Hank Aaron Has Passed Away

[attyfan]

Broke Babe Ruth's lifetime homerun record ... and got a lot of racist hate because of it:

Hank Aaron, baseball legend and former home run king, dies at 86 | CNN

Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron, the Baseball Hall of Famer who broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run record in the face of racism and went on to become a revered ambassador to the game, has died. He was 86.

www.cnn.com

May his name be for a blessing.

 

[skatesindreams]

The end of an era...

 

[BlueRidge]

When I was a kid I thought of him as the greatest player ever.

 

[Coco]

He was quite a legend. Rest in Peace, Mr. Aaron.

 

[Cachoo]

He put up with a whole lot of crap because he dared to break a record held by a white man. Much love and respect: RIP

 

[Lacey]

He was a hero.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Ken Burns tweeted this with a great team photo of the Monarchs:

Hank Aaron was not only one of baseball’s greatest players, he was also a remarkable American hero, whose perseverance and forbearance in the face of unspeakable racism is a testament to the human spirit. We will miss him.

 

[bardtoob]

Records were meant to be broken. Hank Aaron, you did good. RIP

 

[Deleted member 221]

As a child, I was very interested in baseball - more for the statistics than the sport.

I remember watching a documentary about Hank Aaron on PBS and understanding what racism meant. Seeing the letters people wrote to him crystallized the definition of racism for me.

Hank Aaron's home run record may no longer stand, but so few players have such solid all-around statistics. His legacy will live on. RIP, Hank Aaron.

 

[Garden Kitty]

Truly a legend and role model. This is an old, but interesting article that talks about his business and charity work after baseball. The article makes him sound even more inspiring.

Baseball legend Hank Aaron focuses on charity | UWire

On the baseball field, Hank Aaron opened new doors for African-American players. After retiring in 1976, he continued to expand opportunities for others through entrepreneurship and humanitarianism. Aaron, a baseball Hall of Famer, and his former business partner Frank Belatti, an adjunct...

www.uwire.com

“An entrepreneur is willing to put his or her career on the line and take risks in the name of an idea and an ideal. Hank often talks about how many new managers, owners and jobs he’s created,” Belatti said. “We don’t talk as much about the money.”

Aaron said his experience in baseball and entrepreneurship taught him two things: creating opportunities for others was essential to addressing economic and social issues and there are no shortcuts to success.

 

[Vash01]

I am not into baseball but I knew who Hank Aaron was and what he accomplished. He was a great player. It was before drugs got into sports. May he Rest In Peace.

 

[MsZem]

Freddie Freeman's short thread makes it clear how much Hank Aaron meant to the Braves - both in the past and in the present.

The word that keeps coming to me when I think about Hank Aaron Is Love. He was the epitome of it. Every conversation and every meeting you had with him he made you feel loved.

I wouldn't mind seeing the team renamed the Hammers. It's about time they dropped the current name, and it would be a lovely tribute (plus they could even keep a similar logo!)