I Had A Hammer (p.215-333)

Hank Aaron is at the FINALLY of his career, and this is when Hank Aaron goes through the most racist and tough moments of his life. Aaron received many letters of congratulations, but they all included the word “nigger”. When he hit his 700 career homerun, everyone already thought that he had the record in his hands. The day he hit the homerun, the big 715, to pass Babe Ruth for the homerun king title, he said that it is finally over. He said he can finally focus on just playing the game without having the thought of the title or the record needing to be broken. He ended his Hall Of Fame bound career at the age of 42. He was inducted to the Hall Of Fame, with every first place vote but 9, that’s the highest ever other than Ty Cobb. This Negro player came from nothing, to being the best that has ever played in a baseball stadium EVER.

“Maybe in a few years, baseball won’t need somebody like me anymore. But until that day comes, I intend to stay in the batter’s box-I don’t let the big guys push me out of there anymore-and keep hammering away” (Aaron333). This quote came from the last paragraph of the novel. It speaks out about a lot that Hank Aaron has worked for in his life. He played the game and left it when he was on top. Now he is still in the game, just not physically in the game, but he is doing outside work that can help America and baseball become more pure of hate.