The Swamp

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:33 am**

Very sadly, yes.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:35 am**

Holy shit. RIP, Hank.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:38 am**

Shit.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:45 am**

"Hank Aaron is the only man I idolize more than myself" is one of the all-time great quotes.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:51 am**

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:59 am**

Ouch. This one hurts. Never saw him play live as he retired before I was born. Read a lot about him though. True legend!!

Also, he’s the only autograph I ever paid for. A card show in Jersey back in like 86 or so. Was a young guy and it was the first time in my life I was ever starstruck. Not even sure I can say I’ve ever been starstruck since. Have a pic of me shaking his hand somewhere in my home. Obviously still have the autographed pic as well.

RIP Hammer!!

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:00 am**

Nooooooo

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:02 am**

Was thinking about how he hit all those home runs in a pitching dominant era, and found this:

In 130 plate appearances, Aaron had a .362 batting average with 7 home runs. Koufax only struck him out 12 times while issuing 14 walks. Aaron’s 42 career hits off of Koufax ranks the highest of anyone.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:08 am**

Does it make me a crotchety old man if I still consider him the true Home Run King?

RIP Hammer.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:33 am**

Reaper wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:08 am Does it make me a crotchety old man if I still consider him the true Home Run King?

RIP Hammer.

I think the majority of Generation X males agree.

Long live the King.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:35 am**

OK, fuck this.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:48 am**

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:33 am
Reaper wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:08 am Does it make me a crotchety old man if I still consider him the true Home Run King?

RIP Hammer.
I think the majority of Generation X males agree.

Long live the King.

I concur!! 100%

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:56 am**

fuck.

an 86 year old man i'd never met shouldn't affect me but...dammit.

was always one of the few larger-than-life idols for me; i was damn lucky to actually see him play - my first ever live game as a very little kid, Fenway 1976. My dad pointed him out as someone i needed to remember. Somewhere in dad's slide collection i'm sure there's a blurry pic of him at bat.

my 1956 Topps Henry Aaron:

: henry1956.gif (119.56 KiB) Viewed 561 times

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:05 pm**

Hank Aaron was the last all-time great player whose career ended just as I started paying attention to baseball. I was six when he retired.

Dude was a straight up baller. Imagine the weight of knowing there are thousands of unopened letters with your name on them..From some of the most racist people in America.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:07 pm**

For a long time, the first name listed in the great encyclopedia of every player to ever play the Major League Baseball?

Henry Aaron.

There’s poignancy in that.

Until David Aardsma came along and fucked it all up. Nice going, douche.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:12 pm**

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:33 am
Reaper wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:08 am Does it make me a crotchety old man if I still consider him the true Home Run King?

RIP Hammer.
I think the majority of Generation X males agree.

Long live the King.

Yes. This.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:14 pm**

MaxWebster wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:56 am fuck.

an 86 year old man i'd never met shouldn't affect me but...dammit.

was always one of the few larger-than-life idols for me; i was damn lucky to actually see him play - my first ever live game as a very little kid, Fenway 1976. My dad pointed him out as someone i needed to remember. Somewhere in dad's slide collection i'm sure there's a blurry pic of him at bat.

my 1956 Topps Henry Aaron:

henry1956.gif

That's fantastic.

I had a few old Hank Aaron cards back then. Plus, before the 1974 season, Topps issued a special set of cards - I think each of those 1974 cards had a reprint of the faces of four of Hank's old cards, going all the way back. (So, one card would have the faces of Hank's cards from 1956-59, the next would be 1960-63.) I had the whole set of those too.

My folks let me take over the TV the night he hit his 715th.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:23 pm**

Ten year-old san carlos read a book Tom Seaver wrote after the Mets won the Series in 1969. I remember Seaver said that the first time he pitched to Hank Aaron, he was starstruck for the only time in his pitching career, and had to walk off the mound for a minute and stare into centerfield while he composed himself. Wow.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:24 pm**

During the winter before he broke the record, i saw a news feature about the racism and hatred and death threats that he was receiving (by the bag full). Man, I cried when I saw it - just the injustice of it all really got to me as a 10 year old.

I wrote to him (care of the Braves) wishing him the best and telling him that I felt bad for what he was going through.

A couple of weeks later, I got the card on the right.

Coincidentally, my son's name is Aaron. When he was born, a buddy got me the card on the left to honour him. He also knew that Hank Aaron was one of my few heroes.

Fuck Barry Bonds. This was a man.

ETA: Saw him play at Jarry Park in Montreal. Awestruck.

: Hammering Hank.jpg (114.37 KiB) Viewed 532 times

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:27 pm**

Pruitt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:24 pm During the winter before he broke the record, i saw a news feature about the racism and hatred and death threats that he was receiving (by the bag full). Man, I cried when I saw it - just the injustice of it all really got to me as a 10 year old.

I wrote to him (care of the Braves) wishing him the best and telling him that I felt bad for what he was going through.

A couple of weeks later, I got the card on the right.

Coincidentally, my son's name is Aaron. When he was born, a buddy got me the card on the left to honour him. He also knew that Hank Aaron was one of my few heroes.

Fuck Barry Bonds. This was a man.

ETA: Saw him play at Jarry Park in Montreal. Awestruck.

Hammering Hank.jpg

That’s a nice story man. Thanks for sharing it.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:29 pm**

Reaper wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 11:08 am Does it make me a crotchety old man if I still consider him the true Home Run King?

RIP Hammer.

Nah. Even though it was a little before my time, he was always the HR king to me.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:31 pm**

My crotchety take is that he is the home run king back when home runs were to be celebrated, not expected.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:34 pm**

I was only 9 at the time, but I definitely remember watching on TV when he broke the record.

RIP Hammering Hank...

On a side note...a number of years ago, I heard right-wing radio doofus Mike Gallagher saying that Henry Aaron was ungrateful and had over-played the amount of racist abuse he received during the home-run chase. Which led me to find his email address and fire off a fire-and-brimstone angry tirade, which to his credit, he actually responded to.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:36 pm**

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:34 pm Which led me to find his email address and fire off a fire-and-brimstone angry tirade, which to his credit, he actually responded to.

Dear Young Davy,
Fuck you.
Sincerely,
Mike Gallagher

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:00 pm**

sancarlos wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:36 pm
DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:34 pm Which led me to find his email address and fire off a fire-and-brimstone angry tirade, which to his credit, he actually responded to.
Dear Young Davy,
Fuck you.
Sincerely,
Mike Gallagher

Pretty much. I think I wrote back saying 'Lots of people think you're an asshole, but they probably don't threaten to murder you at your job'. That email he didn't respond to.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:18 pm**

Saw him hit the HR that passed Babe on a 13'' B&W TV in my dorm room. When the dude came out of the stands I thought "Oh shit". Thought something bad would happen. Thankfully it did not. Really wanted him to break the record the previous fall for his own safety/sanity. Found out years later from my buddy who umpired that MLB has a pretty good, yet quiet security system for any player/umpire who has been threatened. Don't know for sure if it was in place at that time.

RIP "Hammerin' Hank"

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:28 pm**

ah damn, Pruitt, that is beautiful. You got me a little misty down here.

Pruitt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:24 pm During the winter before he broke the record, i saw a news feature about the racism and hatred and death threats that he was receiving (by the bag full). Man, I cried when I saw it - just the injustice of it all really got to me as a 10 year old.

I wrote to him (care of the Braves) wishing him the best and telling him that I felt bad for what he was going through.

A couple of weeks later, I got the card on the right.

Coincidentally, my son's name is Aaron. When he was born, a buddy got me the card on the left to honour him. He also knew that Hank Aaron was one of my few heroes.

Fuck Barry Bonds. This was a man.

ETA: Saw him play at Jarry Park in Montreal. Awestruck.

Hammering Hank.jpg

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:38 pm**

MaxWebster wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:28 pm ah damn, Pruitt, that is beautiful. You got me a little misty down here.
Pruitt wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:24 pm During the winter before he broke the record, i saw a news feature about the racism and hatred and death threats that he was receiving (by the bag full). Man, I cried when I saw it - just the injustice of it all really got to me as a 10 year old.

I wrote to him (care of the Braves) wishing him the best and telling him that I felt bad for what he was going through.

A couple of weeks later, I got the card on the right.

Coincidentally, my son's name is Aaron. When he was born, a buddy got me the card on the left to honour him. He also knew that Hank Aaron was one of my few heroes.

Fuck Barry Bonds. This was a man.

ETA: Saw him play at Jarry Park in Montreal. Awestruck.

Hammering Hank.jpg

Yup.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:41 pm**

i totally remember those cards! A little before my time, I didn't have them, but i'm sure my cousins must have.

i have 1957 and 1958 Aarons as well - thanks to my dad who probably 50 years ago managed to save a small fraction of his cards from his youth. I will be taking that nostalgia trip tonight, paging through the albums...

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:14 pm
That's fantastic.

I had a few old Hank Aaron cards back then. Plus, before the 1974 season, Topps issued a special set of cards - I think each of those 1974 cards had a reprint of the faces of four of Hank's old cards, going all the way back. (So, one card would have the faces of Hank's cards from 1956-59, the next would be 1960-63.) I had the whole set of those too.

My folks let me take over the TV the night he hit his 715th.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:43 pm**

That is a great story. Couple of the stories actually and the cards. Still lived in SWATs im pretty sure.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:16 pm**

This was not a story I wanted to wake up to. Dammit.

I think in 5th or 6th grade we had to do a book report on a biography. I picked his book.

My Dad was just so huge into baseball history, so he liked the fact that I chose it. It was a good read and I remember thinking "Why is he getting all this hate for playing baseball? I don't understand." Wasn't until I was a bit older that I understood.

RIP to a legend.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:35 pm**

I bet Curt Schilling is happy.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:19 pm**

I would certainly never demean the great Hank Aaron. He deserves all the accolades he earned.

But it seems like some people are using his passing as an opportunity to mourn for days when baseball players were pure and unblemished, and denigrate more recent stars.

If I learned anything from Jim Bouton’s diary of his 1969 season, Ball Four, it was that players always looked for an edge. He noted that amphetamines (“greenies”) were commonly used by players, going back a long way.

We can appreciate Hank Aaron without knocking others.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:41 pm**

sancarlos wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:19 pm I would certainly never demean the great Hank Aaron. He deserves all the accolades he earned.

But it seems like some people are using his passing as an opportunity to mourn for days when baseball players were pure and unblemished, and denigrate more recent stars.

If I learned anything from Jim Bouton’s diary of his 1969 season, Ball Four, it was that players always looked for an edge. He noted that amphetamines (“greenies”) were commonly used by players, going back a long way.

We can appreciate Hank Aaron without knocking others.

I’m thinking we need to revoke your Old Guy card.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:50 pm**

Old man compromises with cloud.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 8:25 pm**

Just a thought to add. During the first half of the 1960s, the NL All-Star outfield would have to figure out who would sit between Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, or Frank Robinson.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 8:30 pm**

Nice concept, but has this guy ever seen a baseball diamond?

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:48 pm**

This should have been a field day for me to do some ... but you’re all screwing it up.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 9:52 pm**

L-Jam3 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 8:25 pm Just a thought to add. During the first half of the 1960s, the NL All-Star outfield would have to figure out who would sit between Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, or Frank Robinson.

Or more accurately decide which of Clemente and Robinson starts or comes off the bench. Because Mays and Aaron aren’t.

Posted: **Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:02 pm**

great point, sc.

my mother in law is quite obviously old(school) and was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, she definitely looks at the past with rose-coloured glasses and I argue with her all the time that the only difference between then and now is publicity. All sorts of evidence if you scratch a little that stars have been "juicing" or whatever the edge was (onions on belts, etc.) since pro baseball/sports began.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:19 pm I would certainly never demean the great Hank Aaron. He deserves all the accolades he earned.

But it seems like some people are using his passing as an opportunity to mourn for days when baseball players were pure and unblemished, and denigrate more recent stars.

If I learned anything from Jim Bouton’s diary of his 1969 season, Ball Four, it was that players always looked for an edge. He noted that amphetamines (“greenies”) were commonly used by players, going back a long way.

We can appreciate Hank Aaron without knocking others.

The Swamp

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