Aaron, Elder overcame hate to achieve records, milestones

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 four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser, high-flying NBA superstar Elgin Baylor, fiery former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, folksy college football coach Bobby Bowden and controversial Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit.

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 Houston Astros.

One year after Aaron’s...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Aaron-Elder-overcame-hate-to-achieve-records-16732397.php