January 22, 2021

Baseball icon Hank Aaron dead at age 86: Hank Aaron came into life on Feb. 5, 1934, in Mobile on the wrong side of segregation. He left it on Friday as a national icon.

posted by BornIcon to baseball at 10:50 AM - 8 comments

RIP to my childhood hero

posted by NoMich at 11:11 AM on January 22, 2021

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posted by billsaysthis at 11:17 AM on January 22, 2021

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posted by tommybiden at 11:28 AM on January 22, 2021

I got to meet him once - in the Braves clubhouse in WPB during spring training. Me and my best friend. We met Clete Boyer too. Larger than life would be an understatement. We were awestruck.

In the spring of 1974, I was in a meeting when one of the people attending dragged in a small black and white TV and tuned it into the Braves - Dodgers game. With the sound turned off. I'm sure some of the people in the room thought he was nuts. He said something like "this is necessary".

After a while, everyone sort of forgot about the TV. Suddenly, the guy who brought it said "There it is!" and cranked up the sound. We all stopped and watched Aaron's 715th leave the park and witnessed the ensuing aftermath. I think even those who were indifferent to the whole thing understood the historical importance of the moment.

RIP.

posted by beaverboard at 11:30 AM on January 22, 2021

His first contract offers came from the Boston Braves and the NY Giants. He went with the Braves because they offered $50 a month more. Could you imagine an outfield with Willie Mays and Hank Aaron?

posted by NoMich at 12:55 PM on January 22, 2021

RIP. Damn.

posted by tahoemoj at 12:55 PM on January 22, 2021

His first contract offers came from the Boston Braves and the NY Giants

The great Milwaukee teams of the 1950s and 60s should have been the great Boston Braves teams. When they left after the 1952 season the Braves had the foundation of a very good team, but the fans did not support them as well as they supported the Red Sox. I wonder how well Aaron would have done had he been hitting in the old Braves Field in Boston. The park was huge, there were no easy home runs, although a section of stands that jutted out into right field was available. Aaron batted from the right side, so this would not have been an available option for him. One wonders how events intertwine to produce things of great significance.

RIP Henry Aaron.

posted by Howard_T at 01:59 PM on January 22, 2021

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posted by jagsnumberone at 02:29 PM on January 22, 2021

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