Hank Aaron: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added
Tecmobowl (talk | contribs)
Racism and the record: removed un-sourced text and reworked the section, requested sources for some unsourced material.
Tecmobowl (talk | contribs)
Post-playing career: requested verification and sources. Removed unsourced statements and reworked section.
Line 151:
==Post-playing career==
[[Image:HankAaronHallofFamePlaque.jpg|thumb|right|Hank Aaron's Plaque at the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]]]]
Aaron rejoined the Atlanta Braves organization as player development director four days after retiring from baseball. On [[August 1]], [[1982 in sports|1982]] Hank Aaron was inducted into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]], receivingand received votes on 97.8 percent of the ballots. At the time, only [[Ty Cobb]] received a higher percentage (98.2) of votes cast.{{fact}} Aaron was then named Atlanta's vice president of player development. This made him one one of the first minorities in Major League Baseball upper-level management.{{fact}}
 
Aaron became one of the first blacks in Major League Baseball upper-level management as Atlanta's vice president of player development. Since December [[1989 in sports|1989]], he has served as senior vice president and assistant to the Braves' president,.{{fact}} but heHe is more active for [[Turner Broadcasting]] as athe corporate vice president of community relations andfor [[Turner Broadcasting|TBS]], a member of TBSthe company's board of directors. and He also isthe vice president of business development for [[The Airport Network]].{{fact}}
 
On [[February 5]], [[1999 in sports|1999]], at a celebration for his 65th birthday celebration, Aaron was honored for his achievements as a player and a person. [[Major League Baseball]] announced the introduction of the [[Hank Aaron Award]],{{fact}}<ref>The toaward beis presented annually to the best hitters in the [[American League]] and [[National League]].</ref> TheIt was the first major award to be introduced in more than thirty years,year and it iswas also the first to beaward named after a former player stillwho livingwas at the time the award wasstill inauguratedalive.{{fact}} Later that year, he ranked number 5 on ''[[The Sporting News]]''' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was elected to the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]].
 
In 2002 Aaron received the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], the nation's highest civilian honor.
 
His autobiography ''I Had a Hammer'' was published in 1990. Aaron now owns Hank Aaron [[BMW]] of south Atlanta where every car is sold with an [[autograph]]ed baseball. The book's title is a play on his nickname, "The Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank",. itself aAaron playnow onowns comparingHank his power hitting with the legendary steel-driving hammer ofAaron [[JohnBMW]] Henryof (folklore)|Johnsouth Henry]];Atlanta andwhere onevery thecar titleis ofsold thewith folkan song, ''[[If I Had a Hammerautograph]]''ed baseball.
 
Statues of Aaron now stand outside the front entrance of both [[Turner Field]] and [[Miller Park]],. where theThe Braves andhave Brewershonored currentlyAaron play.as Turner ([[Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium]] and [[Milwaukee County Stadium]], which were AaronField's homeaddress parksis for755 hisHank entireAaron career,Drive were demolished in 1997 and 2001, respectivelySE. A parking lot occupiesBoth the site where [[Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium]] used to standBraves and a youth baseball field (named Helfaer Field) occupies the siteBrewers wherehave [[Milwaukeeretired Countyhis Stadium]] used to stand (next to [[Miller Park]]))number.
 
The Braves have honored Aaron by giving Turner Field the address 755 Hank Aaron Drive SE, in honor of Aaron's 755 career home runs as well as by retiring his jersey number 44. The Milwaukee Brewers have also retired his number.
 
==Trivia==