You cannot tell the story of baseball or civil rights without Henry Aaron.

It’s shockingly possible to this day his story is not told enough, what he went through passing Ruth in home runs. (See below)

An impossibly great ball player, a special human. May his soul Rest In Peace

Look at this glorious photo.

From coming up swinging the bat cross handed – as a righty, his left hand was above his right hand on the bat- through the Negro leagues and up until he became the Home Run King in Atlanta, Aaron was by all accounts a gentle giant. That’s not fair.

What he went through playing the game as well as anyone who’s ever played the game – what he was put through-is our history. Who he may have been without those constant attacks is something he and so many others were never afforded.

Just look at the language in his player report

It’s this quote from Hank Aaron to William C Rhoden that will always stay with you:

“My kids had to live like they were in prison
because of kidnap threats.”

“I had to live like a pig in a slaughter camp.”

“They carved a piece of my heart away.”

In changing the game and changing the country, the country took the game away Hank Aaron.

You would love to think this feeling didn’t stay that way, that the time he put in having the game try to grow black players gave back to him. You would like to think that.

But this is the story of Hank Aaron. Impossible talent. 755 glorious homeruns. Incredible grace through unspeakable pain and hatred. It’s a story of America.

And it is still a story of America.

Major League Baseball just recognized the Negro Leagues that gave Hank Aaron his start weeks ago.