Ryan Braun cracked a three-run homer on June 7 for the 332nd of his career, one more than Hank Greenberg for the all-time record by a Jewish player.
The blast came on a 3-2 pitch in the sixth inning with his Milwaukee Brewers already leading the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-3., en route to a 10-4 win. It was Braun’s tenth dinger of the year and the first since May 14.
Braun has never hit more than 41 home runs in a season, including his “tainted” MVP campaign in 2011. His vociferous denial of taking PEDs and the suspension that followed have led some Jewish baseball fans to call for an “asterisk” when referring to the lifetime Brewer as the new leader.
Greenberg, on the other hand, came within three of besting Babe Ruth’s single-season mark of 60, the story of which I tell in — shameless self-promotion alert — Hank Greenberg in 1938: Hatred and Home Runs in the Shadow of War
Here’s Hammerin’ Hank in his last game in 1941 before heading off to serve in the military. His two home runs helped the Tigers beat the visiting NY Yankees, 7-4.
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