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RIP Hank Aaron


r00tabaga

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Hall of Famer and one-time home run king Atlanta Braves legend Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron passed away this morning at the age of 86.

He leaves behind an indelible legacy on and off the baseball diamond.

Edited by r00tabaga
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Wow. I remember watching him break Babe Ruth's career home-run record. I had my portable cassette recorder (pre-VCR era) sitting by the TV. Every time Hank got up to bat that night, I pressed the Record button. I had the play-by-play and the ensuing ceremony on tape.

 

I have no idea what happened to that cassette.

 

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14 minutes ago, r00tabaga said:

Hall of Famer and one-time home run king Atlanta Braves legend Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron passed away this morning at the age of 86.

He leaves behind an indelible legacy on and off the baseball diamond.

 

Fixed it for you. I personally place a big, messy asterisk next to Barry Bonds name. 

 

For all the accolades, I always felt Aaron was never held in the same vaulted status of so many of the greats. Perhaps playing in Atlanta, in that era and he was just quietly great for so long that he never got this due. 

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My childhood hero. Guess Sutton, Seaver, Gibson, and Ford were having too easy of a time, had to have someone who could hit them. Little known fact, he and his little brother Tommy have the record for most home runs by brothers (755/13). Got Tommy's autograph at a Red Wings game in the 60's.

RIP

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Lasorda, Niekro, Sutton and now Aaron. 2021 off to a bad start. 

8 minutes ago, Max Fischer said:

 

Fixed it for you. I personally place a big, messy asterisk next to Barry Bonds name. 

 

For all the accolades, I always felt Aaron was never held in the same vaulted status of so many of the greats. Perhaps playing in Atlanta, in that era and he was just quietly great for so long that he never got this due. 

 

Agreed 

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As a white boy growing up in Georgia, the Hammer was my hero!  I know that he affected my perspectives on race in the best way.  More than a home run king, he was a role model that helped me to be a better man.  I’m looking at his photo in my office.  Thanks Mr. Aaron! 

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56 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

You could have a 50 home run season, for fifteen consecutive seasons, and still be 5 HRs short of Hank's 755! 

 

Think about that! 

 

 

30 home runs for 25 seasons.  Think about that!   

 

Year after year after year he hit them.   

 

Coming to major league baseball, as he did, only a few seasons after Jackie Robinson, he was subjected to a lot of racial abuse.  It got worse as he approached the Babe's record.  We forget how much strength and courage it takes to make change.  It continues today. 

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1 minute ago, Shaw66 said:

30 home runs for 25 seasons.  Think about that!   

 

Year after year after year he hit them.   

 

Coming to major league baseball, as he did, only a few seasons after Jackie Robinson, he was subjected to a lot of racial abuse.  It got worse as he approached the Babe's record.  We forget how much strength and courage it takes to make change.  It continues today. 

 

 

25 years of 30 HR's in that era is AMAZING beyond words.

 

Had a brief encounter with Aaron in Cooperstown during HOF weekend in 2001: A true gentleman in every sense of the word. The most star struck moment Ive ever had.

 

Baseball is a much better place because of players like Hank Aaron.

 

 

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Fun fact about Hank Aaron: growing up he batted cross-handed (left hand above right for a righty) and it wasn't until he made it to the minor leagues that the habit was broken.

 

Fun fact about HR #715: it was caught in the Braves bullpen by relief pitcher Tom House. After his baseball career he was a pitching coach for awhile and then somehow morphed that into coaching some pretty big name QB's on throwing mechanics. As per wikipedia this included: Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Alex Smith, Carson Palmer, Jared Goff,  Andrew Luck, Jimmy Garoppolo, Carson Wentz, Andy Dalton, and Matt Ryan.

 

RIP to another baseball legend.

 

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  I remember him more for being an Milwaukee Brave than him being an Atlanta Brave.  I suppose it is mostly forgotten the great teams he led in '57 and '58.

RIP Mr. Aaron.

 

A song by a former REM member about Aaron.

 

 

 

 

 A slightly off topic but fitting song if you are a baseball fan.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/chuck-d-on-baseball-activism-new-tribute-song

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1 hour ago, SinceThe70s said:

Fun fact about Hank Aaron: growing up he batted cross-handed (left hand above right for a righty) and it wasn't until he made it to the minor leagues that the habit was broken.

 

When he was a kid, he and his friends would pitch bottle caps and hit them with broomsticks.  Good for the batting eye. 

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3 hours ago, Mark Vader said:

I never saw him play, but I remember seeing the highlight of him breaking Ruth's record.

 

A sad day, indeed. RIP, Sir.

 

The crazy thing about that video is the fact that the man was receiving death threats for passing Babe Ruth, and yet when he hit the HR and was rounding the bases, two fans made it out onto the field and got right next to him!! Thankfully, they were fans, but what if they weren’t??....where was the security??? Sheesh!!!

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