Baseball legend Hank Aaron, who began and ended his big-league career in Milwaukee, dies at 86

[George II]

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Legendary baseball player Hank Aaron, who began and ended his major-league career in Milwaukee, reportedly has passed away in Atlanta at age 86.

After playing with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro League and the minors, beginning in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, he debuted with the Milwaukee Braves in 1954 at the age of 20. Aaron actually accepted a $10,000 signing bonus from the Boston Braves in ’52, before the team relocated to Milwaukee.

Playing at first in the infield, Aaron broke his habit of hitting cross-handed and batted .336 for Eau Claire, a Class C entry in the Northern League. In 1953, the year the Braves moved to Wisconsin, he was assigned to Class A Jacksonville, Fla., where he endured the indignity of racial segregation to be named MVP of the South Atlantic League. Aaron then was sent to winter ball in Puerto Rico to learn how to play the outfield, a watershed moment in his career.

Known as “Hammer” or “Hammerin’ Hank” for his ability to sock home runs, Aaron played 21 seasons for the Braves in Milwaukee and Atlanta, after the team moved there in 1966. At the bequest of team owner Bud Selig, who forged a long-term friendship with Aaron, the slugger returned to Milwaukee to finish his career with the Brewers in 1975-’76.

Read more: https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2021/01/22/baseball-legend-hank-aaron-who-played-braves-and-brewers-dies/6670475002/

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One of the best of all time, and one of the nicest people in or out of baseball.

This is very sad news.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Oh damn....

I am glad he was around this long to see things change. He at least got to see that the Negro League stats will finally be considered part of the MLB stats.

R.I.P.

[jpak]

2. RIP

[marble falls]

3. Jeepers. I am so sorry to hear about this. Everything I ever heard from or heard about ...

Hank Aaron was all good.

[LakeArenal]

4. Mr. Lake's all time favorite. Had his rookie card and every year after.

Mr. Lake’s mom sold his cards at a rummage sale for $5. 😩🤬

PS. She’s a great person tho.

[George II]

9. When I was very young we lived in Brooklyn. Once a year he got his company's season tickets....

...in the 2nd row off the field behind third base (he was nobody special at the time, everyone got to go to one game each year).

The Dodgers were playing the Milwaukee Braves, and one thing I'll never forget was Aaron on first base and got a hit to the outfield. He raced around second and slid into third base. I ducked, thinking he was going to land in our laps.

[mobeau69]

5. RIP, Hammering Hank.

[KPN]

6. Sad news indeed. Hank Aaron is one of the few

people one never expects will die. RIP Hank.

[MissMillie]

7. RIP

I do remember watching him. So sorry that he's gone.

[denbot]

8. One of the true Baseball giants.

Glad I got to see him play.

[Ferrets are Cool]

10. And was born about 5 miles from my home. Loved to watch him play

[rzemanfl]

11. RIP.

[DonaldsRump]

12. Love you, Hammerin' Hank

You were my first superstar! Thank you for all you did, for sports and for humanity.

I am genuinely sad.

[Docreed2003]

13. He was my dad's favorite player

My father collected all of his cards, which I still have, and had a scrapbook of newspaper clippings and articles leading up to Aaron breaking Ruth's record.

This hits hard 😞

[George II]

15. I was so worried in 1973 and early 1974. He was one home run short of Babe Ruth at the end....

....of the 1973 record. I was afraid some nut job would try to kill him during the off season to prevent him from breaking Ruth's record.

[Docreed2003]

18. I can't imagine the stress he was under and the courage it took to go out there every night

Knowing just how much hate that people had towards him just because of the color of his skin.


He's certainly an American hero.

[rurallib]

22. He had tons of threats over the winter

If I recall, in usual Aaron fashion, he got the job done right away homering in one of his first at bats in '74.

[brer cat]

55. His hate mail was horrifying,

and there were many threats on his life. He took it with grace and composure. He was truly a giant off and on the field.

[Solly Mack]

14. Growing up, we would walk to the old Atlanta Stadium to see him play.

I grew up IN Atlanta, not surrounding areas, but IN Atlanta.

Bat night, ball night, helmet night, stadium dogs, and fireworks. Lot of memories.

All of them with Hank Aaron playing.

[gademocrat7]

26. Great memories of watching Hank Arron play.

Loved all the promotional nights at Atlanta Stadium. We have lost an icon. He gave it all on the field and off the field. May he Rest In Peace.

[Solly Mack]

40. Yes. Been talking with my DH about it all. Sharing those memories.

[GulfCoast66]

16. RIP. I was 8 when he broke Ruth's record.

We watched it on a console B&W TV.

I never knew the hate he got until I was older.

[xxqqqzme]

17. Aw, rats

Loved watching him play.

[iluvtennis]

19. Hammerin' Hank Aaron was a good man. Rest in Peace Hank Aaron and May your Memory be a Blessing.

[rurallib]

20. There are the greats and then there are those who transcend all the others

Aaron was transcendent. He did it all and he did it at the highest level.

My lucky sports nuts nephew was on a return flight from Atlanta to LA many years back. He'd been upgraded to first class. Guess who he sat next to and talked baseball with for 4 hours? He said Aaron was as enthusiastic to talk baseball as my nephew was.

[Auggie]

21. Class act all the way

[hibbing]

24. Class and dignity

He sure had to put up with a lot. He had great grace and dignity.


Peace

[Rhiannon12866]

23. Damn!

When I tuned in, they were interviewing him and when they said he was 86, I thought it was his birthday. Very sad, he was an icon, and my Dad was a huge fan, too.

[appmanga]

25. Another legend...

...and the second in two days, and the second with an associate to the Atlanta Braves to leave us. The great Don Sutton who was a longtime announcer for the team died earlier this week. Aaron was all class, brave in the face of hate and threats. Baseball was such a love of mine when I was a youngster. Losing Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, and the gentlemen above in less than a year puts a dent in my heart.

RIP Hammer. RIP all of you.

[OriginalGeek]

27. I remember going to see the Rangers at Arlington Stadium

in the early/mid 70s with my dad and one day it was the Atlanta Braves come to play us. Dad and I loved going to games, getting cheap bleacher seats and eating hot dogs (I still would if I lived anywhere near a stadium that let us in) but I will never forget when Hank came up to bat my dad said "That's Hank Aaron - one of the best to ever play" and the reverence with which he said it still brings tears to my eyes. I don't know that he admired any player more than Hank.

I hope dad gets to say howdy now.

[Stuart G]

28. Sad News.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

29. Still the MLB all time leader in RBIs and Total Bases.

And he retired in 1976.

RIP Hank

[George II]

30. As far as I'm concerned he's also the all-time home run leader, too.

[patphil]

37. I agree.

I remember a sportscaster once asked what kind of pitch Hank looked for in a particular situation.
His answer, "I look for the ball".
He was pretty good at finding it.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

49. I am glad you brought up the total bases stat...

Aaron is more than 700 career total bases ahead of 2nd place Stan Musial.

A very good year for a player is 350 or more total bases. Aaron has more than 6,800. this record will never be broken.

Aaron, while known for his slugging prowess, is also 3rd all-time in hits and had a very respectable lifetime .305 batting average.

He was a consistently excellent baseball player for more than two decades. I remember his pursuit of Ruth's HR record in 1973-74 and reading about him dealing with death threats and hate mail. He showed much courage and dignity during this time.

After his retirement and HOF enshrinement, he became one of baseball's good will ambassadors and elder statesmen while also working in the Braves front office.

RIP to "The Hammer", Mr. Henry Aaron. .

[Evolve Dammit]

31. So many heros lost. My first new bat was a Henry Aaron autographed H&B. Our team went 16-0.

Magic from Hammerin' Hank! RIP great man.

[Jimbo S]

32. A legend in Milwaukee

I knew many of our legends were getting up there in age and knew it was coming, but still sad.

I still have many of his baseball cards.

My dad was a senior in high school when the Braves defeated the Yankees in the World Series. (Yes, the Braves were in Milwaukee).

The local news tonight will consumed with tributes.

[George II]

35. That was a heartbreaking world series for me. We had just moved from Brooklyn to Queens, and....

....the Dodgers played their last game at Ebbets Field just before the World Series started.

All I remember other than that the Yankees lost is that Lou Burdette won three games, all complete game starts - he gave up only 2 runs. We'll never see anything like that again.

[Jimbo S]

36. Ah, the other side of the story

Of course, 1958 fared batter for the Yanks.

I was born in '66.

[George II]

38. When I looked it up to make sure my memory was correct, I also noticed that 1957 was....

....the first year since 1948 that a team from New York didn't win the World Series.

Yeah, were were baseball spoiled brats during that era.

(btw, I was born in 1948, was 9 when Milwaukee won in 1957)

[BarbD]

48. I was in Yankee Stadium for that exciting 7th game in 1957.

One of my college classmates' father was a rabid Dodgers fan, got a bunch of us tickets. Being from Milwaukee, I was a lonely Braves fan sitting amidst Yankee fans. I think I held my breath during the entire game. When I left Yankee Stadium, I took a red, white and blue bunting and smiled at the cop as I carried it home. It was in my mother's Milwaukee attic for years -- guess it eventually got thrown out, but the sweet memories are still with me.

What an exciting team. Warren Spahn, Eddie Matthews et all, but Hank Aaron was extra special. He had such class presence and grace.

[Tommymac]

33. Godspeed Hank

You were good.

[Jimbo S]

34. I'm racing a 5K Sunday morning

During the summers here, there's a 5K to raise funds for the Hank Aaron State Bike Trail and I've got a couple of shirts. I'll have to don one for the race this weekend.

[Alacritous Crier]

39. RIP

[CaptYossarian]

41. Rest in Peace, sir.

I can't wait to get back to Eau Claire and see his statue again.

Why is Heaven filling up with all these NL All-Stars? Seaver, Brock, Gibson, Morgan, LaSorda, Sutton, and now Aaron. They must feel weird in "Angels" uniforms.

To paraphrase that Righteous Brothers song, Baseball Heaven's got a helluva lineup.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

42. I was a junior in high school when he broke Ruth's record

RIP

[Montauk6]

43. In Memoriam...

[Dem2theMax]

58. I'm sitting here, smiling and crying at the same time.

Smiling at the memory of watching that live on TV. Crying because Hank Aaron is no longer with us.
What an incredible baseball player.
But more importantly, what an incredible human being.

[DinahMoeHum]

44. Rest In Power, Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron.

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Gore1FL]

45. It's weird how many baseball stars we have lost in the last few months.

Gibson, Brock, Kaline, Ford, Larson, Morgan, Niekro, Seaver, Lasorda....

Maybe it's always like this, but I seem to have noticed it a lot more in the past year.

[world wide wally]

46. My youth is passing me by all too quickly.

RIP and thank you, Hank

[NotASurfer]

47. One of the last Negro Leaguers as well

Played for Indianapolis for one year. I understand MLB is in the process of finally acknowledging that chapter of segregated baseball and including the players and their work in major league record books. Hammerin' Hank is going to get overdue credit for a few more hits and homers he produced as a major league player

[sarcasmo]

50. Met Hank Aaron in the 80's at an autograph event, great guy.

[brush]

51. R.I.P., Hammering Hank, from a long-time fan.

[electric_blue68]

52. Awww 😔 RIP Hank Aaron

[COL Mustard]

53. He Will Always Be The Home Run Champion

Given Barry Bonds' use of PEDs.

[nwliberalkiwi]

54. 57 Braves

My uncle took me to several games at the old ball park during the 57 season. What a team!!! I also had my first bratwurst at County Stadium. My father was dieing of lung cancer in the VA hospital just up the hill. My fathers grave overlooks the new stadium. RIP Hammerin' Hank!!!

[BHDem53]

56. 755 is still number one.

[turbinetree]

57. Damn it another base ball legend now gone, this really sad...........

[maddogesq]

59. Hank was Mr. Consistency.

Interesting stuff from Nate and crew:

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nobody-and-we-mean-nobody-was-consistently-great-like-hank-aaron/

[Wolf Frankula]

60. Bill Slayback sings 'Move over Babe"

Wolf