Young Hank Aaron
Photo: Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, courtesy Ed Scott
Where: Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kansas City, Missouri.
A young man – maybe 19 – stands in front of his local train depot in 1953. He could be waiting for a favorite cousin to arrive, or he may be about to board the train that will deliver him to his destiny.
This photograph was taken of Henry “Hank” Aaron in Mobile, Alabama just prior to his departure for the Negro Leagues. Bunny Downs, team manager of the Indianapolis Clowns, had just negotiated the deal with Aaron’s family that would allow the young recruit to leave home and join the team on the road. It is presumed that Downs took this photo.
“This is not the largest or most well-known item we display, but it is by far one of my favorites,” says Dr. Raymond Doswell, vice president of curatorial services for the museum. “This photograph denotes a moment in American history when greatness was discovered.”
Aaron played for the Clowns in 1953 and was then recruited by the Milwaukee Braves, who later moved to Atlanta. The rest, they say, is history. Aaron developed into one of the greatest baseball players of all time, breaking Babe Ruth’s long-standing career home run record of 715 before setting the new one at 755.
A version of this story originally appeared in The Kansas City Star on April 4, 2010.
MUSEUM FREAK 
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Hank Aaron is the greatest of all in my eyes. It was one of the high points of my life to meet him in 2004. You could read his bio, “I Had a Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story” to see what he went through on the home run chase approaching Babe Ruth. He maintained unbelievable composure amidst terrible racial resentment as he was about to eclipse Ruth`s record. Hank is a gentleman of the highest order and will ALWAYS be my favorite and most respected player as he has been since I was nine years old in 1957. I appreciate the opportunity in this forum to give Mr. Aaron his due respect.