Radio Days: Hammerin' Hank
18/03/24 04:36
March 18, 2024 (Vol. 18 No. 14) - During the period of my life that I was a broadcast journalist, I was privileged to meet people and experience events that I otherwise would never have. Such an event occurred April 15, 1977, when I was on the field at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium to witness the uniform number retirement ceremony for the greatest (non-steroidal) home run hitter in Major League Baseball history, Henry "Hank" Aaron. I was the news director of WXLX-AM in Milledgeville, Georgia. Along with our sports director Steve Stoddard, we obtained press passes for the Atlanta Braves opening night game against the Houston Astros. The Braves won in front of a crowd of 46,969 by a score of 4-3 on the strength of two-run home runs by Jeff Burroughs and Jerry Royster - both off of the oddly named pitcher Mark Lemongello. But the real draw that night was the "Hammerin' Hank" retirement ceremony. It occured exactly three years and one week after Aaron hit his 715th home run to pass Babe Ruth. My media pass allowed me to be on the field before the game and to take fabulous photos like the one above. That's then-Braves owner and media mogul Ted Turner at the mic, which was situated at home plate during the ceremonies. While on the field, I got a chance to talk briefly with Turner. (I met him a second time seven years later at the Pierre Hotel in New York City when we both won Peabody Awards.) I also had the honor of meeting Georgia native Keith Jackson of ABC Sports, who served as master of ceremonies on this special night. I got great photos of Aaron, but did not talk to him. I gave that honor to Stoddard, who taped an interview with him. After the ceremonies, I covered the game in the press box and went into the Braves locker room after the final out. It was a heady experience for a small town radio guy. One of my strongest memories of that locker room visit was watching MLB players being interviewed while sitting at their lockers completely in the nude. Frankly, I just stood in the back, held out my microphone and kept my mouth shut. I was too intimidated - and embarrassed - to ask questions of naked men headed to or from a shower. That's the only time in my journalism career I gathered soundbites from anyone sans clothes - although there were a few politicians I suspected conducted public business while buck naked. Nevertheless, it's a night I will always remember: Hammerin' Hank and baseball in the buff. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle. Photo copyright David W. Guth, 2024.