[legendsport]

October 9, 1934 - New York, New York:

"Ah, nuts!" The words resounded through the third-floor apartment on New York's Lower East Side, coming from the front room where the radio was located.

"Hiram! Such language will not be tolerated. Your Papa would not stand for such words." This from the kitchen, at the back of the four-room "railroad" apartment.

"Sorry, Mama, I lost my temper - the Tigers have lost. Greenberg will not win the World Series after all." Hiram Rosen, twelve years old and a huge fan of the Detroit Tigers star slugger, managed to cross the length of the apartment before finishing his sentence.

His mother Sarah, who doted on her son, shook her head. "Hiram, you should be worrying more about your studies than a baseball game thousands of miles away."

"Mama, Detroit is not thousands of miles from New York." Hiram said, a tone of exasperation in his voice.

"Ah, so you know that. Better you should know all your subjects as well."

"Yes, Mama." Hiram knew better than to argue with his mother. He had run home from school on this sunny Tuesday, hoping against hope that the Tigers (his favorite team the Yankees, with Babe Ruth no longer himself, had not won the pennant) could win game seven against the Gas House Gang - but it was not to be. 11-0 was the final. Since his day was ruined anyway, he figured he'd pacify his mother by doing his mathematics homework.

A couple of hours later, the family was settled around the table for dinner. Hiram's father, who worked in the diamond business, had come home dispirited. Business was not good.

"No one has money for something as frivolous as jewelry. That Garner, he is a fool. His so-called Square Deal will not end the Depression - it seems that nothing will do that."

Sarah clucked softly and said, "Dear, you know that is not true. In good time all will improve. It is not possible for things to continue this way forever. We just need to be patient."

"We can try to be patient - but that will prove difficult once we run out of money," her husband replied.

Hiram, who had planned to ask his father for money for a new baseball glove, now saw the hopelessness of that request and decided not to ask. He would just have to make do with his old one, which was more tape than leather these days.

"God will provide," his mother said firmly. And the family hoped she was right.