Hank Greenberg Profile
To many who loved baseball, the name Hank Greenberg conjures up images of the basic spirit of
the game. Greenberg's hard work and dedication to baseball resulted in a string of Major League
and American League records that remains unbroken.
In 15 years of which only nine were
full seasons Greenberg had an impressive overall batting average of .313, as well as 1,276 runs
batted in. Beyond his outstanding athletic prowess, however, Greenberg is noted for helping to
bring down many barriers. Because of his accomplishments, Greenberg became one of the
greatest Jewish sports heroes of all time.
Today, Hank Greenberg's fans, young and old,
remember him, not only for the incredible things he did on the baseball diamond but also for his
integrity that glittered like a precious jewel when he hung up his spikes. He gave his Jewish fans
pride in the heritage.
Integrity was what legendary Detroit Tiger Hank Greenberg personified, both on and off the
baseball field. In contrast to many of today's professional athletes who do not take responsibility
as role models in our society, the original "Hammerin' Hank" recognized the importance of
setting examples for his fans.
The Charity
When the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame made Hank Greenberg one of its first inductees in
1985, he was already stricken with cancer. To assist in the efforts to eradicate this disease that
eventually took Hank's life, the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation has designated that the
proceeds of each Hank Greenberg Memorial Golf Invitational go toward cancer
research and the fight against cancer in the Metro-Detroit area.
The Lawrence and Idell Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center located on Northwestern Highway
in Farmington Hills, Michigan is testimony to the efforts and commitment of the Hank
Greenberg Golf Invitational and the entire Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation.
The Golf Invitational
Since its inception, the Hank Greenberg Memorial Golf Invitational has attracted many distinguished sports and media celebrities such as Sandy Koufax, Joe Namath, Gale Sayers, Al Kaline, Tommy Lasorda, Vinnie Johnson and Bill Laimbeer. Those attending this year's event can look forward to a star-studded array of celebrities and dignitaries including MLB Commissioner Bud Selig and former baseball star and MSU grad, Steve Garvey, who make this year's event the biggest yet.
Hank Greenberg was once quoted as saying "When you're playing, awards don't seem like much. Then you get older and all of it becomes more precious. It is nice to be remembered." Dan Passman, Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation President says, "We at the MJSF are honored to remember Hank Greenberg and grateful for the long-time loyalty and support of his son, Steve Greenberg who has attended all of the MJSF.