A man whose presence in life transcended his performance in baseball, and a man whose performance in baseball transcended nearly all of his peers, Hank Aaron is a singular figure in baseball history.
Aaron has passed away at age 86:
BREAKING NEWS: Hall of Famer and one-time home run king Atlanta Braves legend Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron passed away this morning at the age of 86. https://t.co/v72XAnGpmY
— Atlanta News First (@ATLNewsFirst) January 22, 2021
Aaron is, of course, best known for breaking Babe Ruth’s long-standing career home run record, but he was so much more than his home runs on and off the field. There’s a lot more to say about Aaron’s life that I might not be fully qualified, or quite able, to say at the moment. What he did for the sport, for Black players, and for fan enjoyment almost goes beyond what you could really capture. The long-time Home Run King was so important. This is very sad.
"I am in awe of the great home-run hitters, the ones who are no longer with us. The Reverend Martin Luther King Junior, for one. Jackie Robinson, for another. Forget about Babe Ruth… Forget about Hank Aaron… King and Robinson. They're the real home run hitters." — Hank Aaron pic.twitter.com/oklsp5UaCv
— Jeremy Schaap (@JeremySchaap) January 22, 2021
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