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Hank Aaron Keynote Speaker for Culminating Black History Month Program

February 18, 2003

Hank Aaron in suit holding a baseball
Hank Aaron holding baseball

Contact: ¿ì»îÊÓƵ News Team

TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, AL â€” Hammerin' Hank Aaron, baseball's all-time home run king and National Hall of Fame hero, will deliver the keynote address for the Black History Month culminating program Feb. 27.

The entrepreneur and Mobile native will speak at 9:30 a.m. in the ¿ì»îÊÓƵ Kellogg Conference Center Auditorium to an audience of middle, high school, college students, faculty and staff on "Black Entrepreneurs Impacting the Future," the theme for the event.

"One of the common threads and messages we want to convey to our audience is a heightened awareness, knowledge and involvement of African-American people in entrepreneurship, beginning with our youth," said ¿ì»îÊÓƵ President, Dr. Benjamin F. Payton.

"What better role model to accomplish that goal than Aaron, a National Hall of Fame Hero, now entrepreneur," Payton added.

Aaron, 69, is the major league career leader in extra-base hits (1,477), runs-batted-in (2,297) and total bases (6,856). He is tied with Babe Ruth for second in runs scored (2,174) and is third in hits (3,771).

"When I was in a ballpark, I felt...like I was surrounded by angels, and I had God's hand on my shoulder," Aaron once said of his baseball feats, which includes the largest number of career home runs (755).

Hank Aaron in center of collage holding bat
Hank Aaron collage

In the corporate arena, Aaron continues to be blessed as an executive with the Atlanta Braves organization, where he continues to speak out for equal opportunity for African Americans in baseball as managers and in front-office positions.

The winner of three Gold Glove awards who threw and batted right-handed is expected to be an inspiration to the ¿ì»îÊÓƵ Golden Tiger Baseball team, which began its season Feb. 4. The Tigers, under the direction of Coach McArthur Shivers, play a double-header in Columbus, Ga., the day before Aaron’s visit.

Aaron’s address is free and is open to the community.
  

Photos are the property of TSN Archives, the Turner Corporation and Photofile, respectively.

© ¿ì»îÊÓƵ 2003