Hank Aaron is a retired American league Baseball player whose baseball career started in 1934 and ended in 1976. Hank Aaron first played with the Negro American League as a member of the Indianapolis Clowns. In 1954, we moved to the major leagues where he played with the Milwaukee and Atlanta braves. He spent two years with the Milwaukee Brewers before his retirement. Probably the most interesting thing about the life of Hank Aaron is that his success whiles a first for blacks in many cases were also a first for all men, black and white. He showed that he was a man first, and black second and did not let racism or death threats slow him down.
Early Life: Hank Aaron was born February 5, 1934 in Mobile Alabama to Herbert and Estella Aaron. He had seven siblings. His brother Tommie Aaron also played in the Major leagues and had a successful baseball career. He began playing baseball in high school. He also excelled in football. He attempted to join the Brooklyn Dodgers at age 15, but was unsuccessful. He later joined the Mobile Black Bears, an independent Negro team as a high school Junior.
Hardships: Because of racial tensions and southern segregation in the United States in the 1950’s Hank Aaron often found himself separated from his teammates when they traveled. While the accommodations for the rest of the team were made for them, Hank often had to make his arrangements on his own. As he cam close to breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record, he began receiving numerous death threats and a great deal of hate mail as there were people who did not want to see a black man break Babe Ruth’s historic record. The controversy became so great that Babe Ruth’s widow Claire Hodgson publicly denounced racism on behalf of her dead husband. In spite of these challenges, he still managed to maintain a highly successful baseball career.
Career Accomplishments: Hank Aaron set the MLB record for most career home runs (775) and he held it for 33 years, until Barry Bonds broke it in August 2007. He also holds the record for the most career runs batted (2297), the most extra base hits (1477), and the most career total bases (6856). He has made numerous other records and distinctions.
Post Career Distinctions:
Hank Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in August of 1982 and became the Atlanta Braves Vice President and Director of Player development.
In 1989, Hank Aaron became the Senior Vice President and assistant to the Braves President.
In February 1999 the Hank Aaron Award as inducted by Major League baseball.
In 2002, Hank Aaron received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
As of the writing of this article, Hank Aaron still plays a major role in the management of the Atlanta Braves. He is 73 years old.
What does Hank Aaron teach us?
Hank Aaron’s story teaches us that you can succeed in spite of bumps in the road and even full stop roadblocks. Instead of focusing on what people did not want him to do, and what he was not allowed to do because of his race, he focused on being his best and therefore succeeded in life.
