"I have always felt that although someone may defeat me, and I strike out in a ball game, the pitcher on the particular day was the best player. But I know when I see him again; I'm going to be ready for his curve ball. Failure is a part of success." ~ Hank Aaron
A man who defined success, Major League Baseball's all-time home run leader Henry Louis Aaron (1934-) was born on this day in Mobile, Alabama.
"You have to study your opponent," he once said. "You have to study the people that you're going to do business with, and you just can't take anything for granted."
Nicknamed "Hammerin' Hank," the soft-spoken athlete dazzled fans with his booming bat and remarkable fielding. He played with passionate zeal and consistency. With powerful wrists, he drove the ball out of the park, breaking Babe Ruth's career total in 1974.
"I remember Henry as a great player," praised San Francisco Giants great Willie Mays. "He could do everything. He was always a quiet guy. He let his bat do the talking."
Throughout his 23-year career, Atlanta Brave #44 kept swinging. A lifetime .305 hitter, Aaron finished his career with a record 755 home runs and 2,297 RBIs. In 1982, he was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame.
"I'm hoping someday that some kid, black or white, will hit more home runs than myself. Whoever it is, I'd be pulling for him," Aaron said.
Failure is just a step away from success.