Hank Aaron: Learning to Have Integrity

Last weekend (January 22, 2021), Hank Aaron died at age 86, and I’d like to honor his memory, not only as one of the greatest baseball players of all time but also as a man who learned to have integrity. As the Braves said in a statement to USA Today Sports, “His incredible talent and resolve helped him achieve the highest accomplishments, yet he never lost his humble nature.” Although he had to overcome poverty, racism, and segregation, USA Today reported that “he confronted each of these challenges with trademark grace and resolve. In setting an example with his life, he also offered words of wisdom for others to live by.” I think he’s an inspiring illustration of what God wants from each of us.

“Hammerin’ Hank” became the “Homer King” after hitting twenty or more home runs for twenty seasons! For the majority of his twenty-three seasons of playing Major League Baseball, he hit thirty or more home runs, and for eight years he topped forty homers!

Hank Aaron became fabulously famous—not only within the athletic arena with an overwhelming number of awards but also by our entire nation, receiving the highest civilian honor in America, the Presidential Medal of Freedom from George Bush in 2002 and an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Princeton University in 2011. However, Hank didn’t let his fame ruin him! He learned to keep his eyes on Christ and maintain his faith. It’s said that he kept a copy of Thomas a Kempis’s book, The Imitation of Christ, in his locker and read it often.

Concerning his faith, Hank gave this testimony: “I need to depend on Someone who is bigger, stronger, and wiser than I am . . . I don’t do it on my own. God is my strength. He gave me a good body and some talent and the freedom to develop it. He helps me when things go wrong. He forgives me when I fall on my face. He lights the way.”

Amen! I think that’s exactly what integrity means and what it looks like. It’s not that we’re perfect and never sin; it’s that we recognize God as the author and finisher of our faith: He gives us our talents and forgives our sins. He loves us. He tells us to keep going and never give up! He sees us through. Praise God, he’s seen Hank Aaron through, and I’ll bet Hank is looking down this morning, sayin’, “All right, ya’ll. I did the best I could. Go out and do your best! I’m rooting for you!”

Hank’s witness to God and his faith mean the most to me, but here are some other inspiring words of wisdom from Hank:

“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.”

“Once the record was mine, I had to use it like a Louisville Slugger. I believed, and still do, that there was a reason why I was chosen to break the record. I feel it’s my task to carry on where Jackie Robinson left off, and I only know of one way to go about it. It’s the only way I’ve ever had of dealing with things like fastballs and bigotry—keep swinging at them.

“Consistency is what counts;
you have to be able to do things over and over again.”

“There is no such thing as a bed of roses all your life. But failure will never stand in the way of success if you learn from it.”

“I would like people not to think in terms of the 755 home runs I hit but think in terms of what I’ve accomplished off the field and some of the things I stood for.”

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:10). This was the testimony of the Apostle Paul, who in another letter described himself as the “chief” of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). I stand by this verse—that I am what I am by the grace of God”—and I earnestly hope that this grace will not have been given in vain. I believe God’s grace was abundantly displayed in the life of Henry “Hank” Aaron!