Greatest sports legend in Atlanta history, Hank Aaron has passed

[NBASupes]

 

[marco102]

Legends are leaving us far too quickly these days.

[marco102]

@AHF, @lethalweapon3

Can you please combine my thread with this one? 

[macdaddy]

He was the greatest.  He deserves so much more recognition and should have a statue in centennial park.  

[NBASupes]

I shed tears. He was more than just a Baseball player, he believed in us when I was in politics. Words can't describe Mr. Henry Aaron to us

[lethalweapon3]

16 minutes ago, marco102 said:

@AHF, @lethalweapon3

Can you please combine my thread with this one? 

Done! (also, see my PM when you get a minute, thanks!)

~lw3

[macdaddy]

8 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

I shed tears. He was more than just a Baseball player, he believed in us when I was in politics. Words can't describe Mr. Henry Aaron to us

Would love to hear more.   He and Billye have done so much for this city and especially for the kids here.   They have been underappreciated as leaders.   I was hoping we'd have a Billye Aaron High School in APS but not so far.    

 

[kg01]

They don't make 'em like Mr. Aaron anymore.  True legend.  Absolutely doesn't get the recognition he deserves.

His accomplishments weren't "Ruthian".  Ruth's accomplishments were Hank-ian.

[macdaddy]

[Peoriabird]

I worked for Hank Aaron when I was a kid.  He was a very nice man!

[Peoriabird]

My father and Hank Aaron were good friends.

[lethalweapon3]

There was so much national hand-wringing about his approach toward 715 and, decades later, everyone else's chase for 755. But lost in the sauce was Aaron's MLB record of 2,297 RBIs, maybe not arguably the ultimate team offensive stat for "America's Game." Aaron surpassed Babe in the spring of 1975, the season before he retired.

He passed away as the All-Time RBI leader, a number that will only grow by 33, now that MLB will be adding Negro Leagues records to the all-time stats. He had 3,016 MLB hits that were not home runs; there aren't even 30 players with that many all-time hits, dingers included, in their careers.

The closest among active players to Aaron's mark, Albert Pujols, is 197 behind. Pujols had 25 in a shortened 2020 season. Newly 41-years-old, Pujols will likely come off the bench in his final season as an Angel. Next among active players, 38-year-old Miguel Cabrera hasn't had 100 RBIs since 2016, is 570 RBIs behind. Robinson Cano, age 38, is almost 1,000 ribbies behind Aaron. So many people with a racist bent didn't want to live in a world where someone who looked like Hank reached 715. We may all leave this Earth never seeing someone surpass Aaron's RBI record.

After I get through today's pregame thread (suitably, we're playing Milwaukee on Sunday), I'm gonna pick back up where I left off on Howard Bryant's 2010 biography of the star, "The Last Hero: a Life of Henry Aaron". Many of the threads here have been drafted and submitted while swilling coffee from Hank's Krispy Kreme store on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard in the West End.

Rest in Power, Hammerin' Hank!

~lw3

[bleachkit]

Amazing baseball player and great all around guy. Atlanta's only truly transcendent sports icon.

[JayBirdHawk]

My uncle passed yesterday, now Hank today. 

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[AHF]

I got to meet him and get my picture with him and his autograph when I was a kid.  Was a very special and completely unexpected encounter during an event at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.  He is an icon for the both the city of Atlanta as well as the entire sport of baseball.  The true Home Run king to this day.  Rest in peace, Hammerin' Hank.

[marco102]

1 hour ago, lethalweapon3 said:

Done! (also, see my PM when you get a minute, thanks!)

~lw3

Yeah, def the wrong reaction. 

Edited January 22, 2021 by marco102

[marco102]

45 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

My uncle passed yesterday, now Hank today. 

So sorry to hear this. There's just so many people loosing so many loved ones right now. 

[macdaddy]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

My uncle passed yesterday, now Hank today. 

I'm so sorry.   I hope you're family is doing ok.   Makes it real hard to not be together as easily these days.

[kg01]

2 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

My uncle passed yesterday, now Hank today. 

Very sorry to hear.  So many people losing people these days.