Lauren Spencer

Hank Aaron Lauren Spencer

Fascinating Biographies of Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees with Information That Will Never Go Out of Date This new series brings to life the men behind the statistics, all of whom are inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, who helped make major league baseball the diverse game it is today. Predating the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente burst through the major league color barrier to show fans that baseball should and could be a game about talent. Record-breaking pitcher Sandy Koufax faced national scrutiny when he stood up for his right to put his Jewish traditions ahead of his baseball schedule. Nolan Ryan wowed the world with pitches that were too fast to hit, while Yogi Berra broke the mold for pitching greatness and continues to charm the world with his wit and wisdom. In 1974, Henry (Hank) Aaron was crowned America's home run king, taking the title away from Yankee legend Babe Ruth. As he approached Ruth's record, Aaron endured messages of hate. Many old-time fans couldn't accept that Aaron, an African American, would be the new home run king. During his long baseball career, Aaron broke many records and won many awards, including three Gold Gloves for his skills as an outfielder. This book shows readers how Aaron used dignity and his remarkable abilities on the field to establish his place in society.