Hank Greenberg: The Story of My Life

by Hank Greenberg, Ira Berkow (Editor)

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. Such a man was Hank Greenberg, whose dynamic life and legendary career are among baseball's most inspiring stories. The Story of My Life tells the story of this extraordinary man in his own words, describing his childhood as the son of Eastern European immigrants in New York; his spectacular baseball career as one of the greatest home-run hitters of all time and later as a manager and owner; his heroic service in World War II; and his courageous struggle with cancer. Tall, handsome, and uncommonly good-natured, Greenberg was a secular Jew who, during a time of widespread religious bigotry in America, stood up for his beliefs. Throughout a lifetime of anti-Semitic abuse he maintained his dignity, becoming in the process a hero for Jews throughout America and the first Jewish ballplayer elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Biography, Nonfiction

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Harold Kasselman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this biography. This is a very personal story from the words of Hank himself as recorded through tapes when Greenberg was an older man and retired from the game. Greenberg speaks openly about his relationship with his children, the reasons for his break up from his first wife Caral Gimbel, heir to the Gimbels and Sachs fortune, and his intensely personal feelings about the last year of his life when he learned that his pain was the result of a deadly cancer disease. Greenberg had made the tapes in anticipation of writing a biography. Ira Berkow did a wonderful job of condensing about 1,000 pages worth of notes and recordings from Greenberg and presenting a compelling portrait of baseball's first great Jewish player. Ironically, even in reviewing the book, I have likely offended Mr. Greenberg since he never wanted to be merely portrayed as "that Jewish player". He was not at all a religious man and frankly didn't believe in any organized religion. To him, religion tore people apart and caused hatred rather than uniting people. Still, the story of his life cannot be told without a discussion of his ethnicity and the impact it had on the public and most especially Jews in particular. Greenberg speaks candidly about this topic and the anti-semitism he endured as a player and as a General Manager of the Indians and White Sox.(He was refused residence at a hotel in Baltimore at an annual owners convention because of his faith.) Greenberg speaks of the treatment of his fellow players towards him including an incident where a player stood staring at him until eventually he said words to the effect that "you don't look different like I thought you would. You don't even look like a Jew. You don't have horns." Greenberg downplays the bias against him and rails against any comparison with what Jackie Robinson met, but he did offer a couple instances of severe harassment. For example, once during a game with the Chicago White Sox someone in the Sox dugout called Greenberg a dirty yellow Jew son of a bitch Jew while he was at bat. Later in the game, a Sox player deliberately spiked Hank on a play at first. After the game, Greenberg went alone into the Sox clubhouse and asked who had called him the anti-semitic name. There was silence and no one owned up to it. Greenberg was no shrinking violet. He wouldn't ever back down from a fight. There was also the time when his own teammate Rip Sewell, author the ephus pitch, called Greenberg a Jew bastard and Greenberg knocked him down when the team bus stopped at a rest stop. Sewell was traded after the incident. Berdie Tebbetts, a catcher with Cleveland said Greenberg took more abuse than any player he ever witnessed. This may have been especially true, Greenberg maintained, when he was going for Ruth's home run record in 1938. Hank felt more pressure as a Jew because he was a role model to so many and the opposing fans and even some Detroit fans didn't want a Jew to break the record. It was interesting to read quotes from former contemporaries about whether pitchers deliberately walked Greenberg so he couldn't break the record, Billy Sullivan a catcher, who would later be a teammate said that at least one pitcher said he didn't want to be the one to serve up a record breaking home run. Birdie Tebbets recalled an opposing pitcher telling Hank he would ease up on him and give him a good pitch to hit. Then he heard another opposing pitcher say "you're not going to hit any home runs off me you damn Jew." It's safe to say some pitchers didn't want their name in history like Al Downing, or they didn't want to lose a game so they walked him, or they were anti-semitic. Perhaps it was a combination of all three. But Greenberg himself calls the charge of deliberately pitching around him as "pure baloney". He said players were in fact largely rooting for him. There was one first baseman who deliberately dropped a foul ball to give Hank another shot at the record. And there was an umpire, Hank was very cordial with a few, who made calls in his favor on anything close. Greenberg was disappointed that he had come close to sixty, but he never considered himself to be in Babe's league nor did he consider himself a home run hitter. He prided himself on RBI's and he hit 183 one season; just one shy of the man he always wanted to beat Lou Gehrig. Hank was fiercely competitive in anything he did and he worked hard at the game. It didn't come naturally to him like it did to a Joe Dimaggio. That's why he was so hurt and bitter for years for only getting two all-star appearances.One other thing that Greenberg said fascinated me. He admitted that the team successfully stole signs in Cleveland in 1948 which enabled them to win the pennant. The idea came from using pitcher Tommy Bridges' rifle scope. They eventually planted a guy with binoculars in the upper stands who with arm gestures relayed the pitch. Hank especially used that to his advantage. Hank freely admitted that his Chicago White Sox team did the same in 1959 on their way to the pennant. As a player, he wold be a tough and knowledgeable negotiator. He was the first player in 1946 to negotiate for a deferred compensation salary. He also helped initiate the baseball pension plan as an owner later in his career.(another initiative I found interesting was that as a GM he got rid of the practice of leaving gloves on the field between innings). After 16 years of playing with Detroit the club sent him a telegraph saying that he had been waived for the waiver price of $10,000 to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the end of the 1946 season. Greenberg says in his book that he was bitter and destroyed by the manner with which the team had treated him. (bear in mind that he had led the league in home runs and RBIs in 1946) The apparent estrangement occurred as a result of an article that had been written in the Sporting News with a picture showing Hank Greenberg in Yankee pinstripes. The article went on to say that Greenberg wanted to end his career where he started it in the Bronx. But it did not quote Greenberg. According to Greenberg there was no truth to it and in fact the picture had been taken in 1940 when he played in an All-Star Game and had to borrow a Yankee uniform to play the game. In Pittsburgh he became the highest paid player in baseball but it was his last year. I thoroughly enjoyed his discussion of Bill Veeck and the relationship they had together. He was one old time owner I would have loved to have known. Finally, the last few pages provide the eulogies given by his children and a few notable friends like Walter Mattau. The last [age is a letter Hank wrote to his wife before surgery in his last year of life. It is quite poignant. I loved the book and I think it's a great read. I'm sorry for the length of the review but I want to record some of the items for the future.

[Chris McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

While at Comerica Park this summer I read on a historical marker of Hanks home run in his first game back from serving in WWII. That really intrigued me and I ordered this book. It was better than I expected and when I read the last page tonight I was very sad to say goodbye to Hank. What a wonderful man and a very enjoyable, well written story of his life. I highly recommend

[Edward Benyas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific book about a great athlete and great human being. Ira Berkow does a fine job of turning Hank's notes into a complete narrative, with appropriate annotations along the way. Recommended for all Detroiters, Jews and fans of baseball history.

[Sam Delson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring memoir by the greatest Jewish baseball player of the first half of the 20th century.

[Roger Piasecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a tigers fan of course I enjoyed the book . It’s been
fun to read books about my favorite team.

[Baseballgod1221 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review for Hank Greenberg: The Story Of My Life
By: Ethan Harvey
Do you adore baseball and love inspiring stories. Well you would admire this book. It is a memoir about Hank Greenberg who was the first Jewish baseball player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. It takes place mostly in the poor parts of New York and Detroit. The characters are him, his orthodox Jewish family, his baseball teammates, coaches etc. “Get out of here you’re a filthy Jew!” The conflict was the descrimination he got from other people. Also the criticism he had from the media. You will think this is an amazing book with all its drama and powerful feel.
This was an awesome book in my opinion because of its inspiration. I love baseball and this book. “I don’t like the hate I’m getting, I don’t deserve it.” Said Hank. I think a reader who is passionate about baseball or just sports in general and someone who has empathy. Because I had those things and I loved it. I give this book 4 stars because it was spectacular. Finally, I highly recommend this book to people who can take some bad language and some sadness.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the best baseball books and biographies that I have ever read! The story of a man who adhered to a strict code of ethics, was a devout man of faith, and an incredible baseball player is a wonderful reading pleasure. He was also a proud American who served in the military and always was a man of integrity. Mr. Greenberg is the lesser known of the greatest sluggers (Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio) of the 1930s and 1940s but every bit a star of his era. This is a solid biography of an important figure in baseball history.

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read. Like sitting in Hank's living room listening to his life not only in baseball, but life in general, his likes and dislikes. He was a man ahead of the "curve." He enjoyed his life, despised racial and religious bigotry, and touched a nation not because he was a Jew rather as a wholesome man.

[Monica]

Greenberg was a hugely charismatic figure. Also recommended it The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg, a brillant documentary of his life which was ten years in the making. The film got a standing ovation at it's premier screening in Detroit, Hank's adopted home.

[Gloria]

Saw the television show with Greenberg talking about his life as well as other luminaries discussing the importance of being one of the first Jews to play pro-ball. Detroit Tiger player. Interesting and can't wait to read it!

[Ronald · Rating 4 out of 5]

read some time in 1994