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RIP Hank Aaron

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Moderator1, Jan 22, 2021.

  1. dixiehack

    dixiehack Well-Known Member

    One of Lewis Grizzard’s books (can’t remember which) went into some detail about Davidson’s so-bad-it’s-hilarious temper and his love of profanity, particularly on a memorable trip to Montreal.
     
  2. WolvEagle

    WolvEagle Well-Known Member

    I guess I'm jaded in that I no longer think sports figures are heroes. But, there are a few exceptions - and Henry Aaron was certainly one of them. For what he endured and how he carried himself - simply amazing. I was 9 when he broke the record, and it was a huge, huge thrill to know that someone broke a record that many never thought could be broken.

    A few years ago, a Baseball Hall of Fame traveling exhibit came to a museum in my hometown. One of the highlights was seeing the jersey he wore when he broke the record. It made me realize that he wasn't a huge guy. Next to the jersey were a couple of the racist letters he received. As a 9-year-old, I didn't think it terms of race - here was a guy I watched as a kid break a sacred record, and he did it with class. But as a adult, knowing what he went through, my respect for him is that much greater.

    I bought his autobiography, "I Had a Hammer," a few years ago. It was well worth it. Oh, and that '74 baseball card pictured earlier in the thread? Mine became dog-eared. It was one of my favorite cards ever.

    RIP, Mr. Aaron. Job well done.
     
  3. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

    And Craig Sager finally has the interview.
     
    maumann and Jesus_Muscatel like this.
  4. Jesus_Muscatel

    Jesus_Muscatel Well-Known Member

    Went to see Mr. Aaron play 15-20 times during my childhood in Houston in the 1960s. Did a story on him when Mobile's minor league stadium was named after Mr. Aaron. A great, principled man who handled the death threats, the overt racism, the hate mail, with class and grace.

    RIP Hammering Hank. You were one of the best.
     
    cyclingwriter2 and OscarMadison like this.
  5. heyabbott

    heyabbott Well-Known Member

    The New York Times: This Day In Sports

    Article on the 9
     
  6. Splendid Splinter

    Splendid Splinter Well-Known Member

  7. rtse11

    rtse11 Well-Known Member

    Aaron is No. 1 all-time in total bases. He's 722 ahead of No. 2, Stan Musial.
    ...
    The difference between Musial and No. 10, Yaz, is 595.
     
  8. Scout

    Scout Well-Known Member

    Good Lord.
     
  9. garrow

    garrow Well-Known Member

    I started collecting baseball cards fanatically in the mid-1980s. I have no older siblings, but a pair of older male cousins (born 12 and 8 years before me) gave me their card collection, all of which were from the mid-1970s. I cherished the Hank Aaron Brewers card that came with it.

    RIP to a legend.
     
    OscarMadison likes this.
  10. MTM

    MTM Well-Known Member

    In 1975, Hostess offered baseball cards with their products. My friend and I would go to the Hostess outlet store near my house and look for Hank Aaron cards on Twinkees packages. One time we rode our bikes for what seemed like miles (I just looked it up, it was 6 but at 15 years old it felt like 20) and bought some more at a different store. His mother could never figure out how we kept eating Twinkees but the supply never ran out.

    RIP to the greatest player of my lifetime and a truly classy gentleman.

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Corky Ramirez up on 94th St.

    Corky Ramirez up on 94th St. Well-Known Member

    One of my favorite bits of trivia was that there were six home runs in that game ... and all six were by future Hall of Famers.

    That was Aaron's first ASG home run, too. In the broadcast, Curt Gowdy (either during that at-bat or one previous) alluded to Aaron being homerless in the ASG. The wind sure was blowing out that day.
     
    maumann likes this.
  12. HanSenSE

    HanSenSE Well-Known Member

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