• Hall of Famer Henry Aaron, who endured enormous racism when he chased Babe Ruth's career home run record - finally breaking it with number 715 in 1974 and finishing his career with 755, all of them hit without the use of performance-enhancing drugs - passed away over the weekend. He was 86.
From the ESPN story:
"When he retired in 1976 after a 23-year major league career with the National League Braves (spending 1954 to 1965 in Milwaukee, 1966-74 in Atlanta) before playing his final two seasons with the American League Milwaukee Brewers, Aaron had amassed staggering offensive numbers, holding the career records for most home runs (755), RBIs (2,297), total bases (6,856), games played (3,298), at-bats (12,364) and plate appearances (13,941). He was second behind Ty Cobb in hits (3,771), though he held the NL record.
"He is still the career leader in total bases and RBIs and is third in hits behind Pete Rose and Cobb. He was the first player in baseball history to amass 500 career home runs and 3,000 hits and the last player in history to be promoted from the Negro Leagues to the major leagues. Aaron appeared in a record 24 All-Star Games, won batting titles in 1956 and 1959, led the league in home runs four times, was named National League MVP in 1957, and twice appeared in the World Series, winning the title in 1957 when the Braves beat the New York Yankees in seven games."
• Larry King, who helped propel CNN into the mainstream with a nightly talk show that ran for 25 years, and who once described his interviewing style by saying, "I never learned anything when I was talking," has passed away at age 87.
King had been hospitalized for Covid-19, but he also had a long history of health issues, including cancer, diabetes, and multiple heart attacks.
