Looking Back at 715

Hugh Atkins

Fifty years ago tonight, Henry Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit the 715th home run of his career and passed Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list. Honestly, my first thought on the anniversary of the record-breaking homer was, where has the last half-century gone?

I remember watching the home run on our black and white television at our house in Cheap Hill, Tenn. I’m certain that our mother, my brothers Cush, John, and George and my sister Patrice also were gathered for the big event. A family friend from the community, Roy Nolan, also came by to watch with us. Our dad, who worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, likely was watching in a motel room somewhere along the Cumberland or Tennessee River.

About a half-hour into the 40-minute pregame ceremony, Roy got frustrated, declared that he was leaving to get some snacks, and would be back before Aaron’s first at-bat.

The Braves were playing the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had left-hander Al Downing on the mound. Aaron came to the plate for his first at-bat leading off the bottom of the second, and Roy had not returned with the snacks.

Boos rained down on Downing as he walked Aaron without ever giving him a good pitch to hit. The Braves were down 3-1 when Aaron came to the plate for his second at-bat in the bottom of the fourth; Darrell Evans was on first base, and Roy still had not returned with the snacks. The boos came back when Downing bounced his first pitch to Aaron into the dirt. Then on his first swing of the night, Aaron lined a 1-0 fastball into the Braves’ bullpen and became baseball’s all-time leader in home runs.

About the time the two jabronies who ran onto the field caught up with Aaron as he rounded second base, Roy came through the back door with a brown paper bag full of snacks. He had to settle for watching the replay during the 11-minute delay while Aaron was receiving congratulations from his teammates and getting the glad hand from several big shots who were in attendance.

When I watch the video of Aaron’s record-breaking home run, several things stand out. Aaron did not stand at the plate admiring his shot. He immediately broke into a run toward first base and did not settle into his home-run trot until the ball was clearly over the fence.

Despite weeks—months, really—of receiving death threats, he seemed unfazed by the two aforementioned knuckleheads when they patted him on the back while he was circling the bases. Aaron lightly brushed them aside, never broke stride, and completed his trip home the same way he had done it 714 times before.

Another thing that stands out is that number 715 was a typical home run for Aaron. It was a line drive that got out of the park in a manner of seconds. Even though Aaron is one of only four players to hit a home run into the center-field seats at the Polo Grounds and one of only four players to hit a home run into the upper deck of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, he was not known for his tape-measure blasts.

And fifty years on, I still don’t know why Bill Buckner was hanging on the outfield fence as the ball flew into the bullpen. There is no way he thought he had a realistic chance of catching the baseball.

Upon reflection, one thing is still apparent after all these years–there never will be another player, or man, like Henry Aaron.

“One day, you’re 17 and you’re planning for someday. And then quietly, without you really noticing, someday is today. And then someday is yesterday. And this is your life.” — John Green