All the hatred, the death threats, that terrifying letter saying the killer would be wearing a red coat that evening when he pulled the trigger, could not stop the great Henry Aaron.
Bob Nightengale
50 years to the day, Hammerin’ Hank broke what was considered an unbreakable record, by slugging his 715th MLB homerun. However, there was no peace going into that day for Hank.
“We were scared to death,” Baker says. “Me and Ralph couldn’t even watch the game. We kept looking for the guy in the red coat the whole game. Hank acted like it didn’t bother him. But I know there was pain.?A lot of pain.”
Dusty Baker
Today, 50 years later, Hank Aaron‘s legacy of silent strength and resilience lives on in the heart of this team and its fans. While I was not around during Hank’s time in baseball, his legacy has impacted me greatly. It was partly due to him that I decided to spend my 2nd and 3rd years of teaching in the 9th Ward district of New Orleans in what was considered the most dangerous public housing projects in the states. Any soon to be teacher that reaches out to me for advice, I always tell them the same thing: “When you’re young, go where you’re needed”. I’m not sure they’ve taken the advice, but I know for certain that it made me such a better human.
TFloyd’s Hank Aaron Tribute
This has been posted here before, but it’s more relevant than ever today! Some of you may be wondering whether we really need to discuss yet again the greatness of Mr. Aaron. I can answer that question for you: yes, we do. As I have written in this space before, Mr. Aaron has been my favorite baseball player since the Braves moved to Atlanta when I was ten years old. My admiration, respect, and awe of the man and the player has never dimmed in the 57 years since.
Mr. Aaron may not have been the greatest player in history, but he’s in the conversation. He was almost certainly the most consistently great player. Nobody— And We Mean Nobody — Was Consistently Great Like Hank Aaron | FiveThirtyEight. He never had a season that was less than great between his age 21 and age 39 seasons. More directly relevant to April 1974 and homer number 715, he had two of his greatest seasons at age 37 and 39. Before 1971, I don’t think anyone seriously thought of Aaron as a threat to the Babe’s record. But that year, at age 37, he hit a career high 47 home runs, and had the highest OPS of his career, 1.079 (OPS+194). Then at age 39 (1973) he hit 40 home runs in just 392 at bats, to finish the season at 713. The most home runs by a 39 year old before that season had been 30.
So he enters the 1974 season without much doubt that he would break the record. Still, easier said than done, right? Especially given the enormous pressure he was under, not least from the hateful and racist reaction from so many to his pursuit. But in his very first at bat on opening day in Cincinnati mail he stroked number 714. After sitting out game 2 and going homerless in game 3, a sellout crowd showed up for the home opener to see him break the record, and the game was televised nationally on NBC. A mere mortal (especially a 40 year old) might be expected to take a few games to hit another. But Mr. Aaron told Ralph Garr before the game that he needed to get this whole thing over with. So sure enough, on his first swing of the game, in his second at bat, he hit the shot that you all have seen over and over again. I was along in my college dorm room watching on my black and white TV. I didn’t have tickets to the game, and I didn’t want to be around a bunch of folks in a bar who didn’t appreciate the seriousness of the occasion.
By the way, you may have heard a rumor that Aaron’s record of 755 home runs was broken some time in the last couple of decades, but those rumors are baseless. I’ve met a fair number of famous and accomplished people over the years, and I’m generally not awed by celebrity or achievement. But my attitude toward Mr. Aaron has always been an exception. I finally had the chance to meet him in person just a few years before his death, when he happened to be at a reception honoring several lawyers for public service. When I saw him across the room, I turned into the young fanboy of fifty years earlier. Part of me wanted to approach him and speak to him, but I didn’t have the nerve. I figured he didn’t need one more stranger to approach him and babble about what a great player he was. But I happened to be standing next to a federal judge that I know, who took it upon herself to approach Mr. Aaron and tell him that I’d like to meet him. He beckoned me over, and despite my embarrassment, I introduced myself. He engaged me in a warm and friendly conversation for several minutes. I was able to tell him how much I admired him as a player and a person. He certainly didn’t need to hear this from me, and I’m confident this conversation didn’t make a lasting impression on him. His graciousness and openness made a big impression on me, though. Anyway, that explains the odd picture you see with my posts. I’m the awkward 60 year old fanboy, and Mr. Aaron is the good lucking 80 year old who is graciously humoring me.
Also today is the 30th anniversary of Kent Mercker’s no hitter. The last one the Braves have had.
Morton has gotten exactly what he deserves walk the 8 and 9 hitters and then throw an 85 mph batting practice change up and a tie game against these clowns.
Pierce has been in 6 of the 9 games. He might be running on fumes.
This one was definitely on the bullpen and pitching in general. I don’t know what it is with leadoff hitters but Marte (AZ) and Nimmo have both been killers. Three losses – three one-run losses. Seven runs should be enough to win.
I agree that Pierce may have been out of gas but who else is there that hasn’t pitched much? The bullpen has already been taxed. Maybe Winans???
+25 run differential in 9 games is pretty incredible.
Team won’t win more than 159, but it’ll be a fun year.
Man, Nimmo went off. He was almost their entire offense. When someone is that dialed in, not much you can do.
Teheran pitched about what you’d expect. Good for them for getting some help in a pinch.
Y’all, I am so impressed with Kelenic, and I can definitely see why he busted in Seattle. He should have never been relied upon to be a middle-of-the-order bat, and he’s in the perfect situation here. His OPS is almost entirely BA-driven, and that’s probably by design: he doesn’t need to be anything other than a guy hitting line drives in the 7-spot in the order. 8 of his 11 hits are singles. Good for him.
recapped. sorry for being late.