Eight Crazy Nights - Two

Happy second night of Hanukkah!

This time we celebrate with the original "Hebrew Hammer", Hall of Famer, Hank Greenberg.

It's Time for Hanukkah!

You'd never know it where I'm currently living but Hanukkah begins tonight.  Here's a little something to celebrate the day with, a nice relic card featuring the Hebrew Hammer, Hank Greenberg.

The Real Hebrew Hammer

With the suspension of Ryan Braun and apologies to Al Rosen let us appreciate the original "Hebrew Hammer", Hank Greenberg:

Do it Youself COMC Packs #28/35 Hank Greenberg Rainbow

I (not so recently now) had 8 months worth of Check Out My Cards purchases shipped.  I divided the 153 cards into 35 groups.  I like to think of these as hand picked "packs".   I'm posting them in random order.  "Pack" #28, 3 cards, was $1.88 including shipping.

This is my third pack of Hank Greenberg's in this series.  The other two are here and here.  This pack is a mini rainbow of a leaping Hanks from the 2010 Triple Threads set.  Not sure how many there actually are.

Do It Yourself COMC Packs #29/35 Hank Greenberg

I recently had 8 months worth of Check Out My Cards purchases shipped.  I divided the 153 cards into 35 groups.  I like to think of these as hand picked "packs".   I'm posting them in random order.  "Pack" #29, four cards, was $4.27 including shipping.

It's really hard for a kid to have a sports hero today.  The current Hebrew Hammer is under a cloud of suspicion.  

The original Hebrew Hammer  is a Hall of Famer who spent 45 months in the Air Force during WWII.

Do It Yourself COMC Packs #30/35 -- Hank Greenberg

I recently had 8 months worth of Check Out My Cards purchases shipped.  I divided the 153 cards into 35 groups.  I like to think of these as hand picked "packs".   I'm posting them in random order.  "Pack" #19 was $1.90 including shipping.

Here's a pack of Greenbergs, five cards since I actually bought 2 of the Turkey Reds (a hazard of holding your COMC basket too long).

Hank was just 30 when he was drafted in the Spring of 1941 and was coming off an AL MVP year.  He'd lose 4  prime years to the war.  From Wikipedia:
The Detroit draft board initially classified Greenberg as 4F for "flat feet". Rumors that he had bribed the board and concern that he would be likened to Jack Dempsey, who had received negative publicity for failure to serve in World War I, led Greenberg to be reexamined, and he was found fit to serve.

Drafted in 1940, the first American League player to be drafted, his salary was cut from $55,000 ($861,000 today) a year to $21 ($300 today) a month. Greenberg was not bitter, however, stating, "I made up my mind to go when I was called. My country comes first." After most of the 1941 season, however, he was honorably discharged when the United States Congress released men aged 28 years and older from service, being released on December 5, 1941, two days before Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Greenberg re-enlisted and volunteered for service in the United States Army Air Forces, again the first major league player to do so. He graduated from Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a first lieutenant in the USAAF. He eventually served overseas in the China-Burma-India Theater, scouting locations for B-29 bomber bases. Promoted to captain, Greenberg served 45 months, the longest of any major league player.

Of course Hank is also arguably the greatest Jewish sports star ever.

 2010 Topps Turkey Red #TR15

 1994 Ted Williams #32

 2001 Fleer Greats of the Game Retrospection #RC9

I liked this better before the suspension.  As of today (2/3/12) there has been no word on the result of Ryan's appeal.

 2010 Topps Legendary Lineage #LL21

Blow Out the Candles January 1

Henry Benjamin Greenberg was born in New York, NY on this date in 1911.

2006 SP Legendary Cuts #91

 Hank was a 5 time All-Star and 2 time AL MVP.  He was a member of 2 World Series Championship teams, 1935 and 1945. He was the first Jewish player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1956. World War II shortened his career and kept his overall numbers down but Hank still hit for a .313 lifetime average and 331 HR's in just 1394 games. Contrast this with fellow Tiger Hall of Famer Al Kaline who hit 399 HR's in 2834 games (more than double).


"The Pied Piper enjoyed people enjoying themselves. He was colorblind and race-blind and religion-blind."

 1930

"He was one of the truly great hitters, and when I first saw him at bat, he made my eyes pop out."
Joe DiMaggio

 The Hebrew Hammer and The Brown Bomber

Greenberg took Ralph Kiner under his wing when he came to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Hall of Fame pitcher Tim Keefe was born on this date in 1857.
(not my card)

Happy 69th birthday to entertainer Don Novello aka Father Guido Sarducci.