforward look at his assault on one of the biggest records in sports, sprinkled with a bit of pop culture. Mar 29, 2011 with his decision to sit out a 1934 game between his tigers and the new york yankees because it fell on yom kippur, hank greenberg became a hero to jews throughout america. The joy of a biography is in the subject and the quality of the writing. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. The hero of heroes and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. This autobiography of hank greenberg tells of one of the most dynamic and inspiring stories in the history of baseball. How hank greenberg took on hitler in the summer of 1938 i came to feel that if i, as a jew, hit a home run, i was hitting one against hitler, his new biographer quotes hall of famer saying. The story of my life by ira berkow and hank greenberg 2001, hardcover at the. No obvious damage to the cover, with the dust jacket if applicable included for hard covers. The glory of joe dimaggio and hank greenberg the new york times. Add that passion to his time working for the american jewish congress and then for nearly a decade for the new jersey jewish news, and one can see why he was the perfect guy to tackle the subject of his new book. In his new book, the aig story, the man who ran the worlds largest insurer, maurice hank greenberg settles scores with the u. A quick, but interesting biography of hank greenberg the first major jewish baseball star. Yet, as kurlansky writes, he was the quintessential secular jew, and to celebrate him for his loyalty to religious observance is to ignore who this man was.
Ira berkow, who provided textual background for greenbergs autobiography, is a former pulitzer prizewinning new york times sports columnist and author of many books, including red. Its also available for football, basketball and hockey. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Jul 26, 2014 hank greenbergs triumph over hate speech. Greenberg s career is chronicled in the 2006 book fallen giant. Once in a great while there appears a baseball player who transcends the game and earns universal admiration from his fellow players, from fans, and from the american people. Understandably, most media coverage of his new book the aig story. The remarkable life story of the first jewish superstar athlete, by new york times bestselling author mark kurlansky one of the reasons baseball fans so love the sport is that it involves certain physical acts of beauty. One man modeled assimilation for a generation of jews struggling to find their way in the new world. In september 1934, detroit tigers slugger hank greenberg had to make some tough decisions. Add to that passion his time working for the american jewish congress and then for nearly a decade for the new jersey jewish news, and you can see why his publisher saw him as the perfect guy to tackle the subject of his new book. Larry tye, new york times bestselling author of satchel. Qa with author of new book on hank greenberg historic 38. Hatred and home runs in the shadow of war sports publishing, 2017 is about the jewish hall of famer as he was trying to make baseball history at the same.
The life and times of an american legend the best and most important biography ever. Greenberg was a hero to jews in america in the 30s and 40s and beyond, not just for being a great baseball player but for sitting out a regular. On a central illinois baseball field in 1931, a 20yearold minor leaguer named hank greenberg was heckled by the opposing teams third baseman. Ethan harvey do you adore baseball and love inspiring stories. Jun 02, 2017 how hank greenberg took on hitler in the summer of 1938. The book is of interest to anyone who loves vintage america during its entertainment heyday, depression years, and success stories of folks from modest background who have risen to hall of fame heights. A book that does not look new and has been read but is in excellent condition. Hank greenberg was born hyman greenberg on january 1, 1911, in greenwich village, new york city, to romanianborn jewish immigrant parents david and sarah greenberg, who owned a successful clothshrinking plant in new york.
Greenberg was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues. A former counsel to the new york state attorney general, general counsel to a major new york state agency and federal prosecutor, hank. However, i found reading part 2 very difficult to read, as i had to read about the almost maniacal antics of a new york state politician by the name of elliot spitzer, who had no business being nys ag, much less nys governor later on. As indicated by its title, klimas recently published book the game must go on. Coming soon new releases nook book bundles nook daily find nook foreign language. Hatred and home runs in the shadow of war sports publishing, were given a time capsule that recounts the entire 38 baseball season from a greenberg fans perspective, touching on the antisemitism he faced, the pressure of the home run chase, and the backdrop of a europe on the brink. How hank greenberg took on hitler in the summer of 1938 the. Hank greenberg batting for the detroit tigers in 1935. Sep 22, 2017 in september 1934, detroit tigers slugger hank greenberg had to make some tough decisions. Minnesota adjusts to new normal of masks worn in public. Such a man was hank greenberg, whose dynamic life and legendary career are among. In 1938, detroit tigers first baseman hank greenberg enjoyed one of the finest seasons of his hall of fame career, racking up a.
Jews across the us, worried about the issues overseas, looked to greenberg as a symbol of hope. Jun 05, 2011 short biographies of joe dimaggio and hank greenberg, two of the most feared hitters in baseball. Get scores, news and notes in your inbox every day. The book focuses quite a bit on the contrast of greenbergs own secularism with his fame as jewish athlete. How hank greenberg took on hitler in the summer of 1938 az. Hank greenberg in 1938 chronicles the events of 1938, both on the baseball diamond and the streets of europe. Hank greenberg in 1938 book by ron kaplan official. Just 11 years earlier, babe ruth who had saved baseball in the wake of the 1919 black sox scandal with his oversized personality. And one of the most beautiful sights in the history of baseball was hank greenbergs swing. As greenbergs bat had him on course for babe ruths home run record, hitlers final solution was beginning to take shape. A former counsel to the new york state attorney general, general counsel to a major new york state agency and federal prosecutor, hank has handled numerous highprofile matters. Hank greenberg was born on sunday, january 1, 1911, in new york, new york.
Hank greenberg serves as president of the new york state bar association, the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. Perhaps the level of recognition will change somewhat now that a new book has hit the shelves this spring. May 09, 20 hank greenberg, the former head of insurance giant aig, is both a controversial and monumental figure in the business world. Cathleen greenberg london, physician in milbridge, me. The value in rons book is his personal perspective of the sweep of the story. Hatred and home runs in the shadow of war sports publishing, 2017 is about the. Hank was complex, not religious, almost anti religion but the shoah made him a strident zionist. The amazing story of hank greenberg and the history of aig. The hero of heroes rosengren pens a textured taleof henry greenberg, the moses of baseball. Jul 15, 2015 as indicated by its title, klimas recently published book the game must go on. It is a memoir about hank greenberg who was the first jewish baseball player to be inducted into the hall of fame.
Hatred and home runs in the shadow of war is about the jewish hall of famer as he. Hank greenbergs legacy remembered detroit free press. In some ways, hank greenberg is the forgotten tiger great. With his broad shoulders and mighty bat, the hall of fame ballplayer transformed the way gentiles viewed jews and the way jews saw themselves.
And one of the most beautiful sights in the history of baseball was hank greenberg s swing. Rons tale of hank greenberg and aig is a rare opportunity for a personal look inside the history of an american and global business legend. He was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1956. When i first began work on my new book, hank greenberg in 1938.
Hatred and home runs in the shadow of war in new york journal of books. It takes place mostly in the poor parts of new york and detroit. The son of eastern european parents, he rose from the streets of new york to rank among the greatest homerun hitters of the game, and became the first jewish player to be elected to the hall of fame. Hank greenberg, american professional baseball player who, as one of the games best hitters, won two american league mvp awards 1935, 1940 and became the sports first jewish superstar. Short biographies of joe dimaggio and hank greenberg, two of the most feared hitters in baseball. He attended james monroe high school in the bronx, where he was an outstanding athlete in baseball, basketball and soccer. With his decision to sit out a 1934 game between his tigers and the new york yankees because it fell on yom kippur, hank greenberg became a hero to jews throughout america. The hero who didnt want to be one is on facebook the remarkable life story of the first jewish superstar athlete, by new york times bestselling author mark kurlansky one of the reasons baseball fans so love the sport is that it involves certain physical acts of beauty. Greenberg s 38 season revisited in new book tigers outfielder hit 58 home runs in the shadow of the rise of adolf hitler hank greenberg endured antisemitism on his quest to break babe ruths singleseason home run record in 1938. Hank greenberg, pete gray, and the great days of baseball on the home front in wwii thomas dunne books. Hank greenberg, the former head of insurance giant aig, is both a controversial and monumental figure in the business world. The glory of joe dimaggio and hank greenberg the new. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining. Jun 08, 20 in some ways, hank greenberg is the forgotten tiger great.
Greenberg was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on september 14, 1930, with the detroit tigers. The hero of heroes by john rosengren, 192 page hardback with jacket, 20. The hero of heroes published by nal tells the story of an iconic baseball figure who overcame antisemitism in forging a hall of fame career. Jun 02, 2017 hank greenberg batting for the detroit tigers in 1935. How hank greenberg took on hitler in the summer of 1938. Jun 12, 2017 add that passion to his time working for the american jewish congress and then for nearly a decade for the new jersey jewish news, and one can see why he was the perfect guy to tackle the subject of his new book. Henry b hank greenberg was born in new york city on january 1, 1911. Greenbergs 38 season revisited in new book tigers outfielder hit 58 home runs in the shadow of the rise of adolf hitler hank greenberg endured antisemitism on his quest to break babe ruths singleseason home run record in 1938. The game was starting soon, but tigers slugger hank greenberg still had not decided whether he was going to play. Greenbergs career is chronicled in the 2006 book fallen giant.
Now it really was official world war ii came early to detroit. Greenberg and lawrence cunningham wrote the aig story. Hank greenberg on china, iran and soviet minders cnbc. The story of my life and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle.