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When Jackie and Hank Met
Jackie and Hank were born eight years and one thousand miles apart. Nobody knew these babies would grow up and play baseball. Nobody knew Jackie and Hank would meet and become heroes. Jackie Robinson and Hank Greenberg were two very different people. But they both became Major League Baseball players, and they both faced a lot of the same challenges in their lives and careers. For Jackie, it was because of his skin color For Hank, it was because of his religion. On May 17, 1947 these two men met for the first time colliding at first base in a close play. While the crowd urged them to fight, Jackie and Hank chose a different path. This is the story of two men who went on to break the barriers of race and religion in American sports and became baseball legends in the process. Beautiful text by Cathy Goldberg Fishman is paired with sumptuous paintings by Mark Elliott. Generous back matter material includes a photo and prose biography of each man, timelines, quotes, resources to learn more, and a selected bibliography.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 9, 2012
Jackie Robinson was a remarkable athlete and I've year about him my entire life. While I haven't been exposed to the life of Hank Greenberg as much. Their stories are parallel with racial discrimination and a drive to compete to become the best they could be. This story is written at a 6-8 year old level and deals with the issues accordingly. The illustrations are amazing. The dynamics of the story left this 40+ year old in awe while the children I read the story to asked tons of questions (which is incredible and how we all learn). Truly a work of art that should make it to every library and hands of every child.
October 6, 2019
We've read a lot of books on Jackie Robinson, and I really like this one. Hank Greenberg, after breaking his own barriers to play baseball, at the close of his career, meeting young Jackie Robinson and setting an example for others. Certainly this leaves out a lot of both of their stories but it is complete in and of itself and is a great read for young baseball fans.
December 19, 2018
A nice combination of two stories of men who fought the odds and became great baseball players.
December 2, 2020
Terrific dual picture-book biography.
February 6, 2023
This book was very interesting to read. I am glad I came across it in the public library display for Black History Month.
April 25, 2024
I really liked how this story was told with the parallel timelines and talking about physical distance.
February 27, 2015
Nonfiction/Twin Text Entry #1
I paired When Jackie and Hank Met with Jackie and Me by Dan Gutman. I picked this book to be a fiction twin text because this book is not completely truthful, yet there are a lot of facts in the book when Joe, the main character, travels back in time to the 1940's with Jackie Robinson. Also in my nonfiction book in mentioned the racism that both Jackie and Hank faced and in Jackie and Me, the main character is bullied at the beginning because of his Polish heritage. Showing that Joe could understand problems Jackie faced when they met. This book, along with the nonfiction book, helps the reader understand more about Jackie Robinson and the racism he faced while on and off the field, and the terrible things people said to him hoping he would fight them, but he did not. These were outlined in Jackie and Me by showing horrible letters people wrote him and during baseball games he remarks that were said. In When Jackie and Hank Met, the racism Jackie faced was also talked about, but in less detail. Also in the nonfiction book when Jackie slid into Hank and the crowd wanted them to fight, but they did not because Hank knew the racist remarks Jackie was getting at that time and Hank could empathize with Jackie.
I paired When Jackie and Hank Met with Jackie and Me by Dan Gutman. I picked this book to be a fiction twin text because this book is not completely truthful, yet there are a lot of facts in the book when Joe, the main character, travels back in time to the 1940's with Jackie Robinson. Also in my nonfiction book in mentioned the racism that both Jackie and Hank faced and in Jackie and Me, the main character is bullied at the beginning because of his Polish heritage. Showing that Joe could understand problems Jackie faced when they met. This book, along with the nonfiction book, helps the reader understand more about Jackie Robinson and the racism he faced while on and off the field, and the terrible things people said to him hoping he would fight them, but he did not. These were outlined in Jackie and Me by showing horrible letters people wrote him and during baseball games he remarks that were said. In When Jackie and Hank Met, the racism Jackie faced was also talked about, but in less detail. Also in the nonfiction book when Jackie slid into Hank and the crowd wanted them to fight, but they did not because Hank knew the racist remarks Jackie was getting at that time and Hank could empathize with Jackie.
May 19, 2016
I've read other books about Jackie Robinson. What a courageous man he was, and what awesome things he did, personal baseball achievements plus achievements for everyone who had been excluded. This time the story is about Jackie and Hank Greenberg, and new parts of history I didn't know. Hank Greenberg didn't have quite the hurdles Jackie faced, but some of them. There were those who wanted to exclude him too because he was Jewish. I really didn't know that signs in stores included Blacks, Jews, Native Americans, and other ethnic groups. The book chronicles these two men's lives from birth and family moves, through World War II and into baseball achievement and challenges. They first met from opposing teams when Jackie made a hit, and slid into Hank, the first baseman. The crowd yelled for a fight, but they did not, they showed they would fight for everyone's rights, but not because someone was different. There is much more about each one in the back matter: information, a timeline and additional resources. Elliott illustrates each part of the story beautifully, with paintings of action and portraits of these famous men.
October 24, 2013
Very nice picture book comparing the lives and careers of baseball players Jackie Robinson and Hank Greenberg. Shows their similar backgrounds, moving to new neighborhoods and experiencing discrimination as a child and adult (Hank for being Jewish, Jackie for being black), working their way into the Big Leagues, then fighting for their country in World War II. All the while they are living thousands of miles apart, but getting closer, until one day they "meet" when their teams play a game against each other and they happen to collide on the ballfield. But their gentlemanly reaction shows their true character. Nice soft-toned acrylic paintings in realistic style portray the two men in pivotal moments, side by side in split screen or solo. Written clearly and simply for young readers, with nice list of more reading and even links to online versions of songs written about the two players; selected bibliography. Emphasizes how they rose above the petty fears and insults of their detractors in a dignified fashion.
February 20, 2013
"Jackie and Hank were born eight years and one thousand miles apart. Nobody knew these babies would grow up and play baseball. Nobody knew Jackie and Hank would meet and become heroes."
When Jackie and Hank Met has a rhythmic text that tells the story of two men, one African-American, one Jewish, who broke the barriers of race and religion in American sports and ultimately became baseball legends.
Hank Greenberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 23, 1956, and Jackie Robinson into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 23, 1962. The book was published last summer on the 50th anniversary of Robinson's induction.
Nice timing.
Cathy Fishman's website has a link to "Goodbye, Mr. Ball, Goodbye," sung by Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby & Hank Greenberg. Don't miss it:
http://www.cathygoldbergfishman.com/R...
When Jackie and Hank Met has a rhythmic text that tells the story of two men, one African-American, one Jewish, who broke the barriers of race and religion in American sports and ultimately became baseball legends.
Hank Greenberg was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 23, 1956, and Jackie Robinson into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 23, 1962. The book was published last summer on the 50th anniversary of Robinson's induction.
Nice timing.
Cathy Fishman's website has a link to "Goodbye, Mr. Ball, Goodbye," sung by Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby & Hank Greenberg. Don't miss it:
http://www.cathygoldbergfishman.com/R...
October 15, 2016
I really enjoyed reading this book. I am a fan of baseball and of these two great players and I loved how the author told the story of them meeting for the first time. What resonated with me was how the author told the story and showed the readers that Jackie and Hank were very alike in many ways. The illustrations were very detailed and lifelike. I was drawn to how the author talked about the prejudice these two men faced along with many other minorities and how they fought against that. This book educated me more on these two historical baseball players and how they met. I would recommend this book to others because it is interesting and full of valuable information. I think that this is a book that anyone would enjoy reading, not just people that like sports.
April 1, 2013
Before I intentionally place a book on the shelves of my classroom library, I try to read it. This morning, I read When Jackie and Hank Met. It's a wonderful book that explores not only the integration of major league baseball, but it also how prejustice is not limited to the color of your skin but to other facets as well. Jackie said that Hank was a man of class; so was Jackie.
August 21, 2012
Easy to understand and clever concept, documenting the actual physcical distance between the two until the fateful day they met.
January 26, 2013
Two different men who both played baseball and fought for the rights of people everywhere. Great book for black history month.
February 16, 2016
Not a huge baseball fan, but I learned a lot about Hank Greenberg.
April 14, 2017
Nice short story that introduces kids to two great men in baseball history.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews