Hammerin’ away at hate
Aaron’s legacy tied to long struggle of Black athletes
Henry Aaron made history with one swing of his bat. A year later and on the other side of Georgia, Lee Elder made history with one swing of his driver.
They both overcame racist threats to reach milestones that will always be part of sports lore. “Hammerin’ Hank” supplanted Babe Ruth at the top of baseball’s all-time home run list, and Elder became the first Black golfer to play in the Masters.
Their deaths in 2021 were mourned beyond the sports world and were reminders of the hate, hardships and obstacles they endured with dignity on their way to breaking records and barriers.
The sports world also lost, among many others, four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser, high-flying NBA superstar Elgin Baylor, fiery former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, folksy college football coach Bobby Bowden and Pro Football Hall of Fame coach and broadcasting icon John Madden.
Aaron will always be remembered for hitting his 715th home run on April 8, 1974, at Atlanta Stadium to break Ruth’s record of 714. Aaron finished his Hall of Fame career with 755 homers, a record that was eclipsed by Barry Bonds in 2007. Some baseball fans consider Aaron the true home run king because of allegations that Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs.
Aaron received extensive hate mail as he closed in on Ruth’s cherished record, much of it because he was Black. Although he handled the threats with stoic dignity, Aaron kept the hateful letters and never forgot the abuse he faced.
“If I was white, all America would be proud of me,” Aaron said almost a year before he passed Ruth. “But I am Black.”
Aaron died in January and the Braves honored him all season, including painting his No. 44 on the center field grass at Truist Stadium for the World Series, which they won in six games over the Astros.
One year after Aaron’s historic swing in Atlanta, Elder took a historic swing with his driver at Augusta National when he became the first Black golfer to play in the Masters, helping to open doors for Tiger Woods and others.
The Masters had been an all-white tournament until Elder received an invitation in 1975 after winning the Monsanto Open the previous year. He missed the cut at his first Masters but became a groundbreaking figure in a sport that had never been known for racial tolerance.
Elder developed his game during segregated times while caddying and hustling for rounds in his native Texas. He reportedly received death threats at the 1975 Masters that shook him so badly he rented two houses in Augusta so no one would be quite sure where he was staying for the week.
At this year’s Masters, Elder was invited to hit a ceremonial opening tee shot alongside greats Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. Elder wasn’t well enough to take a swing but he stood briefly and held up his driver while acknowledging the cheers of the gallery.
Al Unser was one of four drivers who won the Indy 500 a record four times, with victories in 1970, ’71, ’78 and ’87. Unser was the only driver in history to have a brother and a son also win at Indy. Bobby Unser won at Indy in ’68, ’75 and ’81.
Lasorda was the fiery Hall of Fame manager who spent a total of 71 seasons in the Dodgers organization, in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, as a player, coach and then manager for 21 years. He led the Dodgers to World Series titles in 1981 and ’88. At 93, he had been the oldest living Hall of Famer.
Baylor was remembered for bringing a trailblazing aerial style to the NBA and was the Lakers’ first superstar in Los Angeles. Although he never won a championship, his silky smooth jumper and fluid athleticism carried him to 11 All-Star games and the Hall of Fame and helped revolutionize the game with a style that set the tone for modern players. Baylor also spent 22 ½ years as GM of the Clippers.
Bowden was the beloved Hall of Fame coach who took Florida State from an afterthought to one of the most prolific college football programs in history. Bowden had 377 wins during 40 years and his teams won a dozen ACC titles, and national championships in 1993 and ’99.
Madden was a Hall of Fame coach, leading the Raiders to seven AFC title games and a Super Bowl victory following the 1976 season. He later became an iconic broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades.