Most baseball fans are aware of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Delmon Young’s most recent suspension and arrest in New York. Young’s anti-Semitic comments continue the history of racial tension in Detroit and ignore the impact Tigers Jewish slugger Hank Greenberg had on integrating the American League.
Detroit Tigers racist and confrontational outfielder Ty Cobb led the team to their first American League pennant in 1907- around the same time Detroit’s African American middle class population was established. As the auto industry grew so too did the population of immigrants and Jews.
Following the end of Cobb’s career, Walter Briggs became the sole owner of the Detroit Tigers from 1935-52. Despite Briggs’ tendency to field a well-paid roster, he never signed an African-American player during his ownership. However, Briggs did sign a young Jewish superstar.
Hank Greenberg was the target of many anti-Semitic sentiments during his time with the Tigers and Briggs. In 1936, one year after Greenberg’s first MVP season, the Jewish Community Council of Detroit took on civil rights causes and formed a partnership with the NAACP and African-American clergy members, thus beginning a partnership between African-Americans and Jews. Hammerin’ Hank left baseball and became the first ballplayer to enlist. While his heroic and patriotic actions became a beacon for the Jewish population fighting a dictator, WWII continued to divide whites and blacks in Detroit and eventually provoked race riots in 1943. While tensions grew, many Jews, who experienced economic growth following WWII, continued to support African-American causes despite the racial divide.
Greenberg, an early supporter of Jackie Robinson, went on to finish his decorated playing career with a position in the Cleveland Indians front office along with entrepreneur Bill and signed Larry Doby, the first African-American player in the American League in 1947. Despite having the largest population of independently owned black business owners in 1953, Detroit did not sign an African-American ballplayer until Ozzie Virgil Sr. in 1958- after the death of Walter Briggs and subsequent sale of the Tigers to Frank Knorr.
While Young has since apologized for his actions it has yet to be seen how he will repay the Jewish community for the damage he has done. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski- who is experienced in dealing with players and alcohol related offences stands by the team’s alcohol policy whether right or wrong. While Delmon may go on to seek counseling either privately or at the behest of the courts, it may do him well to receive a history lesson before wearing the old English D in front of Jewish fans.
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