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Henry (Hank) Aaron

by Max from Yukon, Oklahoma

Hammerin' Hank
Hammerin' Hank

When you hear the word hero, what comes to mind? Do you think of a fireman running into a burning building to save an innocent life, or are there others things that come to mind more than mere strength? This world has more and more heroes born each and every day. You may not have known this, but all you have to do is look around you to see many heroes. They may not seem like a hero to you but, to someone else he/she may be Superman.

Henry Aaron, also known to many as "Hank",was a sports icon in the 1950's thru the 1970's. You may know him as "The Home Run King", but to African-Americans and Whites alike, he was a hero. He had the bravery to step up to that plate and play baseball regardless of any death threats or taunts that came his way. This proved his ability to resist the temptation to fight back against all that hated him and taunted him all through his career.

His physical strength brought him a long way in his career. As a baseball star and legend you would think it is the most important but, you thought wrong. All players have there weaknesses in one area or the other. But, most would agree if you said that the mental game is the toughest of them all. Hank was able to overcome this and believe in himself enough so that his legacy could last as long as it has. His mental strength not only helped him in his gameplay but, his fight against the racism that was present in the country during that time. He was able to supress these feelings because of this strength and this brought him just as far as his athletic talent did.

Hank was a hero to many American. But, we musn't forget about the other heroes among us that are not as well seen. Sometimes these heroes can be the ones that make the most impact on someone's life.

Page created on 4/20/2009 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 4/20/2009 12:00:00 AM

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