Late baseball immortal Hank Aaron spoke at Club in 1993
Baseball immortal Hank Aaron speaks at a National Press Club Luncheon Sept. 15, 1993.
Henry (Hank) Aaron, legendary Hall of Fame baseball slugger noted for breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record in 1974, who died at age 86 on Jan. 2, once graced the National Press Club rostrum.
Aaron spoke at a Club Luncheon on Sept. 15, 1993. Also noted for helping break baseball’s color barrier, he used his appearance at the Club to criticize the inadequate minority hiring in baseball. He discussed the importance of bringing minority athletes to positions of prominence to encourage minorities in all walks of life to strive for excellence.
Following his long 23-year major league career, mainly with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, Aaron served in the front office of the Braves. He was a senior vice president at the time of his Club speech.
A video of Aaron’s hour-long remarks and answers to questions is available online.
One attendee at the luncheon, then a 6-year old, was David Manley Pippert, the son of longtime Club member Wes Pippert. David shares his remembrance of the occasion:
"When I was old enough to make a lasting memory, but still young enough to need help tying my shoes, my dad took me to my first of many National Press Club Luncheons to hear Hank Aaron speak. Though his last at-bat preceded my birth by 10 years, when my dad told me we were going to meet the ball player who hit more home runs than anyone else in history, I was beyond excited.
"One of the more entertaining aspects of a Press Club luncheon is when the audience is given the opportunity to ask the speaker questions. Every table is given a stack of notecards to write down a question which is then passed along to the head table. My dad, being the insistent journalist/father he is, made sure that the first question did not go to one of the many other journalists present, but rather to his son. Naturally, my question was “what was your jersey number?” I still remember hearing the soft chuckles throughout the room when Hank Aaron was told the question came from a precocious 6-year-old who needed to get back to kindergarten.
"That day started with one the greatest ball players ever. It ended with Hank Aaron taking on a new role. Since then, Hank Aaron has and always will serve as a reminder to how lucky I am to be Wes Pippert’s son.
"They say there are fewer things more American than baseball, hot dogs and apple pie. I’d say there are fewer things more American than a father wanting to introduce his son to baseball, hot dogs and apple pie. I sure am proud this apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
"If you want to hear that question, skip ahead to the 30 minute mark, but be sure to go back and listen to Hank Aaron's amazing speech!"