‘Home run king wasn’t handed his throne.’ Presidents, baseball honor legend Hank Aaron
The death of Henry Aaron, the former baseball home run king, has ignited a swarm of memories, tributes and laments from the sports world and beyond.
Three former presidents joined a massive wave of remembrance on social media after Aaron died at age 86 early Friday morning.
“The former Home Run King wasn’t handed his throne,” George W. Bush said in a news release. “He grew up poor and faced racism as he worked to become one of the greatest baseball players of all time. Hank never let the hatred he faced consume him.”
Aaron faced an onslaught of racism while making his way through his Hall of Fame baseball career. He was born in 1934 in Mobile, Alabama, and made his Major League Baseball debut in 1954. He finished his career in 1976 as the all-time leader in home runs (755), runs batted in (2,297) and total bases (6,856). While pursuing Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record in 1974, Aaron received a massive amount of racist taunts and hate mail, including some death threats.
Although Barry Bonds passed him as the all-time home run leader 33 years later, Aaron still holds the record for RBIs and total bases and remains in the top 10 in nearly every major offensive category.
Barack Obama called Aaron one of the strongest people he ever met.
“Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to the Aaron family and everyone who was inspired by this unassuming man and his towering example,” he said in a release.
Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully said Aaron meant “so much more to baseball and the country than just being one of the game’s top home run hitters.”
“He truly was a very special man,” Scully said.
