Viejo Dinosaur
EOG Master
Another great gone....
RIP Hank Aaron
- Thread starter Viejo Dinosaur
- Start date
boston massacre
EOG Master
mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
We lost a good one......#44....the guy endured a lot while chasing the Babe.....will never forget April 8, 1974, Aaron vs Al Downing 44 vs 44. RIP!
Bigrunner
EOG Master
My favorite poster as a 10 year old diehard Cubs fan. Had it on my bedroom wall for years. Hank rounding 3rd as two fans ran on to the field.
RIP Hank Aaron
mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
He had later said there were so many death threats against him that when the two guys ran on to the field as he had rounded 2nd that he thought they were going to kill him!
mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
IWishIWasAPro
EOG Master
What a sad day. Absolutely shitty. I'm going to drown myself in some fireball.
"Hammerin' Hank" passed Babe Ruth's memorable home run total of 714 home runs with a home run off Al Dowling of the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 8,1974.
Tom House caught the ball in the bullpen and young Dodger left-fielder Bill Buckner briefly attempted to scale the wall.
At the time, every young baseball fan knew Babe's home run total (714) and then later committed to memory Aaron's career total (755).
Barry Bonds retired in 2007 with 762 career home runs, if anyone cares.
I didn't think so.
Tom House caught the ball in the bullpen and young Dodger left-fielder Bill Buckner briefly attempted to scale the wall.
At the time, every young baseball fan knew Babe's home run total (714) and then later committed to memory Aaron's career total (755).
Barry Bonds retired in 2007 with 762 career home runs, if anyone cares.
I didn't think so.
Dell Dude
EOG Master
Fuck Hank and fuck you.
Bigrunner
EOG Master
Says the sucker that encouraged sedition, insurrection, treason, conspiracies, lies and racism.
mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
I was 8 years old in 1974, my father came home that night, and said we are going to watch history made tonight. It was Monday night baseball. He told me the significance of the night. I didn't care about baseball that much yet, and in fact, watched very little on TV. I would say it was the first significant baseball game I ever watched on TV. It was game time, and he built it up with a lot of hype to get me excited about the game, and it was exciting. I watched as Hank Aaron came up for the first time, did not get the HR. Seemed like the crowd was buzzing and there was a real excitement in the air. The next time up, he hit the HR, there were fireworks going off, crowd was going nuts, the two guys ran onto the field, the game stopped, and even though I didn't know much, you knew you were watching something special. The number 715 is one you never forgot. Until JK said something, I could not tell you precisely what Bonds HR total is. It doesn't matter. From that moment forward, I was hooked on baseball, and that love still exists 47 years later!
A few side notes: Tom House, as JK mentioned, who caught the ball and ran it back to Hank Aaron, is now 73. His name came up in the Bucs/Saints game this past weekend. House has become a highly recognized arm specialist coaching both baseballs elite pitchers as well as elite NFL QB's such as Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Alex Smith, Carson Palmer, etc.
I saw this quote this morning: "There were times during the chase when I was so angry and tired and sick of it all that I wished I could get on a plane and not get off until I was someplace where they never heard of Babe Ruth," he wrote in his "I Had a Hammer" autobiography. "But damn it all, I had to break that record. I had to do it for Jackie (Robinson) and my people and myself and for everybody who ever called me a [N-word]."
And in 1976, when Hank was with the Brewers, I wrote a letter to him. I actually got a reply, and it was signed by Hank as well. I still have the letter to this day.
A few side notes: Tom House, as JK mentioned, who caught the ball and ran it back to Hank Aaron, is now 73. His name came up in the Bucs/Saints game this past weekend. House has become a highly recognized arm specialist coaching both baseballs elite pitchers as well as elite NFL QB's such as Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Alex Smith, Carson Palmer, etc.
I saw this quote this morning: "There were times during the chase when I was so angry and tired and sick of it all that I wished I could get on a plane and not get off until I was someplace where they never heard of Babe Ruth," he wrote in his "I Had a Hammer" autobiography. "But damn it all, I had to break that record. I had to do it for Jackie (Robinson) and my people and myself and for everybody who ever called me a [N-word]."
And in 1976, when Hank was with the Brewers, I wrote a letter to him. I actually got a reply, and it was signed by Hank as well. I still have the letter to this day.
Dell Dude
EOG Master
I'm a sucker but you are a fucker.
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
The biggest non-HR of Aaron's career was this play:
Kenny Holtzman pitched a no-hitter vs the Braves in 1969, striking out ZERO. The cubs were 32 games over .500, then fell apart after this game.
Bigrunner
EOG Master
Yes you are! First thing you and I agree on. And you're not alone. There's a famous saying "A Sucker Born Every Minute". Historians said the saying comes from P.T. Barnum. Interesting link:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/pt-barnum-makes-trump-look-like-a-clown
How did Bigrunner ruin this thread?
His post was #4 and your post was #10.
Ugh.
As MRBOWLING300 posted earlier, it was 44 versus 44.
Al Dowling (Dodgers) v Hank Aaron (Braves).
A young Craig Sager is spotted near home plate when Hank Aaron arrives there.
Bigrunner
EOG Master
Great stuff!
Famous quotes from Hammerin Hank "It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course".
"I'm hoping someday that some kid, black or white, will hit more home runs than myself. Whoever it is, I'd be pulling for him".
I was asking about 714, not 715.
Bigrunner
EOG Master
He hit his 714th home run off Jack Billingham to tie Babe Ruth on Opening Day April 4, 1974 at Riverfront Stadium. The ball and bat are on exhibit at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Hank hit 755 career home runs but never hit 50 or more in one season.
Hank was 40 when he broke Babe's record.
You are correct.
I'm pretty sure he sat out the next game so he could break the record at home.
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
Yes. I think they were going to sit him out at the end of '73 also because he hit one in the last series.
I wonder what Holtzman's game score was. Probably somewhat mediocre.
Bigrunner
EOG Master
PITCHING
Atlanta Braves IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP
Niekro L(16-11) 7 5 3 3 2 4 1 28
Neibauer 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
Totals 8 5 3 3 2 4 1 31
Chicago Cubs IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP
Holtzman W(14-7) 9 0 0 0 3 0 0 30
Time of Game: 2:00 Attendance: 37514
Starting Lineups:
Atlanta Braves Chicago Cubs
1. Alou cf Kessinger ss
2. Millan 2b Beckert 2b
3. H. Aaron rf Williams lf
4. Carty lf Santo 3b
5. Cepeda 1b Banks 1b
6. Boyer 3b Hickman rf
7. Didier c Heath c
8. Garrido ss Young cf
9. Niekro p Holtzman p
BRAVES 1ST: Alou grounded out (second to first); Millan flied to
right; H. Aaron flied to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0,
Cubs 0.
CUBS 1ST: Kessinger singled to third; Beckert singled to left
[Kessinger to third]; Williams struck out; Santo homered
[Kessinger scored, Beckert scored]; Banks struck out; Hickman
grounded out (shortstop to first); 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves
0, Cubs 3.
BRAVES 2ND: Carty grounded out (second to first); Cepeda flied
to left; Boyer flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0,
Cubs 3.
CUBS 2ND: Heath grounded out (second to first); Young walked;
Holtzman forced Young (pitcher to shortstop); Kessinger grounded
out (first unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
BRAVES 3RD: Didier grounded out (second to first); Garrido
walked; Niekro flied to right; Alou grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
CUBS 3RD: Beckert grounded out (shortstop to first); Williams
grounded out (first to pitcher); Santo struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
BRAVES 4TH: Millan grounded out (third to first); H. Aaron
popped to third in foul territory; Carty flied to right; 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
CUBS 4TH: Banks struck out; Hickman grounded out (shortstop to
first); Heath flied to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0,
Cubs 3.
BRAVES 5TH: Cepeda grounded out (shortstop to first); Boyer
popped to shortstop; Didier walked; Garrido flied to right; 0 R,
0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
CUBS 5TH: Young popped to catcher in foul territory; Holtzman
popped to second; Kessinger singled to left; Beckert grounded
out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
BRAVES 6TH: Niekro grounded out (shortstop to first); Alou flied
to left; Millan flied to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves
0, Cubs 3.
CUBS 6TH: Williams popped to catcher in foul territory; Santo
popped to first in foul territory; Banks grounded out (third to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
BRAVES 7TH: H. Aaron flied to left; Carty walked; Cepeda flied
to center; Boyer flied to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Braves
0, Cubs 3.
CUBS 7TH: Hickman flied to center; Heath walked; Young singled
to left [Heath to second]; On a bunt Holtzman forced Heath
(pitcher to third) [Young to second]; Kessinger flied to center;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
BRAVES 8TH: Didier grounded out (second to first); Garrido
grounded out (shortstop to first); T. AARON BATTED FOR NIEKRO;
G. OLIVER REPLACED HEATH (PLAYING C ); T. Aaron grounded out
(second to first); Bill Heath suffered broken finger by Aaron
foul ball; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
CUBS 8TH: NEIBAUER REPLACED T. AARON (PITCHING); Beckert lined
to third; Williams grounded out (second to first); Santo flied
to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
BRAVES 9TH: Alou popped to shortstop; Millan grounded out (third
to first); H. Aaron grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB. Braves 0, Cubs 3.
Final Totals R H E LOB
Braves 0 0 0 3
Cubs 3 5 0 4
Read Me
mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
The opening day game at Cincinnati was on Apr 4, 1974. About 55 miles north, the evening before Xenia, Ohio was destroyed by a Tornado. It was the evening of the Tornado Super Outbreak in the Midwest, where there were 148 tornados...the second most of all time but up to then the most.
The Wrigley well and the Wrigley wind kept Holtzman's no-hitter alive.
Good to hear Jack Brickhouse with a high-pitched "Whew boy!"
A pair of Hall of Famers batting in the 5th slot for both teams. Don't see that every day.
sharky99
EOG Dedicated
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
84 surprisingly
Good point, BOMZEE.
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
I met Hank at a card show in Chicago, late 80s.Classy guy.