Hank Greenberg was an AMAZING baseball player. A team leader. A league leader. A Jew. Both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur fall in the regular season and in 1934 Greenberg's Detroit Tigers were involved in the pennant race. Greenberg wrote in his autobiography, "The team was fighting for first place, and I was probably the only batter in the lineup who was not in a slump. But in the Jewish religion, it is traditional that one observe the holiday solemnly, with prayer. One should not engage in work or play. And I wasn't sure what to do." Greenberg's rabbi said that Rosh Hashanah was a "festive holiday" and playing would be acceptable. Hank played and hit two home runs including a ninth inning game winner.
"I caught hell from my fellow parishioners, I caught hell from some rabbis, and I don't know what to do. It's ten days until the next holiday — Yom Kippur." Those words, and his choice not to play on Yom Kippur due to its significance, inspired Edgar Guest to pen the following prose.
"Suppose I stay out of the game and we lost the pennant by one game?" - Hank Greenberg
Came Yom KippurBy Edgar Guest © | Published in 1934 | Hank Greenberg |
Transcribed from The Detroit Free Press (1934) |
The Irish didn't like it when they heard of Greenberg's fame, For they thought a good first baseman should possess an Irish name; And the Murphys and Mulrooneys said they never dreamed they'd see A Jewish boy from Bronxville out where Casey used to be. In the early days of April not a Dugan tipped his hat Or prayed to see a "double" when Hank Greenberg came to bat. In July the Irish wondered where he'd ever learned to play. "He makes me think of Casey!" Old man Murphy dared to say; And with fifty-seven doubles and a score of homers made, The respect they had for Greenberg was being openly displayed. But on the Jewish New Year, when Hank Greenberg came to bat And made two home runs off Pitcher Rhodes — they cheered like mad for that. "Came Yom Kippur — holy fast day world wide over to the Jew,< And Hank Greenberg to his teaching and the old tradition true Spent the day among his people and he didn't come to play. Said Murphy to Mulrooney, 'We shall lose the game today! We shall miss him on the infield and shall miss him at the bat But he's true to his religion — and I honor him for that!'" |
Transcribed from The Detroit Free Press (1934) |
Came Yom Kippur | Speaking of Greenberg | by Edgar Guest |
Hank Greenberg's father David said, "Yom Kippur was different. I put my foot down and Henry obeyed." Hank & David attended synagogue together.
Did you know that when Marv Owen saw Hank Greenberg undressed on Rosh Hashanah he asked him "What the hell is the matter with you? You sick?"
Even more details about this event and similar events can be found here on Baseball Almanac: The Player Nobody Wanted & Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax in the Mainstream Media.