ATLANTA (AP Newswire)– Hank Aaron was the anti-Ruth.
The Babe didn’t live life, he devoured it. He didn’t run from the spotlight, he stepped right in front of it. Every move was exaggerated, every swing was oozing with swagger. He wore 714 like a well-fitting glove.
Aaron, coming along five years after Ruth died in 1948, spent his entire career in the baseball outposts of Milwaukee and Atlanta. He was reserved but outspoken, proud but modest, a simple man who wanted to be recognized for his accomplishments, yet seemed to prefer going about his business without anyone noticing.
On the field, Aaron’s legacy was built on steady, sustained, unspectacular excellence. While the Bambino hit 60 homers in a season — many of them towering shots that were worthy of their own word, “Ruthian” — Aaron’s best effort was 47.
“I never had a great home run year like Mark McGwire did with those 70 homers, or Sammy Sosa with the 66,” Aaron says. “That was not my calling card.”
Surely, if someone had to eclipse Ruth’s record, it would be a player capable of spectacular feats. Like Willie Mays. Or Mickey Mantle. With Aaron, every move was economic and calculated, which the critics mistook for nonchalance when they should have recognized the elegance.
“In my day, sportswriters didn’t respect a baseball player unless you played in New York or Chicago,” Aaron says, relaxing behind his desk from an office that sits atop the left-field stands at Turner Field. “If you didn’t come from a big city, it was hard to get noticed.”
But on April 8, 1974, a damp, overcast night in Atlanta, everyone noticed. Mickey had retired and so had Willie, both well short of the Bambino, so it was left for Aaron to erase baseball’s most famous number, surpass its most revered player, take his place as the ultimate home run king.
“It was some of the most awesome things I’ve ever seen,” says Dusty Baker, who followed the Hammer in the batting order that night at Atlanta Stadium. “The way he set up pitchers, the way he was patient. His concentration level was beyond compare. If he was supposed to hit a ball hard, he didn’t miss it.”
Al Downing, a hard-throwing left-hander in his younger days, was on the downside of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He walked Aaron the first time up, the bat never leaving his shoulder. In the fourth inning, with the Dodgers leading 4-1, Aaron came up again with two men on base.
Before leaving the on-deck circle, he had a few words for his teammate. “He told me he was tired and he wanted to get it over with right now,” Baker recalls.
Downing reluctantly threw a pitch in the strike zone — a breaking ball that didn’t live up to its name. Aaron whipped his 34-ounce Louisville Slugger through the strike zone with those powerful wrists. The ball sailed into the gloaming, rising higher and higher as the crowd of 53,775 rose to its feet with a collective gasp.
Finally, after seconds that seemed like hours, the ball dropped beyond the left-field fence, eluding the mighty leap of Dodgers left fielder Bill Buckner. It was caught in the bullpen by Braves reliever Tom House at 9:07 p.m.
“I think it was supposed to have been a screw ball,” says Aaron, his hair speckled with gray but still looking quite fit at age 65. “That’s what happens when they throw those funny pitches. If you throw a forkball that doesn’t fork or a screwball that doesn’t screw, it’s good-bye.”
From the on-deck circle, Baker thrust an arm in the air as soon as the ball left Aaron’s bat. To this day, he still marvels at what he saw that night.
“The pain that he was in at that time was tremendous,” Baker says. “He had a bad back, he had sciatic nerve problems. … He’d sit at his locker, concentrate for an hour and go out and play like nothing ever happened to him. He’d run out like a young kid and then run back in like Fred Sanford.”
The Hammer played two more years, padding his home runs to 755 before retiring. But the one that will always stand above all others is 715.
“I feel like that home run I hit is just part of what my story is all about,” Aaron says.
Indeed, it is. He has more RBIs (2,297), extra-base hits (1,477) and total bases (6,856) than anyone in baseball history. He ranks second in at-bats (12,364) and runs (2,174), third in games (3,298) and hits (3,771), ninth in doubles (624). During a 23-year career, he batted .305.
That’s not all. He was one of the game’s best outfielders. He had 240 stolen bases in his career, though he rarely ran in his early years because no one did.
Aaron knows there are players who could break his home run record some day. He puts Ken Griffey Jr. at the top of the list.
“The kid is young enough that if he keeps going, keeps focused, he has a good chance to do it,” Aaron says. “The only thing against him is complacency and making so damn much money. It was a long time before I made $30,000. I had to keep plugging. I never signed a two-year contract. I had to go from year to year. My raise always depended on what kind of year I had.”
As he closed in on Ruth’s record, Aaron received mail by the hundreds of thousands. Most was kind and encouraging, but some began with menacing messages like this one: “Retire or die!” Baseball had been integrated for less than three decades, and there were bigots who couldn’t stand the idea that a black man from Alabama was going to break the Bambino’s record. The venomous letters are still stored in the attic of Aaron’s home.
“The time wasn’t as happy as it should have been,” Baker says. “But all that mail and stuff, people don’t understand. If you’re a strong, black man — especially if you’re from the South — and you’ve been through a lot of stuff, I don’t think people understand that the more you mess with some people, the stronger you make them. All that did was make him more focused. He was playing against the other team, for our own team and against that hate mail and against parts of America.”
Unlike the lovefest that accompanied McGwire and Sosa during their home run race, baseball itself seemed reluctant to embrace Aaron as he hunted down Ruth. Then-commissioner Bowie Kuhn ordered Aaron to play in the opening series of the 1974 season at Cincinnati, threatening to punish the Braves if they held him out until the first home game.
Then, after Aaron hit No. 714 off Jack Billingham at Riverfront Stadium, Kuhn didn’t even show up for the historic night in Atlanta. He sent one of his assistants, Monte Irvin, who brought along a watch to mark the occasion.
“I don’t know what happened to it,” Aaron says, looking at his wrist with a smirk on his face. “All I know is I’m not wearing it now.”
But times have changed. As the game prepares to honor the 25th anniversary of one of its greatest moments, Aaron is at peace with himself. He once criticized baseball for overlooking his achievement; now, he seems satisfied with his recognition.
“The longer I’ve been out, the more people realize what I did,” he says. “They’re beginning to start looking at the record, looking to see what I’ve accomplished in baseball. They’re beginning to put things in perspective.”
Recently, he read a book that rated him as the fifth-best player in baseball history. That’s good enough.
“Twenty years ago, people would have said I was just a ballplayer,” Aaron said. “Eventually, things settled down and they say now, ‘Hey, look at what he did, what his career was all about. He deserves to be one, two or three, right up there.’ Will I ever be number one? I don’t know. But to be in the top five is pretty good.”
This season, baseball will begin honoring its top hitter with an award, something along the lines of the Cy Young for pitchers. It will be known as the Hank Aaron Award.
“He’s finally receiving a major award,” Braves hitting coach Don Baylor says. “I don’t know why it took so long.”
G3: Rangers take down Detroit again, 10-7
First off, what was with Fox Sports Southwest last night? At least here in Garland, I was shown the Astros Cubs game. Everything said it was to be FSS, but the Astros game was on there. What’s more annoying was that it was also on ESPN, too! CRAP! I suspect someone was asleep at the wheel either at FSS or my cable company and was showing the wrong feed. At least I got to hear it, but I was all ready to watch the game. Grrrr….
Mark Clark started the game off well, I thought he was going to repeat what Sele had done the night before. It went that way until the fourth. Actually, if you count all three games played so far, the Rangers held the Tigers scoreless for 15 innings, as they didn’t score in the final three of the opening day fiasco, either. Clark gave up two home runs, which seemed to be his undoing. I didn’t think he was all that bad, but he didn’t do as good as Sele did last night. Still, it’s only his first game, I’m not gonna blast him yet. Crabby, though, is not pitching very well so far. Tonight it was no outs, and three earned runs. At this rate, he might end up back in the minors, and we could bring up Zimmerman (Jim says more or less the same thing below). Mike Morgan continued to impress, but he may be hurt now (as is Clayton, too). It ended up that Mark Clark got the win, his 10th different club he got a win for. There was some talk on the radio that a ball might go to the Hall of Fame with the hat that went there from opening day.
Raffy finally hit a home run (would have been nice to see it, FSS!), and our offense just kept battling back. Was nice to see a come from behind win, and to hang on to it, even though some of our pitching was trying to give the Tigers the game. Lee Stevens had another great night, pushing four runs across the plate. Also, Todd Zeile had another good night with two doubles. One run last night was a gift – you always like to see bases loaded with a 3-0 count on your batter. Yup, we got the free pass. Only thing more embarrassing than that would be a bases loaded balk. :)
The Tigers look much improved over last year so far, and I’d like them to have some success this year (just not enough so it’s a problem for the Rangers). :)
Commentary by Jim Meeks:
The Rangers’ offense brought out the big bats Wednesday to thrash the Tigers, 10-7. The Boys from Arlington pounded out 18 hits including 6 doubles and a home run.
Starter Mark Clark pitched well for three innings then completely lost control of the ball game. His line stats were similar to Rick Helling’s on Monday but not quite as bad. He still gave up 2 homers, 2 bases on balls and 2 wild pitches, not to mention the 4 earned runs and 6 hits in a span of 1.1 innings.
Fortunately, the Rangers were bailed out again by Mike Morgan, who’s sweaty cap was recently turned over to Cooperstown. He pitched brilliantly, inducing a double play ball on the first batter he faced in the fifth to clean up a messy Clark jam.
While the game was close at times, the Tigers’ bullpen just couldn’t stop the Rangers’ relentless hitting attack. The bats took on dimensions seldom seen last year, as the Rangers showcased the team’s newly-found (and 67% left-handed) power from designated hitter Rafael Palmeiro, first baseman Lee Stevens and third baseman Todd Zeile. Palmeiro led off the 7th with a very important solo home run that cleared the Rangers’ bullpen and made the upper deck in right-center. Amazingly, only two balls were hit into the Home Run Porch last year by Ranger hitters; Stevens did so early in the year and Will Clark accomplished the feat late in the ’98 campaign.
Stevens rapped out 3 hits and drove in 4 runs, all which were important when he drove them in. He drew a bases-loaded walk off lefty CJ Nitkowski and singled off Sean Runyan and made the Tigers’ relievers pay for walking Zeile to face him with a lefty. If Stevens can hit left handers like this, then the team can survive the loss of Mike Simms quite easily.
Zeile, known for his notoriously slow starts, had 2 more doubles (he already has 3 on the young season) and 3 hits and is hitting over .600. In the field he shined as well, as he dove to his right to snare a screaming liner off the bat of suddenly-scary-to-see-him-come-up Juan Encarnacion in the 5th.
The Rangers somehow found a way to finally shut down the Tigers’ offense, which looks to able to score a bunch of runs this year. In what can only be described as a l-o-n-g (it lasted about 19 minutes) and gut-wrenching top half of the 8th inning, the Rangers’ bullpen was both effective and ineffective. When the Rangers needed the outs, they managed to get them. Otherwise, it was nail-biting and cover-your-eyes time for Rangers’ fans.
Tim Crabtree was simply terrible. If he has another outing like last night’s (see box score), there’s a chance he could go to AAA since he still has a Minor League option left. The Rangers could then call up Jeff Zimmerman.
Eric Gunderson threw one pitch and retired the lone hitter he faced, otherwise they might still be playing at The Ballpark. Ok, there’s a curfew, but you get the point.
Danny Patterson was only slightly better than Crabtree – and I use the word better quite loosely.
John Wetteland finally put a cap on the scary 3-run Detroit eruption in the 8th and nailed down the save in the 9th. He certainly seemed like his old self.
The Rangers, in fact, were their old offensive selves too as they completely leveled the visiting Tigers with impressive precision.
Roster Transaction
- Tom Evans clears waivers and is assigned to AAA Oklahoma.
G2: Rangers bounce back, shut out Tigers, 6-0
As I put this page together, it’s 1AM, and I’m kinda tired. I’ll write my commentary tomorrow when I get into work.
Still.. No errors – nice. Roberto Kelly came within two feet of two home runs for the night – nice. Aaron Sele – awesome!
Commentary by Jim Meeks:
What a terrific rebound for the Rangers. The Rangers really were horrible on Monday but Tuesday’s vengeful affair was sweet. Aaron Sele, who has been projected as a pitcher who won’t be nearly as effective this year as last, was dominating Tuesday as the Rangers shut out the bewildered Detroit Tigers, 6-0.
Sele was stingy, allowing only 7 baserunners in his 7 shutout innings, with 6 strikeouts. 70 of his 111 pitches were for strikes.
Setup men Tim Crabtree and Danny Patterson pitched the final two innings as the Tigers managed only 8 total baserunners and one extra base hit, a Tony Clark double that lead off the 9th.
The Rangers offense got it going early. Johnny Oates’ special lineup against lefties, which has Royce Clayton leading off, saw the first 2 hitters reach. Rusty Greer drove Clayton and catcher Pudge Rodriguez both in with a stinging double to the left-center alley.
Oates’ tough decision-making came into play again the 7th. After two quick outs, Juan Gonzalez smoked a single through the left side of the infield. Surprisingly, he stole second. A passed balled later, he was on third. Then a wild pitch scored him. Later in the inning, Oates’ stuck with Roberto Kelly even though a right-hander was in the game and Tom Goodwin available to hit. Kelly promptly delievered a towering 2-run homer. Four batters later, Luis Alicea drove in the final run of the ball game with a bloop single that scored Todd Zeile, who had barely missed a home run earlier.
The defense played well, with Clayton and Zeile both making tough plays to throw out runners.
As stinky as the Rangers were yesterday, Tuesday had them smelling like a rose.
Roster Transaction
- Tom Evans placed on waivers.
G1: Rangers drop season opener, 11-5 to Tigers
I’m walking into the Ballpark today (I’ve been to the last three opening day games), and I was running late. I thought I was going to miss the first inning. I’m walking really fast, and my feet are hurting by the time I actually get into the park. Anyways, I see the Rangers are on the field, and are about to throw the first pitch. I stop walking to my seat, and stand next to the wall at the back of Green’s hill. There goes the first pitch.. and there goes the first pitch!! Home run on the first pitch of the season. Boy, if that wasn’t an open for things to come, I don’t know what was. I was sitting in Section 10, which is right next to the left field foul pole. That means one thing. The sun!! Ugh.. It was a nice spot, I thought, but probably would have been better if I wasn’t in the sun so much.
Who made the first error of the season? That’s right – Todd Zeile. Dammit. I want Tatis back! The other two errors were by Clayton (4th) & Stevens (7th). Actually, I didn’t think things were going all that bad until the fourth inning; I mean it was only 1-0. However, the floodgates opened in the fourth inning, the Tigers scored 7 runs, mostly on the longball (2 HR in the inning), helped by an atrocious outing by Helling & Loaiza (there’s a shocker).
Actually, I felt that innings 7-9 weren’t that bad, it’s just the 4th through 6th were so bad. We finally broke the no hitter in the 7th, as Raffy doubled in Greer, who had been hit by a pitch. Mike Morgan & Mike Munoz both pitched some shutout ball, which was nice to see, and we scored 5 runs from the 7th to the 9th, one of which was a Stevens HR to left field. Juan Gonzalez had two RBI’s, and the rest were spead out over several other players. Overall, the game stunk, and Helling better not pitch like this again much, or we’re in big trouble. One down, 161 to go. There goes the perfect season. smile.gif (93 bytes)
To summarize.. I’m sunburnt. Section 10 isn’t the best place to sit in the middle of the day. :)
Commentary by Jim Meeks:
Finally, Opening Day arrives. The smell of precious, green, spring grass. The wonderful smell of ballpark hot dogs. The nauseous fumes of bad pitching and defense. You knew there would be a sour stench all day when leadoff hitter Juan Encarnacion hit the first pitch of the game to the moon.
Rick Helling pitched as poorly as he can possibly pitch. In the first inning alone he threw 24 pitches – and it went downhill from there. He hit 2 batters. He gave up 7 runs (5 earned). He gave up 7 hard hits, including 2 homers. He stunk.
Esteban Loaiza was no better. He was actually worse. I’ll spare you the details. Trust me, he stunk.
The defense stunk too. oh sure, Ivan Rodriguez threw out a couple of would-be base thieves. Oh yeah, the infield made a couple of double plays. This only served the cause of not letting the Tigers score 15 runs.
The bright spots were few and far between. Rafael Palmeiro drove a ball to right for a double. Juan Gonzalez had 2 hits and a walk and a couple ribbies. But until the 7th inning, the Rangers couldn’t even collect a hit off Brian “Who is this guy, Nolan Ryan?” Moehler, who threw ground ball after ground ball.
It was a long, lost, smelly Opening Day. The good news is…it can only get better.
Roster Transaction
- Designated 3B Tom Evans for assignment.
- Optioned Mike Venafro & Ruben Mateo to AAA.
- Assigned these players to AAA: Jeff Zimmerman, Mike Hubbard,
Rafael Bournigal, Scott Sheldon, Milt Cuyler - Purchased the contracts for these players: Mike Morgan, Mike
Munoz, & Scarborough Green.
ST34: Rangers lose to Mets in spring finale, 6-4
Sorry, I was totally offline for a few days, and am just hitting the office again after being out for a few days. Too much to do today before I’m supposed to go see the Opening Day game. Sorry ’bout that. :)
Commentary by Jim Meeks:
The Rangers lost their final exhibition Saturday 6-4.
Despite the loss, the Rangers pitched well. especially the bullpen. The Rangers were victimized by two errors and three unearned runs in a 5 run Mets eruption in the middle innings. Juan Gonzalez’s miscue was the key error in the frame.
It was announced that OF Scarborough Green and IF Jon Shave made the ballclub and that Mike Munoz and Eric Gunderson sewed up the lefty spots in the bullpen.
Roster Transaction
- Claimed Toronto 3B Tom Evans off waivers.
Angels claim Al Levine off waivers
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) — The Anaheim Angels today claimed righthanded reliever Al Levine off waivers from the Texas Rangers.
Levine was 2-1 with one save and a 5.23 ERA in seven games this spring. Over 10 1/3 innings, he allowed 12 hits while walking four and striking out one.
The 30-year-old Levine is 2-4 with a 5.30 ERA in 71 games with Texas and the Chicago White Sox. He was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in a career-high 30 games last year, his only season with the Rangers.
Levine likely will start the season as the 25th player on Anaheim’s roster. Mike James is out for the season and fellow righthanded reliever Pep Harris is on the disabled list.
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