Read on Twitter
A few months ago, I reached out to the Braves to see if I’d be able to chat with Hank Aaron about a barnstorming team he’d played on in 1955. It seemed like a total long shot, but I heard back from @atlsports almost right away. There was no time limit on the interview, and (1/3)
...even over the phone, I could hear him light up about his time playing with Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Monte Irvin, Roy Campanella. This was a piece of history that wasn’t well known enough, in his mind, & he wanted to change that. So he made the time for a 27 year old reporter
...when he didn’t have to, as much time as I needed. I’ll forever be grateful for that. A true ambassador for the game, and not just the game within the confines of MLB. A profound loss for the sport and the world. Rest in peace.
Part of the reason he was so eager to share his story was because he knew that he and Willie Mays were the only living members of this 1955 team, which he said was one of the best in baseball history. Now, Willie is the sole keeper of these stories. https://theathletic.com/1974916/2020/08/07/the-1955-mays-newcombe-all-stars-might-be-the-best-team-you-never-heard-of/?source=user_shared_article
They never lost a game. Hank did things like hit four home runs in a single game. He joked that he wasn’t sure if they ever paid all their money. But I remember he really wanted to emphasize the greater significance of all this; it wasn’t about going 28-0...
It was about 17 men representing the best that the Negro Leagues had to offer. It was about collectively dispelling the notion that there was any disparity in talent between Black players and White players. A remarkable man.
