First published 2013
Hank Greenberg possessed one of the most beautiful swings in baseball history. His poised body unleashed a bat through the air with propeller speed and strength. This Detroit Tigers slugger challenged Babe Ruth's home run record and seemed destined for pure athletic glory. Then came September 1934. Greenberg chose to sit out a crucial game against the New York Yankees because it fell on Yom Kippur. That absence made him a hero to Jews across America, though he was thoroughly secular in his beliefs. Mark Kurlansky examines the man behind the legend, tracing Greenberg's Bronx childhood, his rigorous training discipline, and the complex motivations behind his religious observance decision. The biography places Greenberg's career within the context of widespread anti-Semitism in 1930s America. Kurlansky reveals a dignified athlete with genuine class who inspired Jackie Robinson and evolved into an avid reader after his playing days ended.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, american, sports, biography-memoir, baseball, jewish, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: inspirational, underdog
Setting: United States
Period: 1930s
192 pages · Paperback · Yale University Press