TALKED ABOUT HIS RISE THROUGH THE NEGRO LEAGUES, HIS HOME RUN
THE NEGRO LEAGUES, HIS HOME RUN CHASE TO HOW HE WANTS TO BE
CHASE TO HOW HE WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED.
REMEMBERED. >> WHEN I PLAYED THE GAME, I
>> WHEN I PLAYED THE GAME, I PLAYED IT FOR 23 YEARS, EVERY
PLAYED IT FOR 23 YEARS, EVERY SINGLE DAY PLAYING THE WAY IT’S
SINGLE DAY PLAYING THE WAY IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYED.
SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYED. >> HANK AARON IS WIDELY
>> HANK AARON IS WIDELY CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST
CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST TO EVER PLAY BASEBALL, BUT
TO EVER PLAY BASEBALL, BUT BEFORE HE DONNED THAT FAMOUS
BEFORE HE DONNED THAT FAMOUS BRAVES UNIFORM, AARON TOOK THE
BRAVES UNIFORM, AARON TOOK THE FIELD IN THE NEGRO LEAGUE.
FIELD IN THE NEGRO LEAGUE. >> I REMEMBER SO WELL MY FIRST
>> I REMEMBER SO WELL MY FIRST YEAR THAT I LEFT MOBILE,
YEAR THAT I LEFT MOBILE, ALABAMA, ONE LITTLE COAT, $2.50
ALABAMA, ONE LITTLE COAT, $2.50 IN MY POCKET, AND MY MOTHER TOLD
IN MY POCKET, AND MY MOTHER TOLD ME THAT WAS ALL SHE HAD TO GIVE
ME THAT WAS ALL SHE HAD TO GIVE ME AND BE VERY CAREFUL WITH IT.
ME AND BE VERY CAREFUL WITH IT. >> WHAT WAS IT LIKE PLAYING FOR
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE PLAYING FOR THE INDIANAPOLIS CLOWNS?
THE INDIANAPOLIS CLOWNS? >> TO PLAY IN THAT LEAGUE AND TO
>> TO PLAY IN THAT LEAGUE AND TO PLAY WITH THE BALL PLAYERS THAT
PLAY WITH THE BALL PLAYERS THAT I PLAYED WITH GAVE ME AN
I PLAYED WITH GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME THINGS
OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME THINGS THAT I WANTED TO DO.
THAT I WANTED TO DO. >> IT IS TRUE THAT THERE WAS
>> IT IS TRUE THAT THERE WAS PERHAPS MORE TALENT IN THE NEGRO
PERHAPS MORE TALENT IN THE NEGRO LEAGUE BACK THEN THAN THERE WAS
LEAGUE BACK THEN THAN THERE WAS IN MEEB BASEBALL?
IN MEEB BASEBALL? >> I WOULD NOT DOUBT IT ONE BIT.
>> I WOULD NOT DOUBT IT ONE BIT. THERE WAS SO MUCH TALENT.
THERE WAS SO MUCH TALENT. >> IN 1954 AARON MADE HIS DEBUT
>> IN 1954 AARON MADE HIS DEBUT POUR THE MILWAUKEE WAVES.
POUR THE MILWAUKEE WAVES. >> WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING A
>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING A BLACK BASEBALL PLAYER, ONE OF
BLACK BASEBALL PLAYER, ONE OF JUST A HANDFUL IN MAJOR LEAGUE
JUST A HANDFUL IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL BACK THEN?
BASEBALL BACK THEN? >> IT WAS TOUGH, NO QUESTION
>> IT WAS TOUGH, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. >> I’M GOING TO READ SOME STATS
>> I’M GOING TO READ SOME STATS THAT MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE.
THAT MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE. RUNS BATTED IN 2,297, YOU’RE
RUNS BATTED IN 2,297, YOU’RE FIRST.
FIRST. EXTRA BASE HITS, 1,477, YOU’RE
EXTRA BASE HITS, 1,477, YOU’RE FIRST.
FIRST. YEARS WITH 30 OR MORE HOME RUNS,
YEARS WITH 30 OR MORE HOME RUNS, 15.
15. PRETTY GOOD ARGUMENT COULD BE
PRETTY GOOD ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE THAT YOU’RE THE GREATEST
MADE THAT YOU’RE THE GREATEST THAT’S EVER PLAYED BASEBALL.
THAT’S EVER PLAYED BASEBALL. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WHAT DO YOU THINK? >> WELL, I’M WITH YOU.
>> WELL, I’M WITH YOU. [ LAUGHTER ].
[ LAUGHTER ]. >> HERE’S THE PITCH BY DOWNING,
>> HERE’S THE PITCH BY DOWNING, SWINGING.
SWINGING. >> IN 1974 HANK AARON BATTLED
>> IN 1974 HANK AARON BATTLED THROUGH DEATH THREATS AND PUBLIC
THROUGH DEATH THREATS AND PUBLIC SCRUTINY TO SHATTER BABE RUTH’S
SCRUTINY TO SHATTER BABE RUTH’S LONGTIME CAREER HOME RUN RECORD.
LONGTIME CAREER HOME RUN RECORD. IN 2007 BARRY BONDS BROKE THAT
IN 2007 BARRY BONDS BROKE THAT RECORD IN CONTROVERSIAL FASHION,
RECORD IN CONTROVERSIAL FASHION, HELPED BY STEROIDS.
HELPED BY STEROIDS. >> YOU SAID IN THE PAST THAT
>> YOU SAID IN THE PAST THAT DESPITE THE FACT HE HAS ADMITTED
DESPITE THE FACT HE HAS ADMITTED TO CHEATING, YOU STILL CONSIDER
TO CHEATING, YOU STILL CONSIDER HIM THE HOME RUN KING.
HIM THE HOME RUN KING. >> I DO.
>> I DO. >> HOW CAN THAT BE?
>> HOW CAN THAT BE? >> I KNEW BARRY’S FATHER VERY
>> I KNEW BARRY’S FATHER VERY WELL AND I GOT TO KNOW BARRY A
WELL AND I GOT TO KNOW BARRY A LITTLE BIT.
LITTLE BIT. IT’S KIND OF HARD FOR ME TO
IT’S KIND OF HARD FOR ME TO DIGEST AND COME TO REALIZE THAT
DIGEST AND COME TO REALIZE THAT BARRY CHEATED IN THE HOME RUNS,
BARRY CHEATED IN THE HOME RUNS, CHEATED WITH THIS AND THAT.
CHEATED WITH THIS AND THAT. >> BARRY BONDS AND SOME OF THESE
>> BARRY BONDS AND SOME OF THESE OTHER GUYS WHO ADMITTED TO
OTHER GUYS WHO ADMITTED TO JUICING, DO YOU THINK THEY
JUICING, DO YOU THINK THEY BELONG IN THE HALL OF FAME?
BELONG IN THE HALL OF FAME? >> YES.
>> YES. >> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> YES.
>> YES. >> EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ON
>> EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ON STEROIDS?
STEROIDS? >> WE’VE HAD SO MANY CHEATERS
>> WE’VE HAD SO MANY CHEATERS THAT HAVE MADE THE HALL OF FAME,
THAT HAVE MADE THE HALL OF FAME, AND I DON’T SEE ANY REASON WHY
AND I DON’T SEE ANY REASON WHY BARRY OR ANY OF THE REST OF THEM
BARRY OR ANY OF THE REST OF THEM SHOULDN’T MAKE IT.
SHOULDN’T MAKE IT. >> DID YOU CHEAT?
>> DID YOU CHEAT? >> I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO DO
>> I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO DO ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO HOLD A
I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO HOLD A BAT STRAIGHT.
BAT STRAIGHT. >> IF HANK AARON DIDN’T HAVE TO
>> IF HANK AARON DIDN’T HAVE TO CHEAT --
CHEAT -- >> WELL, THAT’S TRUE.
>> WELL, THAT’S TRUE. BARRY WAS A TERRIFIC BALL
BARRY WAS A TERRIFIC BALL PLAYER.
PLAYER. >> PETE ROSE, SHOULD HE BE IN
>> PETE ROSE, SHOULD HE BE IN THE HALL?
THE HALL? >> NO.
>> NO. >> IF YOU BET ON THE GAME, YOU
>> IF YOU BET ON THE GAME, YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE IN?
DON’T DESERVE TO BE IN? >> NO.
>> NO. >> BUT IF YOU USE DRUGS TO
>> BUT IF YOU USE DRUGS TO ENHANCE YOUR PERFORMANCE?
ENHANCE YOUR PERFORMANCE? >> YES.
>> YES. >> AT 86 HANK IS STILL PART OF
>> AT 86 HANK IS STILL PART OF THE GAVE HE LOVES WITH THE
THE GAVE HE LOVES WITH THE ATLANTA BRAVES AND LIVING HIS
ATLANTA BRAVES AND LIVING HIS LEGACY.
LEGACY. >> YOU’RE ONE OF THE FEW LIVING
>> YOU’RE ONE OF THE FEW LIVING LEGENDS SCANDAL-FREE.
LEGENDS SCANDAL-FREE. HOW DOES HANK AARON WANT TO BE
HOW DOES HANK AARON WANT TO BE REMEMBERED.
REMEMBERED. >> I’VE BEEN FORTUNATE AND LUCKY
>> I’VE BEEN FORTUNATE AND LUCKY IN SOME WAYS.
IN SOME WAYS. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED AS
I WOULD LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED AS SOMEONE WHO SAID GOD GAVE HIM
SOMEONE WHO SAID GOD GAVE HIM THE TALENT TO PLAY THIS GAME,
THE TALENT TO PLAY THIS GAME, AND HE DID EVERYTHING HUMANLY
AND HE DID EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE GAME THE
POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE GAME THE WAIT’S SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYED.
WAIT’S SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYED. >> HAMMERING HANK AARON WAS ON
>> HAMMERING HANK AARON WAS ON MY LIST OF PEOPLE THAT I’VE
MY LIST OF PEOPLE THAT I’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO SIT DOWN WITH.
ALWAYS WANTED TO SIT DOWN WITH. I DID NOT FULLY GRASP HIS
I DID NOT FULLY GRASP HIS DISTINCTION BETWEEN STEROID USE
DISTINCTION BETWEEN STEROID USE AND BETTING ON THE GAME.
AND BETTING ON THE GAME. WE’LL LEAVE THAT FOR OTHER FOLKS
WE’LL LEAVE THAT FOR OTHER FOLKS TO DECIDE.
TO DECIDE. >> I WILL TELL YOU, HAVING GROWN
>> I WILL TELL YOU, HAVING GROWN UP -- HE WAS IN BASEBALL FOR MY
UP -- HE WAS IN BASEBALL FOR MY ENTIRE TIME ALIVE ON THE EARTH.
ENTIRE TIME ALIVE ON THE EARTH. HE RETIRED IN ’74, OR HIT THE
HE RETIRED IN ’74, OR HIT THE HOME RUN.
HOME RUN. HIS SHADOW ON BASEBALL, HOW HE
HIS SHADOW ON BASEBALL, HOW HE COVERS THE GAME IS REALLY
COVERS THE GAME IS REALLY UNBELIEVABLE.
UNBELIEVABLE. >> HE DOESN’T DO A LOT.
>> HE DOESN’T DO A LOT. WHY DON’T YOU DO MORE, WHY
WHY DON’T YOU DO MORE, WHY AREN’T YOU OUT THERE SELLING THE
AREN’T YOU OUT THERE SELLING THE GAME?
GAME? HE SAYS MY GRANDKIDS.
HE SAYS MY GRANDKIDS. >> WHEN HE HIT THAT HOME RUN, WE
>> WHEN HE HIT THAT HOME RUN, WE KNEW HOW GREAT IT WAS, BUT WE
KNEW HOW GREAT IT WAS, BUT WE HEARD ABOUT THE RACISM AND
HEARD ABOUT THE RACISM AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. IT WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE MOMENT
IT WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE MOMENT FOR SO MANY REASONS.
FOR SO MANY REASONS. >> AS OPPOSED TO READING IT IN A
>> AS OPPOSED TO READING IT IN A HISTORY BOOK, HAVING A CHANCE TO
HISTORY BOOK, HAVING A CHANCE TO TALK WITH HIM.
TALK WITH HIM. >> TERRIFIC.
>> TERRIFIC. THANK YOU, MR. AARON.
THANK YOU, MR. AARON. >>> COMING UP, OUR PRODUCERS --
>>> COMING UP, OUR PRODUCERS -- I DIDN’T KNOW THIS, DID YOU KNOW
I DIDN’T KNOW THIS, DID YOU KNOW THIS?
THIS? >> THAT’S WHY IT’S CALLED A
