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Hank Aaron rose above racist hate mail and threats in pursuit of Ruth’s home run record 50 years ago

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On Monday, the Atlanta Braves will rejoice the fiftieth anniversary of Hank Aaron’s 715th home run

ATLANTA (AP) — Hank Aaron refused to be intimidated by racist hate mail or threats while chasing Babe Ruth’s home run.

Aaron’s teammates, including Dusty Baker, anxious on his behalf whilst the longer term Hall of Famer paced the bases after his record-breaking run. 715. homer April 8, 1974 Baker, who was on board, and Tom House, who hit the homer in the Atlanta pen behind the left-field wall, will return on Monday for the fiftieth anniversary of the homer.

After running out of the bullpen to deliver the ball to Aaron at home plate, House found Aaron’s mother giving the slugger a giant hug.

“You could see they both had tears in their eyes,” House told The (*50*) Press. “…It was mother and son. Of course, it was cool. It was also the mother who protected her boy from – at that time everyone thought that someone would actually try to shoot him on the playground.

“So there were a lot of different things. I passed him the ball. I said, “Here it is, Hank.” He said, “Thanks, kid.”

Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves watches the ball fly after hitting his 715th career homer against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Atlanta, Georgia, Monday evening, April 8, 1974. (AP Photo/Harry Harris, File)

Baker called Aaron a father figure or an older brother who looked out for him as he began his playing career with the Braves. Baker and other teammates, including Ralph Garr, tried to watch out for Aaron while chasing the home run.

“We always felt the need to protect him, we always felt the need,” Baker said last week. “I think we were more afraid for him than he was really afraid because he never showed fear of threats or anything. It seems to have brought him to a higher level of concentration than ever before.

Baker retired as Houston’s manager after the 2023 season.

Bob Hope, then the Braves’ director of media relations, said Aaron would not be deterred by threats made late in the 1973 season, as he was closing in on Ruth’s record of 714 career homers.

“One time the FBI wanted to meet with him on a Sunday and asked him not to play because they felt they were making a legitimate death threat,” Hope said.

“We went to the clubhouse and sat down with him, and Hank just said, ‘What kind of statement would that be?’ I’m a baseball player. You guys do what you have to do to stay safe, but I play baseball. I think it was very reflective of his personality throughout.”

Hope said that the majority of the mail Aaron received from fans was positive. “The hate messages weren’t pleasant, but there weren’t as many of them as people think,” Hope said. “It was just a very, very small percentage of fans that caused this problem.”

Hope and Baker remained near Aaron after Aaron’s profession and until his death in 2021 on the age of 86.

“One honor in your life that you don’t want is that when Hank died at his funeral, Dusty and I were the only non-family pallbearers,” Hope said. “When I realized that at the funeral, it was almost overwhelming.”

Wonya Lucas, Aaron’s niece and daughter of Bill Lucas, who became Major League Baseball’s first African-American general manager with the Braves in 1976, said she remembered “Uncle Hank” staying strong through the chase. She said that situation didn’t change even when threats led to police cars showing up at Aaron’s house and Aaron’s oldest daughter, Gaile, needed to return home from college.

“I certainly understood the gravity of the situation and the change in mood is probably a good word,” Wonya Lucas said Friday. “But I also remember his quiet strength, and despite all the conditions I described, I felt safe at home because I felt he made us feel comfortable.”

To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of Aaron hitting his 715th homer, the Atlanta History Center will open to the general public on Tuesday a brand new exhibit honoring Aaron, which can remain open through the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is predicted to attend a preview of the exhibit on Monday.

Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves suggestions his hat to teammates as they welcome him to the home field after hitting his 715th profession home run during a baseball game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Atlanta, Monday, April 8, 1974. (AP Photo/Joe Sebo, File )

Aaron’s bat and the ball he hit after the record-breaking home run, normally housed in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, will likely be placed on display Monday at Truist Park.

The goal of the Hank Aaron Invitational is to encourage highschool players from all walks of life to play at the following level. Hank Aaron Invitational alumni include Cincinnati pitcher Hunter Greene, who participated in 2015, and Braves outfielder Michael Harris II, who played in 2018.

Major League Baseball also supports other initiatives, including the Andre Dawson Classic, to advertise diversity in the game.

“For me to have someone who looks like me, who can be as successful as I am and do what he’s done, and the path he’s paved for players like me, it’s huge,” Harris said Friday.

Despite these efforts, the number of black players on major league rosters has declined. A study by the Central Florida Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports found that African-American players made up just 6.2% of players on MLB Opening Day rosters in 2023, down from 7.2% in 2022. Both numbers are the newest The institute’s reports were the bottom for the reason that study began in 1991.

The recent increase in the number of African-Americans being chosen in the primary round of the draft provides hope that MLB’s efforts, including the Hank Aaron Invitational, could make a difference.

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An attempt to save the image of Jeff Bezos’ future wife backfired after weeks of outrage and ridicule over her skimpy outfit

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Lauren Sánchez has apparently gained a popularity for her fashion hits and misses as social media users began following her every move.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos’ current fiancée stepped into the highlight long before she met the Amazon co-founder, after years spent as co-host of “Good Day LA,” a reporter for “Extra” and host of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and he even starred in a number of movies like “Ted 2.”

She faced criticism for posting a sultry selfie in November in a negligee-inspired gown by designer Laura Basca. In October, the 54-year-old again faced backlash when she showed off her latex Halloween costume as Catwoman.

Now, weeks after being deemed “cheap” and tasteless, the founder of Black Ops Aviation has turn out to be a subject of discussion.

Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez shows off a “winter white” look, weeks after critics slammed her busty latex outfit. (Photos: @laurenwsanchez/Instagram, Theimagedirect.com via Page Six)

On December 5, Sánchez and the business mogul attended The New York Times’ DealBook event in New York City. For the occasion, she wore a white Alexander McQueen suit and a white lace corset. The beaming bride-to-be sent two mirror selfies of her outfit, which she signed: “winter white.”

One follower particularly was stunned by the whole look he ejaculated that she was “very attractive and beautiful, gorgeous and stunning, charming and fantastic young lady, sexy, charming, charming and elegant” in the photos that Sánchez took.

Two other people swooned over the photos and wrote: “So chic and elegant!” and “You look great.” But as you would possibly expect from online viewers, not everyone was impressed.

When Page six published paparazzi photos from the trip, the critic commented: “It’s 30 degrees in New York and she gets out of the limo in a white Miami smock, her bra visible to everyone. No taste. Nothing. A cashmere turtleneck, flannel trousers and a wool jacket can be classy.

Someone else sharply asked: “Who can be the first to tell her that she looks tacky and not elegant and refined? Does she even know what sophistication means? A 3rd person noted: “She looks more like she’s wearing a bathrobe.”

Another person wrote in a comment from a licensed pilot: “White means…” possibly referring to rumors that Sánchez and Bezos are scheduled to exchange vows over Christmas. At least one person doubted the couple would have the opportunity to say “I do.” This person said: “This will be the longest engagement ever. They will NEVER get married and we all know why!!!!”

Sánchez told the “Today” show hosts that she was in the process of planning the big day last month. She didn’t comment on speculation about exchanging Christmas vows.

Renewed interest and scrutiny of Sánchez has increased as the pair have been spotted in various locations in recent months. The couple reportedly began dating in 2018. Their engagement was announced five years later, in May 2023. Their upcoming wedding can be a second journey for each of them.

Sánchez was previously married to celebrity agent Patric Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She can be the mother of a son, whom she shares with Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. Bezos was married to the mother of his three children, Mackenzie Scott, for 25 years once they divorced in 2019.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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Apart from the song with singer-songwriter India Shawn – Andscape

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India Shawn is a contemporary muse with a chilled nature, crafting love stories and heartfelt tales in smooth, charming songs. With over a decade of experience in the music industry as a singer-songwriter, Shawn has incredible strength. She was born in Los Angeles, and her musical roots reach throughout the country. Beginning her profession in her hometown, Shawn eventually found herself in Atlanta, where she immersed herself in the city’s deep-rooted R&B scene, further shaping her artistry.

“I transferred to ATL, I was in 10th grade, and that’s when my music journey really started,” Shawn told Andscape. “I met people who were trying to get by, so I ended up recording and learned what songwriting was really early on.”

Before releasing her debut EP in 2012, Shawn wrote songs and collaborated with artists similar to Chris Brown, El DeBarge, Keri Hilson and Monica. In 2013, she gained much more notoriety when Solange Knowles published her song “I’m Alive” on the Saint Heron compilationmarking her as an artist value watching.

Following the release of the single “There Must Be a God” from the Andscape soundtrack, she caught up with Shawn to learn more about the muse behind the vibes.


Singer India Shawn grew up singing in church with her family. “I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” she said.

India Shawn

Name:
India Shawn

Hometown:

Los Angeles

Artistic soundscape

Airy, soft, telling a story, multidimensional, soft, mysterious, atmospheric

The oldest musical memory

Shawn’s soulful sound is deeply rooted in her upbringing, with influences drawn from her childhood memories and the musical culture of her church. “I sing with my sister all the time, and I also grew up singing behind my mom in church. She was the leader of praise and worship. So I feel like most of us R&B kids have that experience,” Shawn said. “I had these little solos in church, and I believe what made me consider in it was that after the service people got here as much as me with tears of their eyes and said, ‘You really moved me while you sang.’ “These early moments of connection with music and audiences laid the foundation for conveying depth and sensitivity through her music.

Influences

For Shawn, music, especially R&B, has all the time held a special place in her life. “Me and my sister are harmonizing in the living room, just picking some of our favorite songs, including for me Mariah Carey, Babyface, Boyz II Men and (and) Brandy,” she said of her early music memories.

Creative process

Shawn often draws inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships that influence her music. She weaves this into the authenticity and atmosphere of her songs, but she didn’t immediately recognize where her inspiration got here from. “It’s funny that it took me so long to make that connection, but I realized that I was telling my whole story and presenting my business through my music,” she said. “It took me two albums to realize, wait a minute, I’m giving people a lot to understand here… these aren’t just songs. This is truly the life I live.”

Challenges and development

As Shawn’s profession grows, so do his moments of appreciation and reflection. “I literally just thought about a very gradual progression of my career. It’s like step by step, but there are more breakthrough moments. My first tour, which was so beautiful, I just knew I could pack a room and people knew my lyrics and sang my songs to me. Those moments that make the waiting not in vain.”

Shawn has plenty of recommendation for up-and-coming singer-songwriters. Her biggest sacrifice? Collaboration is essential. “I think (cooperation) is really why I’m still here. So find your people… you’ll know when it feels right, you’ll have that freedom and fluidity, and you’ll be able to really create things and create without having to think too much.” He also shares the importance of patience. “Just be patient during the journey. This has been a theme throughout my profession. Let it develop. I feel like more things come from being in that flow and being present reasonably than forcing all of it.

Current project

There should be a God”, the lead single from Andscape , now streaming on Hulu, also serves as a teaser for Shawn’s solo album. “(This song) is such a manifestation of God’s love,” she said. “I think when you find yourself in a place of waiting, you can feel very hopeless. So when you see glimpses of God’s love again, or the fact that you know there is a higher power, there is a source that is thinking about you, has you in mind, has a perfect plan for you, it’s just like the clouds parting. And this is the moment, I understand. I understand that I had to go through all this to get here. And that’s exactly what I felt in the studio that day.”

Sheila Matthews is a digital producer at Andscape and a proud HBCU graduate. She believes “Return of the Mack” must have won a Grammy, and her Twitter mentions are open to all debate.

This article was originally published on : andscape.com
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ICYMI: Tessa Thompson’s Mocha Lip, Danielle Brooks’ Updo and More – Essence

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With just a number of weeks left until the tip of 2024, the celebrities are setting the tone for the brand new 12 months this week. And although mocha mousse is anticipated to be fashionable in 2025, neutral shades in darker tones have gotten more and more popular. Paired with an array of beauty eras – from elegant Twenties updos to 2000s-style round pink, the brand new Hollywood showcases its best 12 months-end beauty moments.

Tessa Thompson and Issa Rae are the newest to debut mocha lips holiday shade near the season, and Coco Jones’ lipstick was cranberry red. Doechii’s perforated suggestions and signature face-lift tape made it probably the most avant-garde look of the week, and within the sweetest moment, Chloe and Halle Bailey’s round pink cheeks made pink cheeks a winter styling staple.

From makeup to hairstyles, Sabrina Elba and Alva Claire opted for light, coffee colours, and Jourdan Dunn’s short hairstyle proved relevant at any time of the 12 months. Meanwhile, Lupita N’yongo, Danielle Brooks and Venus Williams’ braided buns showed just how classic this style may be.

In case you missed it, take a take a look at 17 of the very best celebrity beauty moments from the week below.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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