In celebration of Arizona’s centennial, the Star will feature our picks for the 100 best athletes, moments and teams.
Throughout the summer, we will showcase our list — with the first 90 in no particular order. In August, Greg Hansen will choose his top 10, with a column on each.
Hank Leiber
Achievement
Hank Leiber did a little bit of everything. And he did it all well.
Leiber, who was born in Phoenix in 1911, attended the University of Arizona as a three-sport athlete, to play football, basketball and baseball. He finally settled on baseball and was a star pitcher for the Wildcats. He was inducted into the UA’s Hall of Fame in 1977.
After he left Tucson, Leiber began his professional career in 1932 in the Class B Piedmont League. One year later, Leiber was in the big leagues with the New York Giants.
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In 1934, Leiber struggled, batting just .241 with two home runs and 25 RBIs in 63 games. It was the next season that Leiber established himself as a star. In 154 games, Leiber hit .331 with 22 home runs, 37 doubles and 107 RBIs. He finished 11th in the MVP race.
The following season, Leiber held out over a contract dispute. The Giants paid him $8,000 in 1935 and were willing to give him a raise to $10,000. Leiber wanted $15,000. While he was holding out, there were reports Leiber would manage the UA that year.
Few took Leiber seriously during his holdout.
“Hank should think up a new story,” then Giants manager Bill Terry said to The Associated Press. “I used that one years ago when I was trying to get a raise.”
Terry was ultimately right and Leiber eventually reported and played in 101 games.
He played in two World Series and then, after his first All-Star selection in 1938, Leiber was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He was an All-Star twice more for the Cubs in 1940 and ’41.
His career started to wind down during the ’41 season. He was beaned by Cliff Melton and missed the rest of the season. It was the second time Leiber was hit in the head. In 1937, he was hit by Bob Feller in spring training.
“Most people don’t realize what a job a fellow has recovering after he has been beaned,” Leiber told the AP. “I know because I’ve been through it twice.”
Leiber was traded back to the Giants before the 1942 season and played in just 58 games. He retired after the season and moved back to Arizona.
He was a real estate developer in Tucson and managed the Tucson Cowboys of the Arizona-Texas League in 1950.
Hometown
Phoenix
By the numbers
101
Leiber’s career home run total
Daniel Berk
