Hammerin’ Hank Aaron was regarded as one of the greatest baseball players ever. He hit 755 home runs to break Babe Ruth\u2019s record, hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, and in 1982, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame for holding the Major League Baseball records for the most career runs batted in (2,297), most extra base hits (1,477), and most total bases (6,856). As he closed in on Babe Ruth\u2019s career home run record of 714 home runs, he was taunted by racists and responded always with restraint, dignity and grace.<\/p>\n
Aaron died January 22, 2021 at his home in Atlanta, just a few days short of his 87th birthday. Anti-vaxxers immediately claimed that his death was due to the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine he had received at a Morehouse Healthcare clinic on Jan. 5, more than two weeks before his passing. This, of course, was completely unfounded.<\/p>\n
Vaccination Ceremony as a Public Service<\/strong>
\nAaron publicly received his COVID-19 vaccination in Atlanta with several other African American public figures, including human rights activist Dr. Joseph Henry Beasley, former U.N. Ambassador and civil rights leader Andrew Young, and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Louis Sullivan, to encourage other Black Americans to do the same. He told the Associated Press, \u201cI don\u2019t have any qualms about it at all, you know. I feel quite proud of myself for doing something like this . . . It\u2019s just a small thing that can help zillions of people in this country.\u201d Andrew Young, a former congressman, mayor and U.S. ambassador, told the press, \u201cI talked to the fella who was his driver, and I said, \u2018was Hank feeling any discomfort or any problem over the last few days?\u2019 and he said, \u2018no, he wanted to keep his schedule.\u201d
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