Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 3, 1994 TAG: 9404030218
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: ATLANTA LENGTH: Medium
He still has the ball that sailed over the left-center field fence at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on April 8, 1974.
He still has the memories, too, but many of them are bittersweet.
Baseball, Aaron believes, could have done so much more to publicize the sport by promoting the 715th home run of his career.
"That's the sad thing about the whole thing," Aaron said in an interview in his 14th floor office at CNN Center, where he is vice president for business development for the Airport Channel.
"The people who should have celebrated it, didn't," said Aaron.
Aaron is a senior vice president and assistant to the president of the Atlanta Braves, but he has little to do with the team other than being a member of the board. His television employer, like the Braves, is a subsidiary of Turner Broadcasting System.
Aaron said he wasn't seeking personal celebrity, just appreciation for his accomplishment.
"I'm not talking about advertising or anything like that. I'm not looking for anything. I'm certainly not trying to promote myself," he said. "It didn't happen when I hit it, and it's not going to happen now."
The Braves did salute Aaron with a day in his honor on the 10th anniversary of the home run in 1984 and will honor him again on April 13, one night after Atlanta's home opener.
In addition, Major League Baseball has dedicated the week of April 8-15 to Aaron. Each club playing at home on April 8 will mark the anniversary before the game.
"Here it is 20 years later - why should I be excited now? When I hit it nothing happened. It's done with. It was accomplished and maybe some day it will be appreciated," said Aaron.
Al Downing, the Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander who gave up the record-breaking homer, agrees the event hasn't gotten the recognition it deserved.
Downing, now 52 and between jobs as a sports broadcaster in Los Angeles, said he has made only two appearances in 20 years in connection with the home run - at the Braves' 10-year anniversary and at a card show in October.
"To me it is one of the best kept secrets in baseball," said Downing. "In my time in baseball [17 years], it was the most significant thing to happen, yet baseball doesn't even commemorate it in any way."
Jim Small, a spokesman for Major League Baseball, said Aaron's record has been properly recognized.
"I'd disagree that we have not done a good job of promoting it," Small said. "This week we are devoting an entire week to it . . . we've done a TV commercial saluting Henry's accomplishments.
by CNB