ATLANTA — The real home run king was honored Tuesday night at Turner Field.
On the 40th anniversary of his 715th home run that broke Babe Ruth’s record, Hank Aaron took his bows at Turner Field and he did it with class, as always.
Retired Braves announcer Pete van Wieren identified Aaron during the ceremony as the “true home run king.’’
Later, Commissioner Bud Selig told reporters, “I’m always in a sensitive spot there, but I’ve said that myself and I will leave it at that.’’
Take that, Barry Bonds.
Henry Aaron is the true home run king.
Aaron owns 755 home runs. Bonds owns 762, but many of Bonds blasts are stained by the specter of performance-enhancing drugs.
I consider Aaron the true home run champion. I’m with Selig all the way on this and would like to see the commissioner officially call into question Bonds’ record as well as the single-season home run mark.
Records are made to be broken, but they should not be broken by PED cheats. There are many fans who believe Aaron is the true home run champion.
We are seeing a much different baseball landscape now when it comes to home runs, now that an effort has been made to slow down the PED cheats.
“I saw his first game in Milwaukee and I saw his last game in Milwaukee,” Selig said of Aaron. “He played 23 years and not a day on the disabled list.
“He’s just the same modest, decent guy that he is today that he was back then. Henry has not changed. We used to go to a lot of football games together. He was a Cleveland Browns fan. I was a Packers fan. He’s still mad that even with Jim Brown they couldn’t beat the Packers. We just had a lot of fun together.
“People forget sometimes because of the 755 home runs what a great all-around player he was. Henry wasn’t flashy, he was quiet, thoughtful. He was a great right-fielder with a great arm and a great base runner. I’ve never seen anybody hit the ball harder to all fields.’’
The 80-year-old Aaron, who is recuperating from hip replacement surgery, addressed the Turner Field crowd before the Mets’ 4-0 win over the Braves.
“He is what you hope an icon would be, but often isn’t,’’ Selig added, another shot across Bonds’ bow.
In his remarks to the 47,144 fans, Aaron was most gracious.
“To all my fans, I just want to say thank you for all your kindness through the years,’’ Aaron said during his four-minute speech. “I gave baseball everything I had. Forty years ago you were cheering for me then and you are cheering for me now.’’
No one was more determined than Henry Aaron.
There is a lesson to be learned from Aaron about the importance of making contact, getting RBIs and moving runners along the bases.
“There was absolutely no time that anybody could say, ‘Well, he hit a lot of home runs, but he struck out a lot of times,’ ’’ Aaron said. “That was not to be. That was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, to go to the plate and strike out once or twice and not to be able to make contact.’’
Aaron said he did not keep mementos.
“Anything that I’ve ever had, I’ve either given to the Hall of Fame or have promised to give to the Hall of Fame,’’ he said, saying those artifacts should be seen by the fans.
For all his power and those 755 home runs, Aaron only struck out 1,383 times — 69 times a season over his career. Aaron produced an amazing 73 extra-base hits a season.
There was only one Hammerin’ Hank, but there are lessons here for today’s players and today’s front offices.
Aaron holds the career mark for RBIs (2,297) and total bases (6,856). So he has not been completely erased by Bonds.
The true home run champion did it the right way and took a most gracious bow Tuesday night.