Henry Aaron....RIP [merged thread]

[Blakeon18]

Passed away at 86.

 

[JordyG]

A gentleman from his first breath until his last. It was the game that mattered. Numbers would take care of itself. I remember as he approached Babe's number the racist vitriol from some quarters was almost deafening. The death threats were too numerous to mention. Some wanted an asterisk beside his name because of the number of years it took to reach that goal. Later I remember Hank at one point noted how bad it got for him and how he couldn't imagine how bad it was for Jackie Robinson. Hank never complained during the close out toward 714, he just soldiered on and did his job. Afterwards he talked about how bitter he remained for the way he was treated. Off the field he was a champion for minority rights. On the field those incredible quick wrists were the best I've ever seen. RIP Hammer. We'll never see your like again.

 

[meyers7]

RIP Hammerin' Hank. I was lucky enough to see him play live when I lived in GA in the early 70's. From Mobile Alabama to Milwaukee, Atlanta, his legend would grow and grow. My childhood keeps slipping away.

 

[CTtoSanDiego]

He was my number one idol growing up.... watching him hit #715 while in my dorm room at UConn was one of the great moments of my life....

 

[connie]

Absolutely deserves mention as among the greatest of all time. Offensive numbers were high in all categories, year in and year out. Could have stolen 30-40 bases each season for much of his career if that had been a priority style of play at the time. Read recently that if you take away all his 755 HRs, he would still have over 3,000 hits. Three Gold Gloves. In the top ten in MVP voting 13 times. 20 straight seasons with at least 20 HRs each year. An iron horse who played almost every game from 1955 to 1970. Like Clemente, overlooked and under-rated in the public eye for much of his career due to who he played for and (surprise) race.

His demeanor on field and off was exemplary--a model of dignity, intelligence and humanity.

Jees . . . what a tremendous loss.

 

[Bama fan]

Baseball legend Hammerin' Hank passed away at age 86. In 1974 he hit the home run that allowed him to surpass the great Babe Ruth on the all time list. The story goes that he told his team mate Dusty Baker that he was going to "get it over with" while in the on deck circle. While Hank received death threats at the time, most baseball fans were proud of his accomplishment. RIP

 

[Bama fan]

Passed away at 86.

Sorry that I missed this post and then posted on the same subject. Please accept my apology.

 

[j66kicker]

My first bat was a Hank Aaron bat. R.I.P.

 

[Ozimoto]

So many of sports greats from that era are passing us by on their way to that "Field of Dreams."

 

[Aluminny69]

Must watch...Excellent trip down memory lane.

 

[f1f1ferrari]

Sadly, Mr. Aaron is the 10th Hall of Famer to pass since April:

Al Kaline - 4/6/20
Tom Seaver - 8/31/20
Lou Brock - 9/6/20
Bob Gibson - 10/2/20
Whitey Ford - 10/8/20
Joe Morgan - 10/11/20
Phil Niekro - 12/26/20
Tommy Lasorda - 1/7/21
Don Sutton - 1/18/21
Hank Aaron - 1/22/21

Rest in Peace, Gentlemen.

 

[triaddukefan]

R.I.P. to a Legend. The True Home Run King

 

[Carnac]

A gentleman from his first breath until his last. It was the game that mattered. Numbers would take care of itself. I remember as he approached Babe's number the racist vitriol from some quarters was almost deafening. The death threats were too numerous to mention. Some wanted an asterisk beside his name because of the number of years it took to reach that goal. Later I remember Hank at one point noted how bad it got for him and how he couldn't imagine how bad it was for Jackie Robinson. Hank never complained during the close out toward 714, he just soldiered on and did his job. Afterwards he talked about how bitter he remained for the way he was treated. Off the field he was a champion for minority rights. On the field those incredible quick wrists were the best I've ever seen. RIP Hammer. We'll never see your like again.

Well said JordyG. He was my champion as well. Willie Mays was/is my all time favorite, Aaron is a close second.

 

[Carnac]

Must watch...Excellent trip down memory lane.

You're right, this is a MUST SEE video. SMH, I recognize and remember many of the players seen in the background of many of these clips. I remember the day (game) he broke the record. It was televised live.

Aaron hit the record-setting 715th home run in the fourth inning of a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, on April 8, 1974, against pitcher Al Downing. The ball landed in the Braves' bullpen in left-center field, where it was caught on the fly by Braves pitcher Tom House. Bill Buckner, then the Dodgers' left fielder, climbed to the top of the fence and begged House for the ball. The game stopped to celebrate the achievement, and after sprinting to the infield, House gave it to Aaron personally. He later said that Aaron was crying (tears of joy and relief). The man was CLASS PERSONIFIED". He endured many of the social and racial injustices that Jackie Robinson did, who started his career in MLB 5 years earlier.

I heard a report on the radio this morning that it was former Dodger pitcher Don Drysdale who served up more homeruns (15) to Aaron than any other pitcher. Aaron was not the only player than owned Drysdale. There was another, who also just happen to wear number 44.

Willie McCovey (San Francisco Giants) also owned Drysdale. Drysdale couldn't get him out, so he started pitching around him. He made no bones about it, he simply starting walking him every time he came up to the plate. Drysdale's mindset was: "McCovey is NOT going to beat me today".

Long time HOF Dodger broadcaster VIN SCULLY would often (respectfully) refer to Aaron as "BAD HENRY." I was privileged to see Aaron play in person at Dodger Stadium many times. He was truly one the all-time HOF greats in MLB. There are some (me being among them) that recognize Aaron as the true all-time leader in career homeruns and not Barry Bonds, because it is believed by many that Bonds used STEROIDS late in his career, although he never tested positive. Aaron was NEVER accused of using steroids.

JordyG was correct in saying "we shall not see his like again." RIP Henry Aaron, you left a legacy that will be remembered and revered forever. We lost a great one today folks.

 

[Zanzman]

Always felt he was under appreciated in the discussion of all time greats

 

[JimGunther]

Wow! This brings back memories. I loved the Milwaukee Braves back then. Eddie Matthews, Hank Aaron, Gene Conley (Go Celtics!). Gosh, Hank could've only been 20 or 21 when I idolized him. I thought he'd been a veteran already. God speed Mr. Aaron (One of a kind!)

 

[Carnac]

 

[Scud49]

Wow, we have lost so many athletes in the past year....now adding the great Hammern' Hank to the list....damn, one of the very greatest. Had his baseball card a kid, along with the late, great, Ernie Banks. I thought I was quite something special owning those 2 cards. RIP Hank Aaron, you are the true "Home Run King".

 

[Blueconn]

A gentleman from his first breath until his last. It was the game that mattered. Numbers would take care of itself. I remember as he approached Babe's number the racist vitriol from some quarters was almost deafening. The death threats were too numerous to mention. Some wanted an asterisk beside his name because of the number of years it took to reach that goal. Later I remember Hank at one point noted how bad it got for him and how he couldn't imagine how bad it was for Jackie Robinson. Hank never complained during the close out toward 714, he just soldiered on and did his job. Afterwards he talked about how bitter he remained for the way he was treated. Off the field he was a champion for minority rights. On the field those incredible quick wrists were the best I've ever seen. RIP Hammer. We'll never see your like again.

Beautiful. Thanks.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

In a world where great is thrown around like popcorn, if you want to refresh yourself on the meaning of Great reflect on Hank Aaron. RIP big man.

 

[uconn1999]

I remember well a day in early April 1974, skipping school to attend a game.
#715

 

[Tontobruto]

At age 12 in May of 54 took the streetcar to the County Stadium stop, walked down the hill to watch, now batting for the Braves second baseman #44 Henry Aaron, with a well timed flick of the wrist, CRACK!, a line drive over the shortstop and up against the left center fence on 2 bounces, you knew right away ----got to see this truly great player many more times

 

[Bama fan]

Well said JordyG. He was my champion as well. Willie Mays was/is my all time favorite, Aaron is a close second.

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Although my BY name is Bama Fan, I am not a native son of the state. I moved here 36 years ago for work, married an Alabama lady and raised my family here. I worked at the steel mill just across the street form Williie Mays childhood home, and 250 miles from Hank Aaron's home in Mobile, Al. Two of the greatest stars from the same state and the same time period. I can tell you that sports fans across the state are proud of their local stars.

 

[JordyG]

Well said JordyG. He was my champion as well. Willie Mays was/is my all time favorite, Aaron is a close second.

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Say Hey will always be my favorite. I had the great pleasure of seeing both play here in NYC. On Oct 9, 1973 I was in the stands when Pete Rose slid hard into Bud Harrelson and a fight erupted. When Rose returned to play left field (I was high up in the left field stands) the fans pelted him with bottles, cans, and anything that was about. Tom Seaver, Yogi Berra, Willie Mays and Cleon Jones walked out to left field and held up their hands asking us all to cool it. The Mets won 9-2. Later that month, Oct 22, 1973, the Mets beat the Braves and Hank Aaron to win the NL pennant. I was there and walked the field after the game was over. I was also in the stands in the 1964 All Star game where I saw Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Whitey Ford and Roberto Clemente. RIP to all of the greatest I ever saw.

 

[Carnac]

Say Hey will always be my favorite. I had the great pleasure of seeing both play here in NYC. On Oct 9, 1973 I was in the stands when Pete Rose slid hard into Bud Harrelson and a fight erupted. When Rose returned to play left field (I was high up in the left field stands) the fans pelted him with bottles, cans, and anything that was about. Tom Seaver, Yogi Berra, Willie Mays and Cleon Jones walked out to left field and held up their hands asking us all to cool it. The Mets won 9-2. Later that month, Oct 22, 1973, the Mets beat the Braves and Hank Aaron to win the NL pennant. I was there and walked the field after the game was over. I was also in the stands in the 1964 All Star game where I saw Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax, Whitey Ford and Roberto Clemente. RIP to all of the greatest I ever saw.

We were fortunate to be able to see these greats towards what I believe was the tail end of the golden era of baseball. There were so many great HOF players that played between 1955 and 1975. With the advent of TV, and the industry's willingness to show more and more games on TV as time went along, we got to see most of the greats that we would not have. I was a national league guy. I didn't care that much for the American League.

I went to several Los Angeles Angels games in their inaugural season of 1961 at Wrigley Field. Those games paled in comparison to the Dodgers' games at the LA Coliseum. Both teams moved into Dodger Stadium the next year. I got to see ALL of the national league teams between 1962 and 1975. Ernie Banks, Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Frank Robinson, Robin Roberts, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Warren Spahn, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Eddie Matthews, Tony Perez and too many others to name. The best of the best!! I know I missed out on a lot of great American league HOF's but I was satisfied with the national league teams.

My interest in MLB began to wane after the '78 season. A year later, "Show Time" made it's debut at the Forum in Inglewood. LA became "intoxicated" on Laker basketball. ?