looking back
DETROIT NEWS PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION, WALTER REUTHER LIBRARY
Here are two of Detroit’s most famous sports heroes at Navin Field on July 1, 1935: Jewish Detroit Tiger “Hammering” Hank Greenberg and Joe Louis, “The Brown
Bomber.” That year, Greenberg was at his peak, leading the baseball league in RBIs and tied for the most home runs in the American League. He was unanimously
voted the American League’s Most Valuable Player. Louis had only been a professional boxer since 1934, but, in 1938, he won the heavyweight championship of
the world and would hold the title until 1949. Baseball had been played at “The Corner” of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull in Detroit since 1912. Navin Field was
renamed Briggs Stadium in 1938 and then Tiger Stadium in 1961. It is now the home of the Detroit Police Athletic League.
From the DJN Foundation Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
L
ast week, I stayed at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Yes, yes
— it was tough duty. Beautiful architecture, gourmet meals,
first-rate service, drinks on the massive porch with a great
view of the Mackinac Bridge … I don’t know how
I survived! I was on business for the University of
Michigan’s Bentley Historical Library, which holds
Grand Hotel archives, so I tried not to have fun.
But, that is impossible.
Grand Hotel is one of Michigan’s world-class
landmarks. A “grand hotel” is usually defined as
a large, impressive hotel with an international
clientele. Opened in 1887, Grand Hotel is indeed
Mike Smith
“grand.” Owned by the Musser family since 1979,
Detroit Jewish News
it became a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
Foundation Archivist
I went into the Davidson Digital Archives to see
what I could find about Grand Hotel. The earliest
entry was from the Sept. 21, 1917, issue of the Jewish Chronicle. It
noted: “Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bykowsy have been spending the past
two weeks at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac.” Almost all of the earli-
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September 20 • 2018
jn
est entries cited who was vacationing at Grand Hotel. For years, the
JN and the Chronicle had lots of social news like this about Jewish
Detroiters. There are also other more recent stories that are inter-
esting.
For many years, Grand Hotel has celebrated Rosh Hashanah.
This year, it was celebrated with Rabbi David Shepherd of the
Mackinac Island Synagogue, Kehillat Hatzav Hagadol. The July 7,
2017, issue of the JN has a great story with all the facts about Grand
Hotel, as well as excellent color photos.
Let me be clear — I am not a paid agent of Grand Hotel. I am
shilling for the Grand as a historian. I know how unique it is, a bona
fide historical gem in Michigan. Of course, as a guest, I am totally
impressed with the hotel itself, as well as its great hosts, president
Dan Musser III and his crew. It has been a destination for Jewish
Detroiters for many, many years for very good reasons. •
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives, available for free at
www.djnfoundation.org.