On July 23, 1956, Joe Cronin and Hank Greenberg are inducted into the Hall of Fame during the annual ceremony in Cooperstown, New York.

Joe Cronin was the American League’s All-Star shortstop seven times and its MVP in 1930 when he hit .346 with 126 RBIs. The jovial, square-jawed Irishman possessed the determination and toughness to become a wizard with the glove and a powerhouse at bat. He topped the .300 mark eight times and also enjoyed eight 100-RBI seasons. At age 27, Cronin won the 1933 pennant as a rookie manager with Washington before he was traded to the Red Sox. He later served two terms as American League president.

Greenberg won two MVP Awards for the Detroit Tigers before finishing his career with Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Despite losing four prime seasons to World War II and another to a fractured wrist, Hank Greenberg still walloped 331 home runs, including 40 or more on four occasions. The MVP in 1935, when he drove in 170 runs for the pennant-winning Tigers, the slugging right-hander drove in 183 runs in 1937. In 1938, he made a strong run at Babe Ruth’s home-run record, finishing with 58. Hit .318 in four World Series with Detroit.@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@