Ron Kaplan, author of Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War, talks about Hammerin’ Hank’s historic chase to break Babe Ruth’s record for home runs in a season.
Highlights
2:47 – on Greenberg leaving the Bronx to play in the Tigers’ farm system
3:40 – on the anxiety of news headlines from Europe for Jewish Americans in the 1930s
9:01 – on Rudy York as the Tigers slugger predicted to challenge Ruth’s record
10:51 – on the press recognizing and following Greenberg’s record pace
16:54 – on Ruth observing and commenting on the chase
21:42 – on whether Greenberg was walked more in September because he was Jewish
24:54 – Greenberg’s place in history and the effect of military service on his baseball career
27:27 – on Greenberg coming back from the war to lead the Tigers to a championship in 1945
This interview is featured as part of SABR Detroit’s 2021 Hank Greenberg 110th Birthday Symposium