House That Hank Built
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An Atlanta Braves legend is still with us – don’t take this for granted

By Alan Carpenter

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 25: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron attends the 2017 Hank Aaron Award press conference prior to game two of the 2017 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 25: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron attends the 2017 Hank Aaron Award press conference prior to game two of the 2017 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /
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In a sport where we throw around words like ‘legendary’ or ‘immortalized’, there have been so many greats in our game that we’ve lost all too soon. But we still have one in Henry Aaron.

Yesterday marked the 84th birthday of an Atlanta Braves treasure. His is part of a ‘season’ of birthdates for several greats of baseball:  Babe Ruth (February 6), Roberto Alomar (Feb 5), Red Schoendienst (Feb 2), Ernie Banks, Jackie Robinson and Nolan Ryan (all Jan 31)… all members of the Hall of Fame.

Aaron has been one of the most visible Hall of Fame members in the history of baseball because the Braves’ franchise have rightly embraced him as an ambassador of the game… and simply because he is still with us as well.

But as I was reminded on the occasion of the birthday of Robinson and then again with Ruth today, that has not been the case with so many others:

  • Babe Ruth (age 53)
  • Christy Matthewson (age 45)
  • Walter Johnson (age 59)
  • Jackie Robinson (age 53)
  • Lou Gehrig (age 38)
  • Jimmy Foxx (age 60)
  • Roberto Clemente (age 38)
  • Eddie Mathews (age 70)
  • Kirby Puckett (age 46)
  • Tony Gwynn (age 54)
  • Gary Carter (age 56)
  • Josh Gibson (age 36)

It seems many of our best – all of these Hall of Famers – exited this life all too soon.

There are some notable exceptions of Hall of Famers still with us:

Schoendienst is now the oldest surviving member of the HOF – 95 years and 4 days old.  He also ranks as 16th-oldest former major league player.  Cardinal fans:  celebrate his memory.  Turns out that Braves fans can as well:  he played 4 seasons for Milwaukee, including their World Series championship season of 1957 alongside Hank Aaron.

There are a few others from this generation of note: Al Kaline, Frank Robinson, Luis Aparicio, and Lou Brock to name a few more. Our own Don Sutton will be 73 on the day after Easter.

It is unfortunate to lose the stories, the history, and just the presence of those who represented the best of baseball through the ages. Losing so many so quickly just seems to double-up on the melancholy thoughts of what these players did – some of them sacrificing much to even play the game, much less to do it do well.

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It is therefore good for the sport that the Braves continue to keep Aaron involved in the team as an advisor. It is good that they continue to bring him out for First Pitch ceremonies and for special events. The fans need to see him, to meet him, to have the chance to speak with him.

These are not times to take for granted, for the games’ best will not always be with us… and many fans of other teams have simply missed out on these opportunities because of the early passing of their own heroes.

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Happy birthday, Hammer. May there be many more still to come.

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