Remembering Henry Aaron

So many Hall of Fame baseball players have died in the past year. Several great generations of players simply got really old and passed away, the most recent of which might be the greatest of them all – Henry Aaron. I was not quite 10 years old when I watched Hammerin’ Hank hit #715 and break one of the most hallowed records in sports – Babe Ruth’s 714 career home runs. I remember it vividly. Oddly, the thing I remember most was Braves pitcher Tom House retrieving the home run ball from the bullpen. It wasn’t until much later in my life that I realized how much pure hatred Henry Aaron (side note: I just learned, too, that he did not like being called “Hank” … that was a creation of sportswriters and headline writers of his era) endured from the vile racists who felt slighted that a Black man would dare break the great Bambino’s record. How pathetic. Aaron handled it with stoic grace and I was always a big fan of his during his last few years as an active player and then during post-playing days. His statistics are staggering in their consistency for such a long career, among the greatest of all time. I only saw him at the end of his career, when some of his skills were diminished. In reading the many tribute stories out there, I came to learn that he was a great baserunner and outfielder – a true “five-tool” player, as they say. During these troubled times, though, we should remember Henry Aaron for what he endured off the field and what he stood for on and off the field. True greatness in all ways. Rest in peace, #44.