Hank Greenberg, the Hebrew Hammer, Is Born

On January 1, 1911, Hank Greenberg was born in Greenwich Village, New York City, to Romanian Jewish immigrants. He grew into one of the most feared right-handed power hitters of his generation and the first Jewish superstar in American team sports.

Greenberg signed with the Detroit Tigers in 1929 and reached the majors full-time by 1933. His breakout came in 1935, when he hit .328 with 36 home runs and 168 RBI, winning the American League Most Valuable Player award and helping Detroit capture its first World Series title. In 1938, he mounted a serious challenge to Babe Ruth's single-season home run record, finishing with 58 and falling just two short.

His second MVP arrived in 1940, the year he moved from first base to left field. He batted .340 with 41 home runs and 150 RBI. Then the war intervened. Greenberg was drafted into the Army in May 1941, discharged two days before Pearl Harbor, and voluntarily re-enlisted in the Army Air Forces in February 1942, missing more than four seasons of his prime. He returned in mid-1945, homered in his first game back, and hit a grand slam on the final day of the season to clinch the pennant for Detroit.

Despite losing more than four years to military service and another partial season to a broken wrist, Greenberg finished his career with 331 home runs and a .313 lifetime average. The Baseball Writers elected him to the Hall of Fame in 1956, making him the first Jewish player to receive the honor.

January 1 also marks the birthday of another Hall of Famer. Pitcher Tim Keefe, who won 342 games across 14 seasons from 1880 to 1893, was born on this date in 1857. And on January 1, 1923, Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Keeler died at 50, leaving behind a .341 career batting average and the enduring advice to "hit 'em where they ain't."