HANK Aaron has passed away

[Source]

I learned today from AM conservative radio, that Hank Aron got tons of racist hate mail. Had to have FBI security detail. Received racist death threats for breaking Babe Ruth's record.

It’s a very unfortunate and disgusting reality. Imagine the level of abuse Aaron would have been subjected to if there had been social media around then. I’m sure it still happens today.

 

[Philadelphia Collins]

My grandfather met him when he was working and said he was very kind and humble. I never heard anything but good about the man.

 

[TeTe]

Add Hank to the list. The last couple years have been rough for baseball legends

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/baseball-lost-a-team-of-legends-this-year/

Doesnt include Willie Mccovey or Frank Robinson who died in 2018

 

[therealdope]

Hank Aaron was vastly underrated as an all-rounder because of his prodigious home run hitting ability. Unlike a lot of HR hitters, he didn't swing at everything. He was a 320-330 hitter several times and was a very good situational hitter.

The mention of Aaron has triggered me since I was a kid because this poor guy not only faced a ridiculous amount of racial threats during the record chase, but was disregarded as an all-round great and then to top it off MLB basically forced him into the indignation of following around Barr-oid to watch him steal Aaron's record.

Rest in peace, you were one of the greats.

 

[My Spot]

A shame he didn't play for a big market team like the Yankees or Dodgers. I don't think he got the respect he earned nationally.

 

[tangata motu'a]

Man, it has been a tough couple of years for losing baseball legends. To me Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays are really the last of the larger than life hall of famers who are still alive. sure, there were other greats, but most played when i was able to watch, so maybe they just dont have the same mystique. Brooks Robinson and Juan Marichel are close, but i consider them lower tier guys.

These are just a few of the types i am talking about that have died while i was old enough to understand their greatness:

- dimaggio
-ted williams
- mickey mantle
- al kaline
- bob gison
- harmon killebrew
-frank robinson
-ernie banks


when i was just getting into baseball, most of the future hall of famers were lower tier guys like robin yount, mike schmidt, paul molitor, dave winfield, reggie jackson, jack morris, jim rice, etc. there just wasnt the same sense of awe with those guys

anyway, just thought about it and how sad it was to see these guys disappearing

 

[Plissken]

I was an Ernie Banks guy, but it's sad to see the legends pass.

 

[HomeCheese]

The guy had so much personal dignity, hard not to respect him. I remember when he was chasing the record when I was a kid and it was strange he was going to pass a legend like Ruth. There were so greats finishing out their careers back then including Mays. All the former presidents released nice messages except Trump.

 

[HomeCheese]

Man, it has been a tough couple of years for losing baseball legends. To me Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays are really the last of the larger than life hall of famers who are still alive. sure, there were other greats, but most played when i was able to watch, so maybe they just dont have the same mystique. Brooks Robinson and Juan Marichel are close, but i consider them lower tier guys.

These are just a few of the types i am talking about that have died while i was old enough to understand their greatness:

- dimaggio
-ted williams
- mickey mantle
- al kaline
- bob gison
- harmon killebrew
-frank robinson
-ernie banks


when i was just getting into baseball, most of the future hall of famers were lower tier guys like robin yount, mike schmidt, paul molitor, dave winfield, reggie jackson, jack morris, jim rice, etc. there just wasnt the same sense of awe with those guys

anyway, just thought about it and how sad it was to see these guys disappearing

Got to meet Dimaggio when I was a kid and got his autograph. He former teammate was Jackie Jensen who was coaching Cal baseball team in the early '70's. One morning before he left for mt dad told us Dimaggio was going to throw out the first pitch for the Cal team.

Me and my friends caught the bus to the campus and we all went up to him at the game. He was super friendly and kind and signed autographs for us all. It was a lovely sunny day.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Got to meet Dimaggio when I was a kid and got his autograph. He former teammate was Jackie Jensen who was coaching Cal baseball team in the early '70's. One morning before he left for mt dad told us Dimaggio was going to throw out the first pitch for the Cal team.

Me and my friends caught the bus to the campus and we all went up to him at the game. He was super friendly and kind and signed autographs for us all. It was a lovely sunny day.

No one believes this.

 

[HomeCheese]

No one believes this.

Lol. Probably still have his signature laying around someplace if you would like to put some money on it.