On April 8, 1974, Henry “Hank” Aaron passed Babe Ruth in the professional baseball record books.
Instead of experiencing pure joy, he was in his own words, “just glad that it was over.”
The source of Aaron’s relief instead of what should have been joyous relief was racism.
That night, he was being guarded by a plainclothes policeman.
He had received numerous death threats via the mail and phone calls.
Bowie Kuhn, the Commissioner of Baseball at the time, wasn’t at the game because of “a prior engagement,” even though Mayor Maynard Jackson, then-governor Jimmy Carter, and other dignitaries managed to fit it into their schedules.
By breaking the home run record, Aaron became an MLB immortal.
But by breaking what was thought to be an unbreakable record set by America’s first real sports icon, he also experienced the lowest of lows.
It would be great if we could say that the passage of time has made things better, but it hasn’t.
Despite many stellar achievements, Black athletes in the US and abroad are constantly subjected to racism and prejudicial behavior.
Black players on Utah’s women’s basketball team were recently called racial slurs in Idaho.
Black soccer players in Europe are constantly victimized by racist behavior.
No matter what athletic achievements are accomplished, an athlete’s color is reason for scorn and derision.
White athletes receive hate mail and death threats, but no one ever accuses them of falling short because they are White.
Fifty years after 715, we have not made enough progress.
The man-made construct of race still prevails, still predominates in too many hearts and minds.
They insult and demean other races, while simultaneously denying racism’s existence.
Racism sullied Henry Aaron’s great achievements in 1974.
It still sullies Black athletes’ achievements in 2024.