Homage To Hank Greenberg
The Great Jewish Slugger
July 11, 2008


Goodbye Mr. Ball Goodbye
Written by Bill Coryn & Harold Smith
Performed by Groucho Marx, Bing Crosby & Hank Greenberg
Courtesy of The Philco Radio Show

We´ve heard about those old time dangerous pirates
of Captain Kidd and Silver John the Long
but we prefer those modern dangerous Pirates
as our victims walk the plank we sing this song

Oh, goodbye, Mr Ball, goodbye

You are going to see an awful lot of sky
don´t hang around for Richard to open up that door
when Hankus Pankus hits you where you´ve never been hit before

Oh goodbye, Mr Ball, goodbye

You had better kiss your relatives good bye
when Hank comes to the plate, Ball,
you´re gonna to be out late so

Goodbye, Mr Ball, goodbye
Goodbye, Mr Ball, goodbye

Say hello there to the sun up in the sky
a plate is mighty handy to eat the lean and fat
but not when Hank the Greenberg serves it up with his big bat

Oh, goodbye, Mr Ball, goodbye

Go fly ‘til the blue has met the dawn up in the sky
when Hank gets home run itch, Ball,
you´re going to drop a stitch
so goodBye Mr ball, goodBye

Oh nothing could be finer
than a partner like Ralph Kiner
in the outfield
and I am confirmin´ that I´ll work for Billy Herman
in the infield

Oh goodbye, Mr Ball, goodbye
you had better kiss your relatives goodbye

Wait a minute, when the count is 2-0 and I let that third one go,
what happens then?
You´re out

Oh Goodbye Mr Hank goobye
And futhermore,
when I think I´ve got a hit and it winds up in Slaughter´s mitt
How about that?

Too bad
Oh goodbye Mr. Hank Goodbye
Oh, Mr .Greenberg
Goodbye Mr. Hank Goodbye










Speaking of Greenberg
by Edgar A. Guest, 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 Murphy's and Mulrooney's 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 on the Jewish New Year when Hank Greenberg came to bat A
nd made two home runs off pitcher Rhodes-they cheered like mad for that.

Came Yom Kippur-holy fast day world wide 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!"


Copyright © 2008 Ciesla Foundation

Both of these poems can be found at http://www.hankgreenbergfilm.org/hank.php


Return to the Literary Index   Email King Solomon