Hank Greenberg
⭐ Hall of Fame 1956
Born: 1/1/1911 in New York, NY, USA
Died: 9/4/1986 in Beverly Hills, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1930-09-14 | Final Game: 1947-09-18
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 210 lbs
Full name: Henry Benjamin Greenberg
Biography
Hank Greenberg, born in 1911, was a prominent American professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1930 to 1947. Known for his powerful hitting and exceptional ability to drive in runs, Greenberg played primarily as a first baseman and outfielder. Over the course of 1,394 games, he accumulated 1,628 hits, 331 home runs, and 1,276 RBIs, boasting an impressive career batting average of .313. His offensive prowess was complemented by his speed on the bases, as he recorded 58 stolen bases throughout his career.
A key figure in the Detroit Tigers organization, Greenberg was recognized for his contributions to the game, earning All-Star selections five times and being awarded the TSN Guide MVP on two occasions. His significant impact on baseball during the pre- and post-World War II era solidified his legacy, and he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956. Greenberg's career not only showcased his talent but also reflected the changing dynamics of baseball during a transformative period in American sports history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1394 | 5193 | 1051 | 1628 | 379 | 71 | 331 | 1276 | 58 | 852 | 844 | 0.313 | 0.412 | 0.605 | 1.017 | 43274.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | DET | AL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1933 | DET | AL | 117 | 449 | 59 | 135 | 33 | 3 | 12 | 87 | 6 | 46 | 78 | 0.301 | 1556.8 |
| 1934 | DET | AL | 153 | 593 | 118 | 201 | 63 | 7 | 26 | 139 | 9 | 63 | 93 | 0.339 | 4351.5 |
| 1935 | DET | AL | 152 | 619 | 121 | 203 | 46 | 16 | 36 | 170 | 4 | 87 | 91 | 0.328 | 5223.7 |
| 1936 | DET | AL | 12 | 46 | 10 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 0.348 | 349.2 |
| 1937 | DET | AL | 154 | 594 | 137 | 200 | 49 | 14 | 40 | 183 | 8 | 102 | 101 | 0.337 | 6226.5 |
| 1938 | DET | AL | 155 | 556 | 144 | 175 | 23 | 4 | 58 | 146 | 7 | 119 | 92 | 0.315 | 6394.8 |
| 1939 | DET | AL | 138 | 500 | 112 | 156 | 42 | 7 | 33 | 112 | 8 | 91 | 95 | 0.312 | 4306.1 |
| 1940 | DET | AL | 148 | 573 | 129 | 195 | 50 | 8 | 41 | 150 | 6 | 93 | 75 | 0.340 | 6201.0 |
| 1941 | DET | AL | 19 | 67 | 12 | 18 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 16 | 12 | 0.269 | 297.8 |
| 1945 | DET | AL | 78 | 270 | 47 | 84 | 20 | 2 | 13 | 60 | 3 | 42 | 40 | 0.311 | 1858.5 |
| 1946 | DET | AL | 142 | 523 | 91 | 145 | 29 | 5 | 44 | 127 | 5 | 80 | 88 | 0.277 | 4164.1 |
| 1947 | PIT | NL | 125 | 402 | 71 | 100 | 13 | 2 | 25 | 74 | 0 | 104 | 73 | 0.249 | 2344.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 85 | 17 | 27 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 13 | 19 | 0.318 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | WS | DET | 7 | 23 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 0.304 |
| 1940 | WS | DET | 7 | 28 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0.357 |
| 1935 | WS | DET | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.167 |
| 1934 | WS | DET | 7 | 28 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 0.321 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1138 | 0 | 10564 | 724 | 104 | 973 |
| OF | 239 | 0 | 459 | 17 | 18 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | DET | 1B | 117 | 0 | 1133 | 63 | 14 | 111 |
| 1934 | DET | 1B | 153 | 0 | 1454 | 84 | 16 | 124 |
| 1935 | DET | 1B | 152 | 0 | 1437 | 99 | 13 | 142 |
| 1936 | DET | 1B | 12 | 0 | 119 | 9 | 1 | 14 |
| 1937 | DET | 1B | 154 | 0 | 1477 | 102 | 13 | 133 |
| 1938 | DET | 1B | 155 | 0 | 1484 | 120 | 14 | 146 |
| 1939 | DET | 1B | 136 | 0 | 1205 | 75 | 9 | 108 |
| 1940 | DET | OF | 148 | 0 | 298 | 14 | 15 | 1 |
| 1941 | DET | OF | 19 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1945 | DET | OF | 72 | 0 | 129 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1946 | DET | 1B | 140 | 0 | 1272 | 93 | 15 | 110 |
| 1947 | PIT | 1B | 119 | 0 | 983 | 79 | 9 | 85 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1137 |
| Left Field | 238 |
Awards & Honors
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 91.0 | 336 | 2 |
| 1945 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 14th | 25.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1940 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 1st | 292.0 | 336 | 16 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 12.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1938 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 162.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1937 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 48.0 | 80 | 0 |
| 1935 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 1st | 80.0 | 80 | 8 |
| 1934 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 29.0 | 80 | 0 |