Henry “Hank” Aaron was a tender soul away from the baseball diamond. But on the field, he was an incomparable lion that instilled fear in opposing pitchers.
Aaron passed away on January 22, 2021 in Atlanta. He was 86. While Aaron’s legacy is secure, we are left with his indelible record in Major League Baseball as well as many words of wisdom he shared along the way.
5 Inspiring Quotes From Hank Aaron
Let’s take a look at some of the wise words Aaron left with us as a testament to a life well lived and graciously played.
While we remember these endearing words, let’s also recall the principles that Aaron lived by, including honor, respect and integrity.
1. Live Up To Your Friends’ Expectations
Aaron once replied to a letter from a fan way back from his Milwaukee Braves days. Author Sandy Tolan relates:
“It is very heart warming to know that you are in my corner. I will always be grateful for the interest you have shown in me. As the so called count down’ begins, please be assured I will try to live up to the expectations of my friends.”
2. Has Major League Baseball Been Fair?
Here’s Aaron in a heated conversation with Monte Irvin about whether MLB has been fair to African-American players.
“I don’t care if anybody believes me or not, as long as a breath is in my body, someone has to show me they’re going after a Black manager, they can have Black people working in the front office, they can have a Black trainer, I’ll say then that baseball has been fair to Blacks.”
3. Growing Up With The KKK
“I remember many times as a little boy growing up that the Ku Klux Klan would come marching down the street, for no reason at all,” Aaron said in a 2010 MLB Network interview. “My mother would tell me, ‘Son, go hide under the bed.’
4. The Importance Of Patience In Your Pursuits
While Aaron was pursuing the homerun record, he shared with the Greensboro News & Record some choice thoughts on coaching legend Dean Smith.
When I was going after the record, the questions were always coming at me. ‘When are you going to break it?’ ‘Are you going to break it next week?’ ‘Will you break it tonight?’
“How would I know? You just have to try to be patient. I kept answering that I didn’t know, if not tonight, then tomorrow night, or next week, or next season.
5. On American Racism
Aaron was a beloved figure for most of America, but the constant racist threats, especially as he narrowed Babe Ruth’s homerun lead in the 1970s, left a bitter taste in his mouth. Here’s what he said about that, according to ESPN.
“If I was white, all America would be proud of me,” Aaron said almost a year before he passed Ruth. “But I am Black.”
The city of Atlanta as well as the state continue to express condolences for the loss of “Hammerin’ Hank.”
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a written statement. “This is a considerable loss for the entire city of Atlanta. While the world knew him as ‘Hammering Hank Aaron’ because of his incredible, record-setting baseball career, he was a cornerstone of our village, graciously and freely joining Mrs. Aaron in giving their presence and resources toward making our city a better place. As an adopted son of Atlanta, Mr. Aaron was part of the fabric that helped place Atlanta on the world stage. Our gratitude, thoughts and prayers are with the Aaron family.”
