Why is Henry Aaron every white man's hero today? He sure in the hell wasn't 33 years ago.?

Answer 1

its 33 years later and aaron isnt a druggie..whats your point?

Answer 2

You sure the hell are right. My step dad came from New England and was a Boston Braves fan. Naturally, he followed Aaron in Milwaukee and Atlanta, too. Since Aaron had about 200 career home runs I followed him and was a big fan. When the race for the home run record got close, he received death threats and there was a lot of discussion, even in sports columns, about a black man being home run king. Aaron said something at one point and even my step dad considered him just another black man. I stuck it out through to the end and Hank never did get the big glory that he deserved. Now the repulsive Bonds is going to break the record and every white guy in this forum uses it as evidence that he is not a racist. Yet when Gary Sheffield makes a comment that is backed by fact, all the white guys shout 'racist' as loud as they can. No wonder so many black people stick by Bonds. I HATE Barry Bonds, I HATE him. But I reserve my use of 'racist' for only when it applies. (Bonds DID say that he doesn't sign autographs for white people.) But the fact is, until last year, Hank was a hero only to those of us who already had him as a hero. Now the bandwagon is FULL of fans who gave him little regard before.

Answer 3

I didn't see him as a black man chasing a white man record when I saw him break the record in 74. All I saw was a man breaking a record that had stood for 30 some years. It could be that in 1974 down south you had a bunch of bigots who couldn't see past a man's color. Now, you have people who grew up and saw a man who wasn't a disgrace to the game, who stay out of trouble and who voiced a concern over his race's treatment during his time. Henry Aaron isn't a black man in my eyes, he is just a man who was a helluva ball player. Barry Bonds to me is an arrogrant, cheating baseball player who is breaking one of baseball's most honored record. Granted it is "innocent until proved guility", but I think that Barry's recent flirts with the law and such as tainted his image to beyond repair. He will always be consider a cheater to most baseball purists, and he has done that to himself. Even earlier this year he mentioned that his chase to break the record would be a race issue. Did Barry forget that the record was owned by a black man? Or was it the steroids that made him forget? So too answer your question, no, Henry Aaron isn't every white's man hero, he is EVERY man's hero. I hope my son grows up to be like Aaron and not Bonds.

Answer 4

That's a good observation. But the real question is... Should we celebrate Bond's record more?

I think we should celebrate it as best we can, but the record's going to be shrouded in suspicion no matter what we think of Bonds. History will eventually determine Bond's legacy...

If 50% or more of players in MLB (and that includes pitchers who seem to be caught more often) are using performing-enhancing drugs, wouldn't people think more positively of Bond's accomplishment?

Answer 5

I'm white. I didnt particularly like him 33 years ago. And I really have no opinion one way or the other of him now. And it has nothing to do with him being black. I think questions like this should be removed by the way. There is obviously racism here. It's just not obvious what race is targeted.

Answer 6

A lot of things in society are slow to come around and it is a real shame he didn't receive the recognition he deserved when he was playing baseball. He was a very quite person and, as good as he was, no one really knew him as a person because he was somewhat reclusive. I saw Aaron play many times and he always took a back seat to Willie Mays, who was very outgoing and a fan favorite. There is no question that black players were still fighting the racial battle, to some extent, at the time Aaron was playing as well. However, cream always rises to the top and, for the most part, Aaron is appreciated now as a person and as a baseball player, thanks in part to Barry Bonds, how ironic is that.

Answer 7

I think it's because Barry Bonds can kick their butts. Henry Aaron is probably too frail to drop kick your typical racist.....

Answer 8

people soon forget. Bonds will be treated 33 years from now when they have another black man to harass.
And to koala Aaron admited to takeing greenies.

Answer 9

It's Because Barry Bonds is probably a steroid user.

Answer 10

Well times have changed and we now realize what an incredible feat he accomplished with all the distractions around him including very scary death threats.

It was a lot worse and than what that crybaby Bonds goes through.