[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 132 (Friday, September 7, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1826-E1827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING HENRY L. AARON ON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE ALABAMA ACADEMY 
                                OF HONOR



                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 7, 2007

  Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I 
rise to honor Henry L. Aaron on the occasion of his induction into the 
Alabama Academy of Honor.
  Henry Aaron, who is better known to his fans throughout the world as 
``Hank,'' set more major league batting records than any player in the 
game's history and held Major League Baseball's record for home runs 
until just last month. The Mobile native was inducted into the baseball 
Hall of Fame in 1982, and played for the Milwaukee Braves, the Atlanta 
Braves, and the Milwaukee Brewers.
  Created in 1965, the Alabama Academy of Honor was created to 
recognize living Alabamians for their accomplishments and service that 
greatly benefits or reflects credit on the state of Alabama. Ten 
members may be elected annually by the Academy of Honor with no greater 
than 100 living members at a time.
  Madam Speaker, the following tribute was presented to Hank Aaron at 
his ceremony of induction into the Academy in 2007. With your 
permission, I would like to add this tribute to the Congressional 
Record.

                             Henry L. Aaron

       Henry L. Aaron rewrote the hitting records book during a 
     stellar career in major league baseball. Today he is senior 
     vice president of Atlanta National League Baseball Club, 
     Inc.--the Atlanta Braves--and is a successful businessman and 
     civic leader.
       Born in 1934 in Mobile, Aaron was a star student athlete in 
     football and baseball, playing semi-pro in the latter sport 
     while still in high school. He was later signed by the 
     Indianapolis Clowns and helped lead that team to win the 1952 
     Negro League World Series. That same year he was signed by 
     the Boston (later Milwaukee, then Atlanta) Braves. He 
     dominated both Braves farm teams he was on, and by 1954 was 
     in the major leagues, homering in his first spring

[[Page E1827]]

     training game in a Milwaukee uniform. That was just the 
     beginning.
       Over the next twenty-three years, he set more major league 
     batting records than any player in the game's history, 
     including most home runs, lifetime, 755; most years with 30 
     or more home runs, 15; most extra-base hits, 1,477; most 
     total bases, 6,856; and most runs batted in, lifetime, 
     2,297. On May 17, 1970, Aaron became the first player to 
     achieve both 3,000 career hits and more than 500 homers. 
     He was also an outstanding fielder, winning three Gold 
     Gloves, and he was elected to a record 24 All-Star teams. 
     He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New 
     York, on August 1, 1982. His autobiography, I Had a 
     Hammer, was published in 1990, and in 1997, a new minor 
     league baseball stadium in his hometown was named in his 
     honor.
       Since retiring from playing, he has been an eloquent 
     ambassador for baseball and sports in general, and has been 
     an outspoken leader on the issue of minority hiring in 
     baseball executive jobs. In the business world, Aaron 
     developed a number of auto dealerships and still owns Hank 
     Aaron Toyota. He is a long-time Church's and Popeye's 
     restaurant franchisee and also operates Krispy Kreme 
     franchises in Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia.
       Aaron sits on the board of Retail Ventures, Inc., Medallion 
     Financial Corporation, Atlanta Technical Institute, the 
     Atlanta Braves, and Atlanta Falcons. He is a member of the 
     Board of Governors for Boys and Girls Clubs of America and is 
     a member of the Board of Councilors of the Carter Center. 
     With his wife Billye, he is the founder of the Hank Aaron 
     Chasing the Dream Foundation. Aaron has received numerous 
     civic awards, including the Medal of Freedom, awarded by 
     President George W. Bush, and the Presidential Citizens 
     Medal, awarded by President Bill Clinton.

  Throughout his life, Hank Aaron has been an outstanding role model 
for both children and adults alike. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues 
to join with me in congratulating him on this remarkable achievement 
and extending thanks for his many efforts over the years on behalf of 
the citizens of the First Congressional District and the state of 
Alabama.

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