by the Village Elliott
For Hank Greenberg and Edgar Guest*
On Rosh Hashanah, 1st of Tishrei, 5776**
“Landsman” Hank played ball Jew’s New Year’s Day,
Won game with two home runs ’cause he’d play.
Ten days on, Hank for sure
Wouldn’t play on Yom Kippur.***
Tigers lost, but won flag anyway.
________________________
*Came Yom Kippur: A Hank Greenberg Poem
10th of Tishrei, 5695
(9/18-19/1934)
by Edgar Guest
Published in Detroit Free Press, 1934
The Irish didn’t like it when they heard of Greenberg’s fame
For they thought a good first baseman should possess an Irish name;
And the Murphys and Mulrooneys said they never dreamed they’d see
A Jewish boy from Bronxville out where Casey used to be.
In the early days of April not a Dugan tipped his hat
Or prayed to see a “double” when Hank Greenberg came to bat.
In July the Irish wondered where he’d ever learned to play.
“He makes me think of Casey!” Old Man Murphy dared to say;
And with fifty-seven doubles and a score of homers made
The respect they had for Greenberg was being openly displayed.
But upon the Jewish New Year when Hank Greenberg came to bat
And made two home runs off pitcher Rhodes—they cheered like mad for that.
Came Yom Kippur — holy fast day worldwide over to the Jew —
And Hank Greenberg to his teaching and the old tradition true
Spent the day among his people and he didn’t come to play.
Said Murphy to Mulrooney, “We shall lose the game today!
We shall miss him on the infield and shall miss him at the bat
But he’s true to his religion—and I honor him for that!”
** Rosh Hashanah: lit., head of the year
***Yom Kippur: Day of Atonement (Holiest of Holy Days 10 days after Rosh Hashanah)