Charlie Russo, a Savannah fishmonger in 1974, secured last-minute tickets with his Uncle Dedi for the momentous game. Their journey is filled with humorous anecdotes, including an unexpected hotel upgrade thanks to Uncle Dedi's quick wit.
Among a sold-out crowd of 53,775 at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium, Charlie captured the electric atmosphere on camera, including Aaron's family and celebrities Sammy Davis Jr and Pearl Bailey.
A fourth-inning trip to the concession stand for hot dogs and beer almost led to him missing history, but he was back just in time to see it happen. Number 715.
Bedlam erupted, fans poured onto the field, and (as scheduled) the game was paused to celebrate the achievement.
Charlie Russo was one of those people on the field, and he began filming. The new Home Run King, the fans, the players, Hank’s parents, guests Pearl and Sammy, he got it all.
At one point, backing up, he almost tripped near the on-deck circle. Looking down, he saw the rosin bag and donut Aaron had just used, so he picked them up and put them in his pocket.
They instantly became cherished family heirlooms, made even more special (and valuable) when Hank Aaron signed them a few months later on a visit to Savannah.
After enjoying them for 50 years, replaying the fond personal memories they contain and valuing the historical significance of the items, Charlie feels it's time to share them and his story.
It’s a timely, fun, inspiring and meaningful baseball story with elements of overcoming the odds, breaking barriers, and uniting the nation, all centered around one of the finest people and athletes ever to play the game.
12 мар 2024
