It's simply unbelievable to think that the years 1973 and 1974, years after the progress of the civil rights movement, saw Hank Aaron come under fire of severe racial hatred and prejudice. His crime? He went after the "sacred" all-time home run record of Babe Ruth. Death threats, tinged with racial slurs, to himself and his family followed him as he slowly approached home run number 715. Some ugly undercurrents of American society simultaneously emerged.
This book recounts Aaron's journey from an underrated baseball star of the 1950s and 1960s to an undisputed baseball legend. It even harkens back to Babe Ruth's days of fast and reckless living as he slammed 714 home runs throughout the 1920s and 1930s. This record was thought by many to be completely untouchable (and termed "The Mountain"). So who was this Henry "Hank" Aaron, a not so celebrated but extremely well-rounded player, from the Braves to suddenly come out of almost nowhere to challenge the sport's demi-god? People finally began to notice as Aaron snuck up on the all-time record. By the time he reached number 700 a country-wide media craze exploded. Aaron found himself caught in the middle complete with body guards, a private secretary, appearances on television shows, magazines, hordes of fan mail, and, most significantly, horrific hate mail. Even Babe Ruth's widow didn't seem too enthusiastic about Aaron's increasing home run numbers. Even more unbeliveable, the baseball commissioner at the time, Bowie Kuhn, didn't personally congratulate Aaron on #700. And on top of that, the book even records that, as Aaron went for the big record, Atlanta fans showed up in increasingly smaller numbers to home games. But eventually they redeemed themselves. And we all know how the story ends, but this book provides many details for those of us who weren't, or couldn't be, there.
This book will interest not only baseball fans, but fans of popular culture in general. After all, Aaron's record represents one of the biggest pop culture events of the past 40 years (which has resurfaced with Barry Bonds). The ugly underneath and Aaron's eventual triumph in the face of this adversity will inspire anyone.
This book represents one of those great sports books that goes beyond sports to show its impact on society in general. By his perserverance, Hank Aaron opened roads for many people in popular culture. This fact has gone underappreciated for too long. And this book attempts to fill this gap by showcasing the accomplishments of Hank Aaron that will likely outlast even his incredible baseball records.