One of Hank Aaron's most impressive stats was his low strikeout ratio, never striking out more than 97 times in a year. Truly one of the great, pure hitters of all time.
@@waynej2608 You're right. A power hitter today like Mike Trout is expected to strikeout 100+ times per year. Guys like Aaron, Ted Williams, and, more recently Tony Gwynn and Ichiro Suzuki, really understood the art of hitting.
when playing with the oakland a's reggie jackson said the bat boy looks like hank aaron, or hammering hank, or as some called him the hammer. when that bat boy grew up and became an mc he adopted the name hammer....mc hammer
Played ball with Stanley Burrell at East LA College. He had a business card made up since he had a business as a DJ. Hammer was a good guy and I will always remember him busting his signature dance moves in our locker room before practice. He was a decent shortstop; couldn’t adjust well to college pitching velocity.
Reggie Jackson, one of the Greats, looked up to Hank Aaron, that may tell you something about that special, 1-derful man we lost today. Clemente, Killebrew, FrankR and now Hank are gone, only Bench and Reggie survive, from those 6 HOFrs who hit HRs in the 1971 ASG, the first summer classic I saw. What a game !!!
Four of those 6 HRs found another members of the HOF on base: Willie Stargell (HR by Bench), Luis Aparicio (Jackson's HR), Rod Carew (HR by Frank Robinson) and Al Kaline (Killebrew's HR). Aaron's and Clemente's were solo homers. All 10 runs were scored by Cooperstown honorees. Like Bench and Reggie, Carew and Aparicio are still among us. Blessings from San Juan PR.
@Nimfa McDonald No doubt about that. Reggie used #9 in his 9 seasons with the A's and I don't know if that number was available when he signed with the Yankees for the 1977 season but I suppose he respected the fact that #9 had been worn by Roger Maris (for which the Yankees eventually retired the number in 1984).
@@norms3913 Yeah, kinda like how Rickey stayed with 24 when he returned to Oakland in ‘89, instead of going with 35, which he wore in his first stint with the A’s from ‘79-‘84. I wonder if part of the reason why Reggie changed numbers when he got to the Yankees was because Graig Nettles already had 9. Nettles was not as big of a star as Reggie, of course, but he was an established 10-year MLB veteran who had already been with the Yankees for four years, and had been the starting third baseman on the team that won the pennant the year before, so he woulda had some ground to stand on if he didn’t want to give his number to Reggie. Btw, Reggie first stint with the A’s was from ‘67-‘75.
@@norms3913 I just read on Wikipedia where, like I thought, The reason why he didn’t wear 9 was because Nettles already had it. That makes sense. What doesn’t make sense, however, is that they refused to give him number 42, which he had requested in honor of Jackie Robinson, because pitching coach Art Fowler already had it. Nettles is at least understandable, but ART FOWLER over Reggie????? Seriously????? Lol And, of course, this was 20 years before MLB retired 42.
@@jeremycrandall2899 I was talking about when Reggie went back to Oakland before he retired in Oakland he retired as no. 44 not no. 9 as his original number was when he was with Oakland from 70 -75
God bless you Reggie you are also a treasure. Thank you Lord for letting Hank Aaron live this long to inspire and show us how to love our brothers and sisters. Gratefully from Patrick
Hank Aaron always said that All Star games were special to him because he had an opportunity to share the outfield with Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente.
Reggie really changed like we all do!I wouldn't have recognized him except for the intro!It's a shame America has such hate to send death threats about breaking a sports record! I feel all records that were made in segregation times shouldn't even be counted!
@UCyy70kNMT-MuI8DmM1OxroA All of which begs the question, what if the Boston Braves had been willing to part with 15 grand? What if Willie Mays and Hank Aaron had patrolled the same outfield-and batted in the same lineup-for the better part of two decades? The Braves also had Eddie Matthews.512 HR They would have been a dynasty.
If Aaron had played his entire career in the giant media market of NYC there would have been a famous folk song written about him. He had a better career than Mantle, better than DiMaggio. If you take away all of his 750+ HRs he would STILL have over 3,000 career hits!
Hank Aaron epitomized class, dignity, and humility, something sorely missing in many of todays athletes regardless of race. He grew up in different times, simpler times, but not necessarily better times for many people, particularly if you were a minority or even caucasian of the lower socio-economic strata. Sad to see that 50+ years after the great civil-rights struggles of the 1960's we are still as a nation struggling with these issues.
I'm sure Babe Ruth was one of the first persons to give Hank Aaron a big hug when Hank went home to heaven. So sad for the world to lose such a great person.
Man, when I was a kid in the late 60's & early 70's I idolized many white & black players, with a younger Reggie being a prominent one, and there was nothing implied about color etc. It's a game and that's it & you love em all.
Mr Jackson was a beast...his forearms without weights etc...he will still whoop yo tail...great dude, and beautiful reflections. Wonderful words....he is a good man. Thank God for Mr. Aaron
Saw “Hammering Hank” and Reggie play in their prime. They were both great, but with all due respect to Aaron, Reggie was the greatest “money”clutch hitter of all time!
Aaron striking out three times in a game? He must have had something in his eye. He never struck out even 100 times in an entire season throughout his career!
The loss of Hank Aaron hurt me, I ain't gonna lie. I watched him growing up and it seemed like he could hit with such ease he was so smooth. I mean Aaron was a hitter that never struck out 100 times in a season yet he hit all those homers and extra base hits. If you took away all his home runs, he'd still have over 3,000 hits, that's how great a hitter he was. I used to get out to the yard and watch him take batting practice and was in awe at how he generated bat speed and how'd flick those wrists and absolutely punish the ball. RIP Hank, you're already missed by a world that needs to learn from your example of what it means to be a great human being.
3 года назад
Amen. I felt his death too. He will be missed. Rip Mr Aaron 🙏
All admiration, love & respect to King Henry! Beautifully put, Reggie. The loss of Gibson & Aaron in a few months span, is brutal. Love to you & thanks for the incredible NYY memories 1977 through 1981 & your whole career.
In spite of the death threats and racial hatred directed toward him and his family Mr. Hank Aaron's faith in God propelled him to the top of the world of baseball and life.👍⚾️ Reggie Jackson is also one of the greatest homerun hitters also. His swing was effortless.
Color never made a difference to me. Hank did extremely well late in his career while others in contention were fading or already had faded and he simply eclipsed 714, that simple & there was no barrier etc. about the feat to me what so ever.. Man, he stayed healthy, reliable, prime type effective and managed to stick around to a late twilight sector of an athletic career so there is no begrudging his feat.
RIP ⚾️ Hammerin Hank ⚾️ The early years when Black People Love Baseball and Broke Records.... He did not need Steriods, HGH, or PED! The Home Run King, RBI King, and Hits King 👑 whom Excell at 21 Seasons both Offense and Defense should have won more MVP's! Here you have Mark McGuire, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez all used Steriods and Have More MVP's than him. Hammered Hank fight Civil Rights in the 60's and 70's. Sadly, still the same.
As a Phillies fan during the 1970s I seen basically 3 teams. The Cincinnati Reds, the L.A Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. But it was the Braves that I enjoyed seeing the most. It meant seeing the great Hank Aaron. I believed he had one of the sweetest swings in all of major league baseball. Not just a homerun hitter but a great all around hitter. Thank you Mr. Aaron for your contribution to my childhood memories and the greatest game of baseball.
I met Mr.October in 2007 at Santana Row in San Jose. Being a Yankee fan from NJ, meeting one of my few idols was fantastic. He was coming out of Cohiba Cigar Shop. I had to shake his hand. Yes, I was goo-goo-gah-gah. Eff'n awesome. #44
In the early seventies, my Grandpa took me and my cousin to Candlestick Park where the Giants were hosting the Braves. I was so excited to see Willie Mays and Hank Aaron play..... and was so let down when both of them sat out the game. I know this was later in their careers, but I was still so excited to see these legends play. Got to see them, just not play. God speed Hank Aaron.... THE all time HR King.
Hammerin' Hank Aaron, never forgets anything, always remembers! Off the Field always hit hard never easy a lesson learned! Hammerin' Hank never messed around, always hit homers!
i would rather watch Reggie striking out than most players hitting home runs. Reggie compares to the Babe in distance traveled by his blasts. Wish the Phillies had a competent scouting dept so Cheltenham Reggie could have been a Phillie.
McCards is with you Reggie. We are those people you mention. I want a better world for all. We are with you, Hank and all the other regal players, until the right changes are met.
Very annoying that the distillation of this great man and baseball player's life and career is being centered on race. Reggie, the problem, if there still is one, is that commentary like you did in this interview is exactly what is perpetuating the idea of racism. We don't go around talking about Germans and Italians these days like we are still fighting WW2 in our minds. There may still be a few people among us who don't like Germans and Italians, but we don't continually give them a platform to stand on like it seems people like Reggie wants to do. To end racism, we all need to stop making this an issue in rhetoric. Because the reality is, mainstream America is not racist, especially not until someone starts talking about it like we need more "change" after that change has already happened in society. When I look at professional sports today, I certainly see no barriers preventing any individual - of any race - from being a part of the sport. Merit is what I see. We should be talking about Aaron's athletic accomplishments more. We should be discussing his stance and swing, which still stand out in my mind...the so-called front-foot style of hitting that was so different from other players of the game. Not "racism", Reggie.
I go to the doctor and he tells me I'm on the verge of a stroke. But then he whispers to me, "but if we don't talk about it will go away." I go to the orthodontist. He tells me that my teeth are extremely wrecked and I need braces. But then whispers to me "but if we don't talk about it... It will go away." It's racist white supremacists like you that perpetuate racism by trying to keep it convert and try to sweep it under the rug. Instead of exposing it and getting rid of it.
@@sdbuysatlantaareahouses4025 You sir, appear to be a fool who twists reality until it is distorted into your own warped space of existence. Sad for you. In your example. you speak of an illness being current..... not the wretched teeth of a long dead pirate in the past who was not able to see an orthodontist because he didn't/couldn't belong to regular society, but a current resident of Atlanta getting bad dental care. No one is withholding a diagnosis today, attempting to deny service (quietly) to anyone. Your example does not apply to the current reality of today. Everyone can freely choose their dentist, and get the same service as anyone else. Race does not determine that whatsoever. You "imagined" a circumstance; it is not real. You are the one perpetuating the racism, with your imagination, and with your speech. A few people reading your comment will now change their opinion on this subject.... because you took a narrow opposing viewpoint instead of seeing the bigger picture of gains and letting that keep expanding. Almost no one, certainly not I, is saying there was not racial inequality in this country, but it has definitely been addressed by the fight and loss of lives in the Civil War, and the passage of many laws since then, even Constitutional amendments, the Civil Rights Act, and much else. I am no white supremacist, you jerk, I was part of the movement in the 60's to move society in the right direction. We have succeeded. But at some point, you and others need to realize the playing field is level now. And if you do not succeed on that field, it is pretty much due to your own individual initiative, insufficient talent, personality or a lack thereof. It is not due to your race or skin color. That is a political crutch that is still minimizing your own potential. Hank Aaron was a great baseball player. John Chaney was a great basketball coach. Don't diminish those facts, their legacy and careers, by dredging up sins from long ago that have largely died off in society today... and in so doing divert attention from their life accomplishments. Sure, there is a small (very small) minority of people who have not gotten the message...and those people now face consequences that were not there 50 years ago. The news media in the latest election did a great job providing a platform for that minority to speak (and act) against them. Things wouldn't have gotten so bad if they'd have just shut up about it. But the vast majority of American society today is not racial, and we are doing our level best to treat everyone equally, just as I hope you do also. However, if you wish to lose those gains, keep talking about the past as though it is the present. "Exposing" with your rhetoric what doesn't now exist, in the mind of the general public at-large. That's a sure way to promote a return to the old ways. You give more people reasons to go back, to take the other side, because you don't silence your rhetoric. I do hope you are smart enough to read this comment and absorb it. I'm not going to get into a long back and forth with someone too dense to see facts, not their imagination of "facts". Big difference.
@@rayrussell6258damn you said all of that but I couldn't understand you because of your clan hood muffled your speech. I'm sure you're pretty old. I'm sure you are one of the Great Americans that was sending Dr King hate mail and death threats when he was trying to make America great. And I'm sure you are also one of the Great Americans Patriots that was sending hate mail and death threats to Hank Aaron as he was getting ready to break the great babe Ruth records and destroy the perception that white is supreme over black. There's no more hiding the truth. If you don't like it you should probably take some opioid pills to continue whitewashed your delusional fantasy of a raceless America and happy rainbows and sunshine 😂