Bill Text: NJ AR225 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Honors life and contributions of baseball legend Hank Aaron.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-02-23 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [AR225 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-AR225-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BRIAN BERGEN
District 25 (Morris and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Honors life and contributions of baseball legend Hank Aaron.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution honoring the life and contributions of baseball legend Henry "Hank" Louis Aaron.
Whereas, Henry Louis Aaron, better known as Hank Aaron, was born on February 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama; and
Whereas, With baseball legend Jackie Robinson to look up to as his idol, Aaron used every resource at his disposal to play the game he loved, including practicing with bottlecaps and sticks; and
Whereas, Aaron displayed exemplary skills at a young age and participated in tryouts for several Major League Baseball (MLB) teams, including the Brooklyn Dodgers when he was only 15 years old; and
Whereas, After playing at a high level for several independent and semi-professional teams, Aaron was noticed by a scout for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League in 1951, where his outstanding play in only 26 games earned him multiple contract offers from MLB teams; and
Whereas, In 1952, Aaron's contract was purchased from the Clowns for $10,000 by the Boston Braves of the National League, which the Braves' general manager correctly predicted as a bargain; and
Whereas, After a short stint in the minor leagues, which culminated in Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors, Aaron was promoted to the major league roster in 1954 and made his MLB debut on April 13, 1954; and
Whereas, Over the next 23 seasons, Aaron was a dominant outfielder, accumulating 3,771 hits, the 1957 MVP Award, three Gold Glove awards, a career .305 batting average, and also holds the MLB records for career runs batted in (RBI), total bases, extra base hits, and all-star game selections; and
Whereas, Despite the numerous records and accolades in Aaron's career, he is most famous for his chase of Babe Ruth's career home run record of 714 home runs, overcoming not only the incredible difficulty of reaching the milestone, but doing so in the face of extreme adversity; and
Whereas, For most of his career and even during his post-playing career, Aaron experienced racism and discrimination, including being forced to make his own housing and meal arrangements separate from the rest of the team on road trips and being harassed by fans during games; and
Whereas, The threats were so widespread that Aaron himself was unsure if he would live to see the 1974 season, and even lead the sports editor of the Atlanta Journal to quietly prepare an obituary for Aaron in the event that he was murdered; and
Whereas, Despite the threats, Aaron continued his quest to break Ruth's record, including hitting the record-tying home run in his first at-bat of the 1974 season; and
Whereas, On April 8, 1974, nearly 20 years after his MLB debut, Aaron broke Ruth's record by hitting his 715th career homerun in the 4th inning, in front of a sold-out crowd in Atlanta and a national television audience; and
Whereas, The achievement was a monumental moment in MLB and American history, leading legendary baseball announcer Vin Scully to state, "A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol."; and
Whereas, Hank Aaron would end his career with 755 career home runs and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in his first year of eligibility in 1982 with 97.8 percent of the vote, second only to Ty Cobb at the time; and
Whereas, Following his hall of fame career, Aaron joined the Braves organization as a vice president and director of player development, making him one of the first minorities in MLB upper-level management; and
Whereas, For his incredible contributions on and off the field, including a decades-long relationship with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Aaron was awarded both the Presidential Citizens Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor; and
Whereas, Aaron was active in his community for most of his life, including volunteering to publicly receive a COVID-19 vaccination to demonstrate the safety of the vaccine and encourage Black Americans to do the same; and
Whereas, Aaron passed away in his sleep from natural causes on January 22, 2021, just two weeks shy of his 87th birthday; and
Whereas, Therefore, it is appropriate and necessary to honor the life and contributions of baseball legend Hank Aaron; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House honors the life of Henry "Hank" Louis Aaron, his legendary 24-year career as a professional baseball player in both the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball, and his incredible contributions on and off-the-field.
2. Copies of this resolution,
as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the
General Assembly to the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, the President of
the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, the President of the Negro
Leagues Baseball Museum, and to the family of Henry Louis Aaron.
STATEMENT
This resolution honors the life and contributions of baseball legend Henry Louis Aaron, better known as Hank Aaron.
Hank Aaron was born in 1934 in Mobile, Alabama. Aaron showcased exceptional talent at a young age, catching the eyes of several scouts. Following his performances on multiple independent and semi-pro teams, Aaron was signed by the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League.
For three months in 1952, Aaron performed at an incredibly high level with the Clowns, catching the eyes of multiple Major League Baseball (MLB) scouts. In 1952, the Boston Braves of the National League purchased Aaron's contract from the Clowns for $10,000, in a deal that was considered a steal by the Braves' general manager. For 2 years, Aaron dominated the minor leagues and quickly worked his way up the Braves system. On April 13, 1954, Aaron made his MLB debut.
For 23 years, Aaron was one of the most dominant players in MLB history. He accumulated 3,771 hits, 2,297 RBIs, 25 all-star game appearances, 755 home runs, the 1957 MVP award, and one World Series championship. He still holds several MLB career records. Aaron's dominance led MLB to create the Hank Aaron Award in 1999, awarded annually to the most effective hitter in each league.
Despite Aaron's incredible accomplishments, he, like the other black players in MLB at the time, experienced racism and discrimination. Aaron was forced to arrange his own housing and meal accommodations during Braves' road trips. He consistently received hate mail for his achievement on the field and suffered harassment at the hands of fans during the games.
Aaron's poor treatment was compounded by his chase for Babe Ruth's home run record. Babe Ruth's 714 career home runs was considered a near sacrosanct record. Aaron ended the 1973 season with 713 home runs, two shy of breaking Ruth's record. His off-season consisted of hate mail and death threats, many of which reached the necessary threshold for the FBI to investigate.
On April 8, 1974, Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record when he hit his 715th home run. The moment is most notable for the two college students who rushed the field to congratulate Aaron as he rounded second base, initially startling him. Aaron would end his career with 755 home runs.
Following his retirement, Aaron was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and joined the Braves as an executive, becoming one of the few minorities in high-level positions. Off-the-field, Aaron contributed to his community in several ways, including his support of the NAACP. Aaron passed away in his sleep from natural causes on January 22, 2021. His legendary career and contributions on and off-the-field deserve recognition and acknowledgement from this State.
