Morrie Arnovich, eight weeks shy of his thirty-first birthday, was in left field for the Giants, and rookie Sid Gordon was in center. Gordon, 24, a native of Brooklyn, had recently been called up to the majors.
Feldman allowed nine singles in a 4-0 win over the Boston Braves. Arnovich and Gordon each contributed a single to Feldman’s first major league victory.
The stars of the 1941 baseball season were Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. DiMaggio set a record by hitting safely in 56 consecutive games. The Yankees center fielder batted .409 during the streak, which lasted from May 15 through July 16.
Williams batted .406 for the season – 49 points higher than DiMaggio’s .357. The Red Sox left fielder also bested DiMag in home runs, 37 to 30, and in on base percentage, .551 to .440.
On December 5, Sgt. Hank Greenberg, four weeks shy of turning 31, was discharged from the army. Back in August, Congress had passed a law that exempted men over 28 from the draft. Greenberg was disappointed that he wasn’t released in time to rejoin the Tigers for the last part of the season but was looking forward to resuming his baseball career in 1942.
However, Greenberg would enjoy just a few days of civilian life before the Dec. 7 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor changed the course of life for Jewish baseball players and most Americans.
The Japanese attack killed more than 2,500 and wounded over 1,000 soldiers and civilians. Three days later Greenberg went to Washington to re-enlist. Offered the opportunity to remain stateside and serve as an athletic instructor, Greenberg chose instead to be a gunner in the Air Corps in the China-Burma-India Theater where he rose to the rank of captain.
