[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 23 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 23

           Honoring the life and legacy of Henry Louis Aaron.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 28, 2021

 Mr. Warnock (for himself, Mr. Ossoff, Mr. Shelby, and Mr. Tuberville) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                            on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Honoring the life and legacy of Henry Louis Aaron.

Whereas Henry Louis ``Hank'' Aaron was born 1 of 8 children on February 5, 1934, 
        to Herbert Aaron Sr. and Estella (Pritchett) Aaron in Mobile, Alabama;
Whereas Mr. Aaron grew up during the height of Jim Crow and segregation and 
        faced racism and discrimination from a young age, including from the 
        stands while playing in the South as a minor league baseball player 
        early in his baseball career;
Whereas Mr. Aaron began his baseball career as a teenager in the Negro leagues, 
        first playing for the Prichard Athletics, then the Mobile Black Bears, 
        before being signed by the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American 
        League;
Whereas, in 1952, Mr. Aaron was signed by the Boston Braves, who assigned him to 
        play in the minor league for their Northern League farm team, the Eau 
        Claire Bears, where he made the Northern League's All-Star team and was 
        unanimously named Rookie of the Year;
Whereas, in 1953, Mr. Aaron was promoted to play for the South Atlantic League 
        affiliate of the Braves, the Jacksonville Braves, as one of the league's 
        first Black players, where he immediately helped the team win the league 
        championship and won the South Atlantic League's Most Valuable Player 
        Award;
Whereas, in 1954, Mr. Aaron was invited to attend spring training with the 
        Milwaukee Braves and signed his first Major League Baseball contract on 
        the final day of Braves spring training, making his Major League 
        Baseball debut against the Cincinnati Reds and hitting his first Major 
        League Baseball home run on April 23, 1954;
Whereas Mr. Aaron won his first batting title in 1956 and was voted the National 
        League's Most Valuable Player in 1957, helping the Braves win their 
        first pennant in Milwaukee and leading the Braves to a 1957 World Series 
        victory against the New York Yankees;
Whereas, in 1966, Mr. Aaron moved with the Braves to Atlanta, Georgia and went 
        on to play 23 seasons in Major League Baseball, all but his final 2 
        seasons with the Braves in Milwaukee and then Atlanta;
Whereas, on April 4, 1974, Mr. Aaron tied Babe Ruth's home run record by hitting 
        home run number 714 in a game against the Cincinnati Reds on his first 
        swing of the season;
Whereas, on the evening of April 8, 1974, Mr. Aaron made history by breaking 
        Babe Ruth's record when he hit home run number 715 against the Los 
        Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, 
        cementing his place in history as the Nation's home run king;
Whereas, during the historic moment, veteran baseball broadcaster Vin Scully 
        announced, ``What a marvelous moment for baseball. What a marvelous 
        moment for Atlanta and the State of Georgia. What a marvelous moment for 
        the country and the world. A Black man is getting a standing ovation in 
        the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol.'';
Whereas Mr. Aaron went on to hit 755 home runs in his career, a home run record 
        that went unbroken for more than 30 years, with his final home run 
        coming on July 20, 1976;
Whereas, at the time of his passing, Mr. Aaron held the Major League Baseball 
        records for the most career runs batted in (2,297), extra base hits 
        (1,477), and total bases (6,856);
Whereas, at the time of his passing, Mr. Aaron was 1 of only 4 players to have 
        at least 17 seasons with 150 or more hits, was in second place for most 
        in home runs and at-bats (12,364), and was in third place for most games 
        played (3,298) and hits (3,771);
Whereas, in addition to his records, Mr. Aaron achieved numerous career 
        highlights and awards, including--

    (1) becoming the ninth player to achieve the 3,000 hit milestone and 
the first player to achieve both 500 home runs and 3,000 hits;

    (2) being a 2-time National League batting champion;

    (3) winning the National League's single-season home run title 4 times;

    (4) achieving a career batting average of .305;

    (5) being voted an All-Star in all but his first and last seasons; and

    (6) winning 3 Gold Glove awards for his play as a right fielder;

Whereas Mr. Aaron achieved these milestones while bravely facing racism at every 
        stage of his historic career, including being barred from hotels where 
        his minor league white teammates stayed, receiving many racist letters 
        and threats, and even needing protection from law enforcement at games 
        to protect against racist violence or harassment;
Whereas, during his career, Mr. Aaron became a national symbol for perseverance 
        by demonstrating athletic greatness and strength while enduring vicious 
        racism and hate, helping advance the cause for civil rights and becoming 
        a civic leader in the Black community;
Whereas Mr. Aaron became the first Black American to hold a senior management 
        position in Major League Baseball as a front office executive with the 
        Atlanta Braves, supported the National Association for the Advancement 
        of Colored People (``NAACP''), and founded the Chasing the Dream 
        Foundation to support underprivileged youth through mentorship and 
        financial support;
Whereas, in April 1977, the Atlanta Braves retired Mr. Aaron's Number 44, 
        erected a statue in his honor in 1982, and named the address of their 
        second home, Turner Field, as 755 Hank Aaron Drive;
Whereas Mr. Aaron is an integral part of Mobile, Alabama history and has been 
        recognized by the city through the construction of a stadium, opening of 
        a museum, and naming of a park, in his honor;
Whereas, in 1982, his first year of eligibility, Mr. Aaron was elected to the 
        Baseball Hall of Fame, receiving 97.8 percent of the vote, the second-
        highest tally at the time only to Ty Cobb;
Whereas, on the 25th anniversary of Mr. Aaron's 715th home run, Major League 
        Baseball created the Hank Aaron Award, given annually to the players 
        with the best overall offensive performances in each league;
Whereas, in 2002, Mr. Aaron received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the 
        Nation's highest civilian award, from President George W. Bush, with the 
        citation noting that Mr. Aaron ``embodies the true spirit of our 
        Nation''; and
Whereas, at the time of his passing, Mr. Aaron was long renowned for having 
        uplifted the Black community and improved human relations over his 
        career through his tremendous display of dignity and long record of 
        achievement in the face of racism and hate, cementing his legacy as a 
        leading figure for civil rights: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) honors the life and legacy of Henry Louis Aaron for his 
        accomplishments on and off the baseball field, and for defying 
        racism and breaking down racial barriers in the fight for 
        equality as one of the last Major League Baseball All-Stars to 
        have played in the Negro leagues;
            (2) proclaims that Henry Louis Aaron indeed embodied the 
        true spirit and promise of our Nation, reflected the best of 
        the determination and perseverance of the people of the United 
        States, and exemplified the indomitable will of Black Americans 
        to overcome impossible odds to achieve greatness in the face of 
        relentless adversity and racism; and
            (3) recognizes the life and legacy of Henry Louis Aaron as 
        an important figure in the fight for civil rights, as well as 
        one of the greatest and most prolific baseball players and 
        professional athletes of the United States, of all time.
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