Tag: Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron responded to supportive fan letters he received. That included a special note to my dad.

The home run king also set a record for most letters received by a private citizen in a single year in 1974. While much of that was hate mail, some were messages of support.

Hank Aaron was a 25-time All-Star, a World Series Champion and a winner of the National League MVP award. He passed away on Friday morning at the age of 86.

Aaron is most known for breaking the home run record, previously set by Babe Ruth, in 1974. But that same season, the slugger also set a Guinness World Record for most letters received by a private citizen in a single year. The US Postal Department confirmed that Aaron received nearly a million letters, nearly 3,000 per day, and even gave him a plaque.

But many of the letters that he received were classified as hate mail in its most visible and disgusting form. En route to breaking Ruth’s record, Aaron was the subject of extraordinary racist hatred.

Dusty Baker, who currently manages the Houston Astros, was teammates with Aaron from 1968 until 1975. He spoke about what he observed when Aaron would receive a vile message (via USA TODAY):

“As close as we were, he would never ever let us know. But he didn’t have to tell us. I would see him drop the letter on the floor, he would go to (the) training room, and I’d pick it up and read it. I couldn’t believe what was being said to him, but Hank was never scared. But we sure were.”

At one point, the FBI was screening his hate mail, and Aaron has said that he was “forbidden” to open his own mail for two or three years. The Braves had to hire a secretary, Carla Koplin Cohn, to separate the death threats.

When he released his 1991 memoir, I Had A Hammer, Aaron briefly touched on the impact these messages had on him (via New York Daily News):

“There’s no way to measure the effect those letters had on me, but I like to think every one of them added another homerun to my total.”

Some of the correspondences are archived at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown while others survive at Emory University’s Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library (MARBL) in Georgia.

Aaron, however, actually kept much of the hate mail that he received during this chapter of his life. Back in 2014, Aaron told baseball writer Bob Nightengale that he would re-read them from time to time (via USA TODAY):

“To remind myself that we are not that far removed from when I was chasing the record. If you think that, you are fooling yourself. A lot of things have happened in this country, but we have so far to go. There’s not a whole lot that has changed.”

While some of the darkness that surrounded Aaron haunted him for his entire life, there were some glimmers of hope during this tumultuous time.

Shortly before he would break the home run record, according to CNN, the press started writing about the horrific messages that Aaron would receive in the mail.

This led to an outpouring of positive messages sent to Aaron, which was the subject of Sandy Tolan’s book Me and Hank (2000). Tolan sent an encouraging letter to Aaron, not expecting any response.

But to his surprise, he received a letter back from Aaron, thanking him for his support. The letter was signed, in blue ink, personally by the home run champion.

Another person who has a similar story is my father, Ron Kalbrosky, who wrote that he was a 15-year-old, Jewish baseball fan from New York. He told Aaron that he kept a scrapbook memorializing his quest to break Ruth’s record and that he wanted nothing more than to watch MLB history.

Aaron wrote back to my dad, too, expressing overwhelming gratitude for the warm wishes. This is what he said:

“Dear Mr. Kalbrosky:

I want you to know how very much I appreciate the concern and best wishes of people like yourself. If you will excuse my sentimentality, your letter of support and encouragement means much more to me than I can adequately express in words.

It is very heart warming to know that you are in my corner. I will always be grateful for the interest you have shown in me. As the so called “count down” begins, pleasure be assured I will try to live up to the expectations of my friends.

Wishing for you only the best, I am

Most Sincerely,

Hank Aaron

HA/ck”

For my immediate family, this letter from one of the greatest to ever play the game is considered one of our most sacred and cherished heirlooms.

Many fans had similar experiences with Aaron and this beautiful exchange was not unique to Tolan or my dad. Still, the letter showed that despite the most excruciating hatred, which was far too present in his life, Aaron was also the kind of person who acknowledged the love from his fans.

There are several other folks who also received letters from Hammerin’ Hank and have shared their stories on Twitter.

(Photo via For The Win)

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Relive the magical moment Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record

What a moment, for so many reasons.

Of course, Hank Aaron’s incredible Major League Baseball career was filled with so many accomplishments beyond breaking Babe Ruth’s record for most career home runs in 1974 — 25 All-Star appearances, an MVP, two batting titles and a World Series win in 1957.

But it was that home run that was more than just a statistical achievement: Aaron received death threats and heard from racists around the country who didn’t want to see a Black man break a hallowed record owned by a white man. He held on to those horrifying letters even 40 years later, as he said to USA TODAY Sports in 2014, to remind himself “that we are not that far removed from when I was chasing the record.”

What a moment it was, both for baseball and beyond. Here’s the radio call:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNZl6HN5c-0

And the call from the great Vin Scully:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjqYThEVoSQ

“It really made me see for the first time a clear picture of what this country is about,” he once told the New York Times about his pursuit of the home run title. “My kids had to live like they were in prison because of kidnap threats, and I had to live like a pig in a slaughter camp. I had to duck. I had to go out the back door of the ball parks. I had to have a police escort with me all the time. I was getting threatening letters every single day. All of these things have put a bad taste in my mouth, and it won’t go away. They carved a piece of my heart away.”

By the way, those two fans who jumped in and congratulated him (can’t imagine that happening now, can you?) were Britt Gaston and Cliff Courtenay, who reunited with Aaron in 2010, decades after their arrest before charges were dropped.

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The greatest quotes from baseball legend Hank Aaron

Always keep swinging.

The baseball world lost a legend on Friday morning when Hank Aaron passed away at the age of 86.  According to USA TODAY Sports, Aaron died after suffering a massive stroke.

“His incredible talent and resolve helped him achieve the highest accomplishments, yet he never lost his humble nature. Henry Louis Aaron wasn’t just our icon, but one across Major League Baseball and around the world,” the Braves said in a statement.

Aaron certainly had a way with a baseball bat—beating Babe Ruth’s long held home run record in 1974—but he also had a certain way with words.

Throughout his storied career and life, Aaron overcame many obstacles, battling poverty, racism and segregation to reach the pinnacle of professional success. He confronted each of these challenges with trademark wit, grace and kindness. In setting an example with his life, he also offered a lot of words of wisdom for others to live by.

As we remember the man and the legend, here are some of his most famous quotes.

On baseball

“My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.”

“I’m not trying to make anyone forget the Babe; but only to remember Hank Aaron.”

“Making the majors is not as hard as staying there, staying interested day after day. It’s like being married. The hardest part is to stay married.”

“I never smile when I have a bat in my hands. That’s when you’ve got to be serious. When I get out on the field, nothing’s a joke to me. I don’t feel like I should walk around with a smile on my face.”

“Didn’t come up here to read. Came up here to hit.”

“The pitcher has got only a ball. I’ve got a bat. So the percentage in weapons is in my favor and I let the fellow with the ball do the fretting.”

“I like those lefties, but when you’re hitting, all pitchers look alike. I don’t care too much who’s throwing or what he throws. When my timing is off, I have trouble; when it ain’t, I don’t.”

“You got to play a hundred and fifty games a year, so pick your spots. You can miss two games a month; so pick the days you’re gonna be hurt, or you’re gonna rest or you’re gonna have a drink or two. The rest of the time, be on that field.”

On racism

“It really made me see for the first time a clear picture of what this country is about. My kids had to live like they were in prison because of kidnap threats, and <a href="http://I had to live like a pig in a slaughter camp. I had to duck. I had to go out the back door of the ball parks. I had to have a police escort with me all the time. I was getting threatening letters every single day. All of these things have put a bad taste in my mouth, and it won’t go away. They carved a piece of my heart away.”

On life

“In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.”

“Failure is a part of success. There is no such thing as a bed of roses all your life. But failure will never stand in the way of success if you learn from it.”

On his legacy

“I’m hoping someday that some kid, black or white, will hit more home runs than myself. Whoever it is, I’d be pulling for him.”

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The sports world mourns the loss of legendary baseball icon Hank Aaron

Hammerin’ Hank was 86 years old.

Hall of Famer and baseball icon Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron has passed away at the age of 86.

The Atlanta Braves said he died peacefully in his sleep Friday morning.

The Braves legend and one time home run king was an indelible figure in baseball, most well-known for hitting his 715th home run on April 8, 1974  and beating Babe Ruth’s long held record of 714.  On his quest to break the record, Aaron battled racism and hatred, receiving countless death threats. He endured racial taunts and, according to reports, received 930,000 pieces hate mail.

Aaron, born Feb. 5, 1934, became the first Black player for the National League’s then Milwaukee Braves in 1954. He stayed with the Braves organization for much of his career including a World Series title in 1957. He was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

There’s more to Aaron’s life than can be summed up here, too many moments and reflections that will come out over the next days and weeks and years. As happens when icons pass away, people tried to process their grief over Aaron’s death on social media.

Many shared remembrances, favorite moments, quotes and stories. Here’s an incomplete but moving list.

Hank Aaron’s historic day remembered

What I’m Hearing: While recounting the historic day Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record, Bob Nightengale tells us what Aaron’s closest teammates said about being along for the ride.

What I’m Hearing: While recounting the historic day Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record, Bob Nightengale tells us what Aaron’s closest teammates said about being along for the ride.

6 athletes who played 20 years with a team before moving on

Will Tom Brady join these six athletes who spent their first 20 years with a franchise before leaving for another team?

Tom Brady faces a decision, whether to leave the New England Patriots after 20 years. Not many athletes have spent their first 20 years with the same franchise and then moved on to new teams.

Hank Aaron

Elsa/Getty Images

Hank started and ended his career in Milwaukee. Aaron played 21 seasons for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves. The Braves traded Aaron to the Milwaukee Brewers after the 1974 season. Aaron appeared in 222 games for the Brewers in 1975 and hit 22 home runs.

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