COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. – The National Baseball Hall of Fame honored Henry “Hank” Aaron with a bronze statue of his likeness unveiled Thursday evening during a private event. The permanent statue is displayed at the Hall’s entrance, left of the grand staircase leading into the exhibits.
Here’s some of what was said about Aaron during the celebration:
Hall of Famer Fred McGriff, speaking with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
“It’s just awesome. Hank was a great man. I was fortunate enough to meet Hank a few times. Of course, playing with the Braves and then after when I started doing some work for the Braves. I’d talk with him at spring training down in Orlando. For me, it was great because I always wanted to pick Hank’s brain. I know the type of hitter I was, the pitches I looked for. I looked for a fastball every pitch when I was hitting. I wanted to pick Hank’s brain to see, ‘Was I correct in my thinking or not?’ He’d tell me, ‘I’d stay on that fastball, look for that fastball.’ Little stuff like that. When you break down Hank’s numbers, they’re unbelievable. He never hit 50 homers (in a season). He rarely struck out. You take away his (755) home runs, he’d still have 3,000 hits. Just a phenomenal player.”
“It was tough when (Aaron) passed away (in January 2021). Sometimes you wish some of this stuff could’ve happened years and years ago while he was still living. Just some of the stuff that could’ve been celebrated. He was such a good man. He’s done a lot for baseball and just a lot for society and communities.”
Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, speaking with The AJC:
“It’s great. He was a special human being, a special ballplayer, a person who gave me great inspiration. I’m glad he’s honored this way.”
“Hank was more than just a great baseball player I was inspired by; he was a good friend. I’m so pleased that he was able to impact people in so many ways, on and off the field. His courage. His determination. So many words to describe him. It wasn’t about him trying to be famous or special. He did a lot of things people don’t even know about. He was a great man and I’m glad to be in the Hall of Fame with him.”
Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Former Braves public relations staffer Bob Hope, who was close friends with Aaron, speaking with The AJC:
“I think it’s incredible because when Hank was actually playing the game, people would often say he was underappreciated. A lot of that was because of his graceful style. Hank was never flashy. I remember when they were playing the Reds, one half inning, a ball was hit just foul, and Pete Rose ran over, his hat flew off and he reached over the fence and he almost caught the ball. The crowd stood up and cheered wildly. Two half innings later, the ball was hit to the same place, and Hank gracefully went over and caught the ball. And the crowd was just (light applause). Hank was just understated. But where he wasn’t understated was his pure kindness as a human being. I knew him really well. We got to be friends over the years. One of the greatest honors of my life was when he died, I was one of the two non-family pallbearers. We were very close.
“If you want role models, if you’re going to build a statue of someone, build a statue of someone where kids can have a picture made with that person and that person is absolutely what you want your kids to grow up to be. That’s Hank Aaron. There was no one of higher integrity. Hank would treat a kid on the street with every bit of respect he would the president of the United States. He could walk with kings, he never lost the common touch. He was just a remarkable human being. To have a statue here, it’s just appropriate. He stands out among the greats.”
Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Antonio Delgado, lieutenant governor of New York:
“Everybody knows how great of a baseball player Hank Aaron was. All the records and eye-popping numbers speak for themselves. … It’s easy to be enamored with all his gifts on the diamond. But we’re here tonight dedicating a statue in his honor not just because of the caliber of his play, but also because of the content of his character. He wasn’t just a great baseball player. He was a great man. He (fought) racism and hatred with a rarified focus on preserving his own excellence, and with unparalleled grace and dignity at every turn. He tapped into remarkable discipline and internal fortitude no doubt grounded in the infinite power of love, and through that, Mr. Aaron didn’t just change baseball. He changed America.”
Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
