Hammerin' Hank is 70 years old today. Born in Mobile, Alabama in 1934. I don't care if Barry Bonds hits 80 homeruns for the next ten years....Hank Aaron will always be The Man!!! He did it in an era where constant death threats and racial intolerance were rampant and ball parks and the ball weren't juiced.
There's no way a middle-class white boy like myself can imagine what he went through. I'm sure it was dehumanizing, but I don't think I can ever truly appreciate what he dealt with. But, as a stat junkie, I *definitely* have an appreciation for his amazing longevity and statistical consistency. Dude was a flat-out freak. Consider that he played a good portion of his career in the Second Dead Ball Era (mid- to late-1960s), his numbers are even more staggering. By the way, on a relatively different subject, I wonder what happened to the two dudes who ran the basepaths with him on his famous homerun?...
Hank was my Pop's favorist player, and I am named after him on that account, so here are a few tidbits I learned over the years... Aaron's incredible batspeed was considered by most who saw it to be the quickest they'd ever seen, and it was due mostly to his unbelievably developed writs. What many people don't know is how Aaron got those wrists: For his early baseball career, well into highschool, he held his bat with his wrists inverted. Meaning, if you hit rightie, his left hand was his top hand. Try it sometime, but don;t send me the doctor's bill... There was a young catcher, who I can picture, but can't bring his name to mind ( later caught quite a while with the O's) who tells a story in George Will's baseball book, Men At Work, about when he first came up with the Dodgers. This was the staff with Koufax, Drysdale, etc. There was a meeting in early season where they were going over how to pitch to different star hitters in the league...McCovey...high and tight, low and away...Mays, junk on the outside, etc. They were giving the kid all their secrets on how to pitch the stars, cause he'd be catching them. He says they got to the Braves...Mathews..high heat...and then there was silence. The cather looked around,waited, and as it seemed an obvious omission, said "Aaaron? How do we pitch Aaron?" He says there was more silence, and he began to wonder if he'd made a mistake, when Koufax quietly said " Just try to make sure that no one's on base when he hits one out." Will says it's the greatest testament to an athlete's abilities, considering the source, that he's ever heard. Other things some people don't realize about Aaron...he also holds the RBI record, by far. He was very, very fast for most of his career...check his early steals numbers, and remember it wasn't a basestealing era...
Sorry MacBeth, but: Aaron had an understated style that could make him look lazy. He wasn't. He didn't play high school ball in Mobile, Alabama, which somehow hatched the strange story that he batted crosshanded early in his career. He played semi-pro ball when he was 15, and was the shortstop for two seasons with the Indianapolis Clowns in the Negro leagues. In May 1952, the Braves paid $7,500 for Aaron, who spent the next season and a half tearing up three different minor and winter leagues. He desegregated the Braves in 1954 after Bobby Thomson broke a leg in spring training to open a spot. Aaron joined a powerful lineup featuring Eddie Mathews and Del Crandall that needed a final link. http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/A/Aaron_Hank.stm
Damn. There go my childhood faiths. Couldn't you have left me my illusions? Besides, from this, I'm unclear as to whether they are saying that he never batter cross handed, or just that he didn't do so for very long. I don't see the connection they are making between his not playing HS and the myth.
P.S. I honestly believe that you can make a serious case for Aaron as the single most underrated professional athlete in US history. He played at the same time as more flamboyant icons such as Mays, Clemente, Mantle, and also played in a very small market for most of his career. As much as we Houston Rockets' fans think that Hakeem is overlooked when basketball greats are discussed, take a look at Aaron's numbers, and then ask yourself why he's rarely mentioned when people talk about who was the best.
If you are a fan of Hank Aaron, I highly recommend this book. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...search05/102-2628458-5240141?v=glance&s=books
He was a black man growing up in Alabama in the 40's. He was probably happy that wasn't working 80 hours a week for a few dollars picking tobaco or so other labor intensive job. I really doubt that there were a lot of child labor laws in that state that were looking out for him.
Excellent point. Aaron was a quiet guy playing in a small market. He never had a "monster" season (he never even hit 50 homeruns), but he was consistently excellent -- he hit 20 or more homeruns in 20 straight seasons. He just did his job, and let the rest take care of itself.
Ever heard Buck O'Neil's story about how he decided to become a pro baseball player? ( BTW, O'Neal is just about my favorite ballplayer to listen talk baseball. Incredible charisma. Met him a few times in spring training when my Dad worked for the Blue Jays, and you will never meet a nicer gentleman in your life. And if I look half as good and fit at 50 as he did at 70, I'll be mighty happy. Sorry to digress. Bob, will pick it up. Thanks.
awesome point, macbeth! i agree entirely! i think the homerun record has actually HURT the perception of hammerin' hank...they see him as a lumberjack, or something. a swing for the fences everytime guy. he was far from it. a great, great hitter.
Ok MacBeth, the baseball library website I posted above is wrong. Hank's high school did not have a baseball team but did have a fast pitch softball team. Hank DID bat cross-handed (page 27 I Had A Hammer-Hank Aaron) You are correct!
I don't know if you're placating me or not, and buddy, I don't care. Welcome back childhood based sense of self, reality, and belief in all things good and fuzzy!
Page 28 of Hank's biography reveals his secret of how he learned to hit. He and a friend would pitch to each other for hours. Not using a bat and ball but a broomstick and bottle caps!!! Hank says "If you've ever tried to hit a bottle cap you know you have to have the weight on your front foot and can't swing until the bottle cap is in a position to hit. Then you snap your wrists to hit it." He says he hit a baseball the same way during his major league career.
Hammering Hank is one of four HOF players (and five from Alabama along with Willie Mays ) that were born in my hometown of Mobile, AL. The minor league ballpark there where the AAA Mobile BayBears (San Diego Padres) play is named after him. I met him at a game down there and he signed my throwback Hank Aaron jersey. He's a great man and a great ambassador of the game. The fact that four of the greatest players ever in the game were born in my hometown is amazing. Happy B-day, Hammering Hank! May your record never fall! Hank Aaron Henry Louis Aaron Born: February 5, 1934, Mobile, Alabama Batted: right Threw: right Played for: Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers Elected to Hall of Fame by BBWAA: 1982 406 votes of 415 ballots cast: 97.83% Career Batting Record Hall of Fame Plaque "Hammerin' Hank" Aaron earned his nickname by clubbing 755 roundtrippers over his 23-year career. Not only did he raise the bar for home runs, but he also established 12 other major league career records, including most games, at-bats, total bases and RBI. Aaron played the infield but gained recognition as an excellent outfielder, winning three Gold Glove awards. He earned National League Most Valuable Player honors in 1957, and appeared in a record 24 All-Star Games. A quiet and effective leader, Aaron is now an executive with the Braves. link Satchel Paige Leroy Robert Paige Born: July 7, 1906, Mobile, Alabama Died: June 8, 1982, Kansas City, Missouri Batted: right Threw: right Played for: Birmingham Black Barons, Baltimore Black Sox, Cleveland Cubs, Pittsburgh Crawfords, Kansas City Monarchs, New York Black Yankees, Memphis Red Sox, Philadelphia Stars, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, Kansas City A's Elected to Hall of Fame by Committee on Negro Leagues: 1971 Career Pitching Record Hall of Fame Plaque Leroy "Satchel" Paige was a legendary storyteller and one of the most entertaining pitchers in baseball history. A tall, lanky fireballer, he was arguably the Negro leagues' hardest thrower, most colorful character and greatest gate attraction. In the 1930s, the well-traveled pitcher barnstormed around the continent, baffling hitters with creatively named pitches such as the "Bat Dodger" and "Hesitation Pitch." In 1948 his contract was sold to Cleveland on his 42nd birthday, becoming the oldest player to make his major league debut and helping the Indians win the pennant. Did you know ... that on August 20, 1948, a 42-year-old Satchel Paige pitched the Indians to a 1-0 victory over the White Sox in front of 78,382 fans, a night-game attendance record that still stands? link Willie McCovey Willie Lee McCovey Born: January 10, 1938, Mobile, Alabama Batted: left Threw: left Played for: San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics Elected to Hall of Fame by BBWAA: 1986 346 votes of 425 ballots cast: 81.41% Career Batting Record Hall of Fame Plaque Although Willie McCovey played hurt throughout much of his 22-year career, the Giants' first baseman used a sweeping swing to belt 521 homers. McCovey's 18 grand slams rank third to Lou Gehrig's 23 and Eddie Murray's 19. He led the National League in homers three times and in RBI twice. "Stretch" was named National League Rookie of the Year in 1959 and MVP ten years later. Did you know ... that in his major league debut on July 30, 1959, Willie McCovey went 4-for-4 including two triples off future Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts? link Osborne Earl Smith Born: December 26, 1954, Mobile, Alabama Batted: both Threw: right Played for: San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals Elected to Hall of Fame by BBWAA: 2002 433 votes of 472 ballots cast: 91.74% Career Batting Record Hall of Fame Plaque Known as "The Wizard of Oz," Ozzie Smith combined athletic ability with acrobatic skill to become one of the greatest defensive shortstops of all time. In 19 seasons with the Padres and Cardinals, the 13-time Gold Glove Award winner set major league shortstop records for assists, double plays and total chances. He would develop into an offensive weapon, finishing with over 2,400 hits and 500 stolen bases. His ninth-inning home run won the fifth game of the 1985 National League Championship Series. Expanded Bio Did you know ... that Ozzie Smith was a high school baseball teammate of longtime big league first baseman Eddie Murray? Osborne Earl Smith was born on December 26, 1954, at Mobile, Alabama. As a six-year-old, he and his family, which included five siblings, moved to the Watts section of Los Angeles, Ca. Though he played a number of sports as a youngster, he never played a position on the baseball field other than shortstop. Going unselected by any big league team in the free-agent draft after his graduation from Locke High School, where he was a teammate of longtime first baseman Eddie Murray, Smith had the option of pursuing baseball or basketball on the collegiate level. Deciding to concentrate on baseball, Smith attended California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, Ca. on an academic scholarship, where he walked on to the team. After his junior year at Cal-Poly, the Detroit Tigers selected Smith in the seventh round of the 1976 free-agent draft; he did not sign and returned for his senior year. He would eventually sign for $5,000 with the San Diego Padres after being drafted in the fourth round of the 1977 draft. Soon after agreeing to a contract, Smith began his professional baseball career with the Walla Walla (WA) Padres of the Class A Northwest League. The switch-hitter turned heads not only by batting .303 and leading the league in games played, at-bats, runs scored and stolen bases, but also by leading league shortstops in double plays, assists and fielding percentage. During his first off-season, Smith attracted attention with a .323 batting average in the Arizona Instructional League, and so it was that after only 68 games of professional experience he made the jump to the major leagues. As their regular shortstop in 1978, he helped the Padres to an 84-78 record, played in 159 of the team’s 162 games, led the league in sacrifice hits with 28, finished fourth in stolen bases with 40, and was runner-up to Atlanta’s Bob Horner for Rookie of the Year honors. It was his defense, however, that caught everyone’s eye. Padres manager Roger Craig said at the time, "Ozzie is the best young infielder I’ve ever seen…very soon he’s going to be one of the best shortstops in baseball, if not the best." Though Smith’s defense would continue to improve over the years, the Padres’ fortunes did not, as they were in a stretch where they would finish at or near the bottom of the National League’s Western Division for a number of years. The first of 13 consecutive Gold Glove awards would come Smith’s way in 1980, the same year he would set the major league single-season record for most assists by a shortstop (621) and lead the league shortstops in total chances, putouts and double plays. After the 1981 season, in which Smith was named to his first of 12 straight All-Star teams and led league shortstops in total chances, assists and fielding percentage, he was traded to the Cardinals for another shortstop, Garry Templeton. Smith followed up his rookie season with batting averages of .211, .230 and .222, while Templeton was a consistent .300 hitter. Smith’s career and national recognition would blossom in St. Louis. Now possessing the kind of defensive shortstop needed for Busch Stadium’s quick artificial turf, the Cardinals would win the National League East in 1982. In that year’s National League Championship Series, Smith hit .556 with three doubles in a sweep of the Atlanta Braves, then went on to help the Cardinals to the World Series championship in seven games over the Milwaukee Brewers. In his first off-season after helping St. Louis win their first World Series since 1967, Smith’s defensive skills were not only recognized by his third consecutive Gold Glove, but also by a three-year contract that made him baseball’s first $1 million shortstop. Said Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog of Smith at the time of the signing, "He took two hits or a run away from our opponents every game last year. That’s just as important as a guy who drives in runs." While not known for his bat, Smith’s offense continued to improve while in St. Louis. In 1985 he batted .276 and helped the Cardinals win their second pennant since his arrival. In the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the series tied at two games apiece, Smith faced Tom Niedenfuer with one out in the bottom of the ninth and hit his first career home run batting left-handed (in 3,009 at-bats) to win the game. Smith went on to bat .435 in the Cardinals’ six-game triumph and won the NLCS Most Valuable Player Award, but St. Louis would fall to the Kansas City Royals in seven games in the World Series. Smith’s third and final World Series appearance would come in 1987 in arguably his best offensive season, and he would be rewarded with finishing second to the Chicago Cubs’ Andre Dawson in N.L. Most Valuable Player voting. In addition to his fine fielding and 43 stolen bases, he would finish the year with career bests in batting average (.303), hits (182), runs scored (104), doubles (40), on-base percentage (.394), slugging percentage (.383) and runs batted in (75). As Smith’s career continued through the 1980s and early 1990s the accomplishments and milestones continued to pile up: in 1991 he set the NL record for fewest errors in a season by a shortstop with eight; in 1992 he collected his 2,000th hit, 500th stolen base and won his 13th consecutive Gold Glove Award to break the NL record held by Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente; in 1994 he passed Luis Aparicio for the career assist record for a shortstop. Smith retired after the 1996 season, the same year the Cardinals retired his number, and in his 19 seasons compiled a .262 batting average, 2,460 hits, 580 stolen bases, 13 Gold Glove awards, and was named to 15 All-Star teams. Smith, who becomes the 20th shortstop elected to the Hall of Fame, set the following major league records for his position: most assists (8,375), most double plays (1,590), most total chances accepted (12,624), most years with 500 or more assists (8), and most years leading the league in assists and chances accepted (8). Off the field, Smith has been active in civic projects and won the Branch Rickey Award in 1994, which is given to the player who personifies "service above self." He also won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1995 for his work in the community. Smith’s worked in broadcasting, including hosting the long-running television show, This Week in Baseball, and working for CNN/SI as a baseball analyst. link
Four HOF guys from Mobile? That's gotta be a record of some kind. If nothing else, Mobile has to have the highest HOF per capita in the country!
Have you ever heard of a little town in the D.R. called San Pedro de Macoris? Check it out somethime...it's unbelievable. The population of the whole town is something like 5-10 ,000...and they've produced something like 15 or 20 mlb players. Freaky.
