Hammerin’ Hank

There is a famous quote from the movie The Sandlot, which was quoted by Babe Ruth — who was played by Art LaFleur — that motivated me to write this article about one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game.  "Remember kid, there's heroes and there's legends: Heroes get remembered but legends never die. Follow your heart kid, and you can never go wrong. " 

After this quote, the actor who played Babe Ruth picks up a baseball card of Henry Aaron and asks the young kid if he can keep the card. The kid in the film, Kenny "The Jet" Smith, acknowledges Ruth as he fades away into the distance.

On Friday, January 22, 2021, we lost not only a baseball icon but a sports legend. Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron, the Hall of Famer, who is best known for breaking Babe Ruth's iconic home run record, has passed away at the age of 86. The cause of death is unknown at this time, but Aaron did pass away peacefully in his sleep.

Aaron's longtime team, the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, said in a statement, "We are absolutely devastated by the passing of our beloved Hank”.

Braves chairman Terry McGuirk said in a statement, "He was a beacon for our organization first as a player, then with player development, and always with our community efforts. His incredible talent and resolve helped him achieve the highest accomplishments, yet he never lost his humble nature. Henry Aaron wasn't just our icon, but one across Major League Baseball and around the world. His success on the diamond was matched only by his business accomplishments off the field and capped by his extraordinary philanthropic efforts."

Aaron was well known for his incredible power, and this came in the face of hate and death threats from a society that did not want a man of color to shatter such a significant record.

Robert Manfred, who is the current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, described the connection between the two as, "one of the greatest honors of my life" and had nothing but the highest of praises about the impact Aaron had on the sports world and society. Hank Aaron is on the top of everyone's list as one of the greatest to play the game of baseball. 

Aaron was given the nickname Hammerin' Hank, or the Hammer, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982 following a memorable MLB career.  His 755 career home runs rank 2nd all-time only behind Barry Bonds, who was part of the steroid era.

So, in my opinion, the greatest home run hitter of all time is Henry "Hank" Aaron.  Aaron's record stood for more than three decades.  Barry Bonds hit his 756th home run on August 7, 2007. Babe Ruth hit his 714th career home run on May 25, 1935, a record that stood until April 8, 1974, where Aaron hit his 715th career home run at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

While Aaron continued to chase Ruth's record, he was booed and ridiculed. However, his achievements as a player were slightly overlooked only by his poise and honor as an individual. As Aaron continued to receive hate mail from fans, which he chose not to read but instead used for inspiration, he continued to play the game the way it should be played. 

Aaron can be an example for all of us to inspire, and we definitely need it in these current times of hate and racism. 

Neil Leifer/Sports Illustrated

Aaron grew up in Mobile, Alabama during the 1930s and ‘40s, deep in the heart of segregation. He grew up in a poor family and was not even able to afford his own baseball equipment, but he continued to work hard to become one of the greatest players of all time. Aaron had a big impact on everyone's lives.

Former Braves teammate and current Houston Astros Manager, Dusty Baker, said about Aaron, "He was the best person that I ever knew, and the truest, most honest person that I ever knew. He taught me how to be a man and how to be a proud African-American”.

Aaron has been considered one of the greatest sports stars of all time throughout his entire major league career. He spent most of his career with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. Aaron's career spanned from 1954-1976 and still holds some major league records to this day. These records include RBI's (2,297), total bases (6,856) and extra-base hits (1,477). He also ranks 3rd in MLB's hit total with 3,771 hits, which is only behind Ty Cobb and Pete Rose.

Aaron has played in 3,298 career games, which ranks 3rd all-time, and fourth in runs scored with 2,174. Aaron won the National League MVP in 1957, which is also the same year the Milwaukee Braves won the World Series against Mickey Mantle and the New York Yankees.

Aaron won the batting title twice in 1956 and 1959, and he was a three-time Gold Glove winner in right field (1958-1960). He appeared in a record 25 All-Star games and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, receiving 97.8% approval in his first year on the ballot.

In 1999, the Hank Aaron Award was created by MLB, given to the best hitter in both the National League and American League.

We definitely lost not only a baseball icon but a sports icon.

Henry "Hank" Aaron will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the game, and he did it with society doubting him and not giving him a chance to change their opinions. However, when he broke Babe Ruth's home run record in April of 1974, he received a standing ovation from 50,000 Braves fans. In fact, a few fans ran onto the field to interrupt his home run trout around the bases, but when he finally touched home plate, he was mobbed by his teammates, and maybe finally accepted as one of the greatest to play the game and a man of color.

Rest easy Hammerin' Hank, and thank you for the positive impact you have put on the baseball world, the sports world, and society. Hank, you will definitely go down not only as a legend but as a hero.