Hank Greenberg Signs for $60,000 After Four Years at War

On February 15, 1946, Hank Greenberg signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers for $60,000, among the highest salaries in the game at the time. The deal marked his full return to baseball after more than four years of military service during World War II.

Greenberg had been the first major leaguer to enlist after Pearl Harbor, volunteering for the Army Air Corps in February 1942. He served in the China-Burma-India theater, earned four battle stars, and did not return to the Tigers until mid-1945. In his first game back on July 1, 1945, he homered. On the final day of the regular season, he hit a grand slam in the ninth inning to clinch the pennant for Detroit. The Tigers won the World Series that October.

The $60,000 contract reflected the Tigers' confidence that Greenberg, now 35, could still produce at an elite level. He justified the investment immediately, leading the American League with 44 home runs and 127 RBIs in 1946. He also drew 80 walks, maintaining the disciplined plate approach that had defined his career since the 1930s.

Three days after signing the contract, Greenberg married Caral Gimbel, the daughter of a prominent New York department store family. The wedding drew society page coverage alongside the baseball headlines.

Greenberg played one more season after 1946, finishing his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1947. He retired with 331 home runs, a .313 batting average, and five seasons lost to military duty. His willingness to serve at the peak of his career cost him counting stats, but it earned him a respect that went beyond the box score. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956.