ATLANTA (AP) — Hank Aaron is being remembered for the grace shown in the face of racism as the one-time home run king pursued Babe Ruth’s hallowed record nearly 50 years ago.
Aaron died Friday at 86. Former presidents and fellow Hall of Famers recall his demeanor before and after hitting his 715th home run in Atlanta in 1974. Aaron endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth, breaking the career home run record in the pre-steroids era.
Former President Barack Obama says he was “humble and hardworking” and unbowed by death threats and racist letters. Hall of Famer Chipper Jones calls him “transcendent person in American history.”
Hall of famer Willie Mays says Aaron was “a great ballplayer who played hard every day and accomplished so much on and off the field.”
