“Hank Greenberg and Jackie Robinson”, The Tinklers

This way (full LP link): Hank Greenberg and Jackie Robinson

Jeff keeps it going and as some games never end baseball songs are also endless (apparently) . . .

The Tinklers are a band from Baltimore who have been together since 1979. The group consists of Charles Brohawn and Chris Mason, both of whom sing, play guitar, and percussion instruments of varying degrees of quality (including cigar boxes, spoons, and other types of junk). Both members are also actively engaged in creating art in other mediums including visual art and books. Their music can be characterized as outsider music due to its lack of traditional musical skills and abilities including proficiency at their instruments and the ability to sing in tune. Their performance method and practice eschews conventional standards of skills thought necessary for making music and can be historically placed with other acts such as Jad Fair and Half Japanese, Daniel Johnston, and many more obscure musicians.

While the band's roots are in the mid-70s Baltimore art scene, they did not release a proper record until 1990 when the band caught the attention of legendary producer Kramer. They were promptly signed to Kramer's record label Shimmy Disc and released their first LP, Casserole. The band would release two more LPs on Shimmy Disc - Saplings and Crash - all of which contain similar material.

While The Tinklers have not disbanded, since 1993 the band has released only one full-length album, Slowpoke, and made a few other compilation appearances. Live performances are infrequent.

This account of Jackie Robinson's collision with Hank Greenberg is from the SABR website:

Jackie Robinson's collision with Hank Greenberg: Collision

As it happened, the most significant part of Jackie Robinson’s Dodgers’ debut in Pittsburgh was not reflected in the statistical ledger. When Greenberg reached first on his fourth inning walk, an inning after his accidental collision with Robinson, he asked Robinson if had been injured and offered words of encouragement. “I know it’s plenty tough,” Greenberg said. “You’re a good ballplayer, and you’ll do all right.” It was a moment of warmth for Robinson, as his pioneering season marched on. They remained friends for the rest of Robinson’s life; Greenberg attended Robinson’s funeral in October 1972.

“He helped me a lot by saying the things he did,” Robinson said of Greenberg after the game. “I found out that not all the guys on the other teams are bad heels. I think Greenberg, for instance, is pulling for me to make good.”

“Class tells. It sticks out all over Mr. Greenberg.”

 

[Spotify] NO!