HAPPY BIRTHDAY AARON AND ALOMAR
BY ISMAEL NUNEZ
FEBRUARY 5TH is the birthday for two Hall of Famers, HANK AARON AND ROBERTO ALOMAR. Aaron is the true Home Run King (many will agree) Look at what he accomplished! Hank Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed “Hammer” or “Hammerin’ Hank”, was an African-American professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. Considered one of the greatest baseball players in history, he spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL). He would win two batting titles in 1956 and 1959. He also won a World Series title in 1957, the same year of which he would win the Most Valuable Player Award. His records include, 755 career Home Runs, 2297 career Runs Batted In, and 3,771 career hits. To add to that list, he would win three Gold Gloves.
Former Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali stated, “The only man I idolize more than myself.”, in reference to Aaron. Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle, in the issue of Baseball Digest 1970 stated, “As far as I’m concerned, (Hank) Aaron is the best ball player of my era. He is to baseball of the last fifteen years what Joe DiMaggio was before him. He’s never received the credit he’s due.” Many will say Hall of Fame second baseman Rogers Hornsby is the greatest right handed hitter in baseball. Yet look at Aaron’s accomplishments. That honor goes to Aaron!
Roberto Alomar (born February 5, 1968) is considered by many to be the best defensive second baseman in baseball. He joins his brothers (who are also in the Baseball Hall of Fame) Roberto Clemente and Ivan Rodriguez who have won most gold gloves in their position. Alomar has won 12 Gold Gloves to add: he has won four Silver Slugger Awards for his hitting, he ranks third in games played (2,320), fifth in stolen bases (474), sixth in plate appearances (10,400), seventh in doubles (504) and assists (6,524), and eighth in hits (2,724), runs (1,508), at-bats (9,073), and double plays turned (1,407). In 2011 he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Alomar was banned from baseball in the year 2021 when reports of an independent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct arose, dating back to 2014. In April 2021, the Blue Jays also announced that Alomar would be removed from the Rogers Center for accomplishments and his number as well. Yet here’s the thing, Rogers Hornsby, who was reported to being a racist, (there’ve been reports he was a member of the KKK), to add Ty Cobb (who was also rumored to be a KKK member), and Cap Anson were all bigots. Why aren’t they banned them from Hall of Fame! In Canada you have the Hockey Hall of Fame, where one of its members/inductess, Bobby Hull, one of the exciting players in hockey was reported to be a wife batterer. Why not ban him from the fame!
