Remembering Hank Aaron, his legacy and last visit to Columbia’s Capital City Stadium

June 12, 2013 — what a night at Columbia’s historic Capital City Stadium when Hammerin’ Hank Aaron made a special appearance before a Blowfish baseball game.

In his book “I Had A Hammer, The Hank Aaron Story,” Hank talked about the last-ever minor league baseball game he played in for the Jacksonville Braves. I was excited to read that game was at Capital City Park vs. the Columbia Reds in 1953. Having known Hank for a number of years, I asked if he would accept my invitation to come and throw out the ceremonial first pitch for a game.

Always gracious, Hank wanted to make sure that members of our local Boys & Girls Club were invited and welcome on the field to be a part of the event. Hank and his wife, Billye, started the Chasing the Dream Foundation in the hope of inspiring young people to develop their skills and pursue their passions.

We had received word that Capital City Stadium was being sold and would be torn down to build a Walmart. A lot of baseball fans were upset, but we decided to go out with a bang. What bigger bang than having the Home Run King shaking fans’ hands and talking baseball.

Hank enjoyed himself immensely at Capital City Stadium, and was quite sentimental about the old ballpark and playing there. The crowd roared as Hank Aaron threw the ball for a strike. For the next hour, he sat at home plate to answer questions about his life and career in an interview with WIS-TV sports director Rick Henry.

Hank Aaron hit another one out of the ballpark that day. He didn’t have to come to Columbia, and he didn’t ask to be paid. He came to see, one last time, where he played his final minor league game before his brilliant career in the major leagues. He did it for a friend — and that was humbling.

Hank Aaron died Friday at the age of 86.

Baseball is about memories, and once again Hank made memories for all who attended that night in 2013 at the Columbia ballpark that was built in 1927. It’s a night that will live with us forever. Hank Aaron, as always, wanted to give back to the fans and help the community.

Hank Aaron, a friend

How was I so lucky and blessed?

It all started when I had the honor to meet Hank Aaron 25 years ago. My baseball career has led me down many roads, and on the way I’ve met some great baseball players. What stood out about Hank Aaron wasn’t the 755 home runs or 3,771 hits, or playing in 25 Major League Baseball All-Star games. His kindness and humility were top notch. Hank Aaron was a humble hero.

Back in 1996 our baseball company was growing, and I was asked to move to Mobile, Alabama to oversee our new Double-A team that would begin play after completion of a new stadium. I had been running the Bombers at Capital City Stadium since the end of 1991 and was truly happy in Columbia. After much prayer, the Shanahans made the move to the Port City to begin a new chapter.

Mobile, Alabama is the birth place of the most baseball Hall-of-Famers — at five, tied with New York and Los Angeles — Satchel Paige, Willie McCovey, Ozzie Smith, Billy Williams and Henry Aaron.

It was announced the new stadium would be named in honor of the Home Run King — Hank Aaron Stadium. My first opportunity to meet Aaron was at the stadium’s groundbreaking ceremony in September 1996. It was quite surreal shaking Hammerin’ Hank’s hand and working with a team of professionals to oversee the design and construction of this 6,000-capacity stadium.

Over the years I got to know Hank’s mom (Estella) and dad (Herbert), who still lived in the house that Herbert Aaron built with wood from the local shipyard back in 1942. I got to know his sisters and brothers, and the Aaron family was at the ballpark for games and special events such as Herbert’s birthday.

As time went on, Herbert passed away and Estella became sick. Hank and his wonderful wife, Billye, moved Estella to Atlanta to care for her. So the house the Herbert Aaron built with his own hands was boarded up — and for a time, no one knew what would happen next.

Every once in a while, we came up with an idea for the home’s fate that we thought would work. I began to wonder about moving Hank’s childhood home to the Hank Aaron Stadium grounds.

I called Hank and asked him what he thought about the idea. There was a long pause — a very long pause — and Hank said “thank you” and that he would talk to his sister and brother about it. Two weeks later I received the call we were hoping for: Hank and his family agreed to allowing us to make the house move a reality.

After three years, the dream became reality. On April 14, 2010, we dedicated and opened the Hank Aaron Childhood Home. It was quite a night: Hall-of-Famers Reggie Jackson, Ozzie Smith, Bob Feller, Ricky Henderson, Willie Mays and MLB commissioner Bud Selig all came to show their respect and to honor him.

The Hank Aaron Childhood Home is worth the visit if you’re traveling through Mobile, Alabama. Thankful and humbled, our team at Hank Aaron Stadium and the city helped make it happen. Once again, Hank Aaron continued helping others by offering his family home to become a historic site to visit — a symbol of always sharing with others.

One of Hank Aaron’s greatest quotes was: “My motto was always to keep swinging. Whenever I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging.” Pretty good life lesson, I’d say.

There’s a lot more to the Hank Aaron story. I was truly fortunate to meet a great baseball player, a great ambassador of the game and a great man. God bless Hank Aaron.

— Bill Shanahan is the co-owner of the Lexington County Blowfish baseball team.

This story was originally published January 23, 2021 at 11:43 AM.