“He Took Care of Me…”: Dusty Baker Reveals Special Feelings for Baseball Legend Who “Meant Everything” to Him

The world usually sees the star; what is not seen is the support system behind that star. Many people play a role big or small in turning an ordinary person into an extraordinary individual. Though some individuals always remember these people, many forget with time. But Dusty Baker is not the forgetting kind. He remembers everyone who shaped his career. With a legendary journey, first as a player and then as a manager, there is one special name he will never forget.

Dusty Baker started his career with the Atlanta Braves, whose biggest player at the time was Hank Aaron. “Hammerin’ Hank” had a big part to play during the start of Baker’s career, as he revealed the role the late slugger played in turning him into a major league player.

Dusty Baker fondly remembers Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron is a legend that needs no introduction. The 1957 World Champion was the sort of player that the world rarely sees. A cultural icon, a baseball phenomenon, but above all a person who knew how to support people. That is the memory Dusty Baker holds of him. Aaron had known Baker since his school days. He was the one who was given the responsibility of helping the bow 74-year-old find his way through the Atlanta Braves.

Baker recently got invited for a chat on Steam Room with EJ and Chuck. The interviewers asked him about what Hank Aaron meant to him. Dusty Baker answered, “Oh, he meant everything to me.” The former Astros skipper then told the hosts how Aaron was the reason why he signed with the Braves. Baker also revealed that the late slugger had made promises to his mother regarding his well-being and that he’d make it to the big leagues before his class graduated college.

“They flew in my mom to LA and he promised my mom that he would take care of me as if I was his son. If I had enough confidence in myself to sign a pro contract and be in the big leagues by the time my class would have graduated from college…To go ahead and sign that and not to go, go in the college. And then he’d promised my mom I’d go back to school which I did during the winter time. He’d promise my Mom he’d make me go to church and he’d make me like get up and eat breakfast…”

Baker then reminisced about the time he spent with Aaron. Saying how he and Ralph Garr were always present in Hank Aaron’s home. “You know he just took care of me, he took care of me and Ralph Garr. We were over his house every day. And he fed us, you know, he would chastise me, you know, beat down what I was doing wrong..” 

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Finally, the two-time World Series winner said that Billye, the wife of the late Hank Aaron, wants to take his car which he left behind after his demise. “I just talked to her a couple of days ago. Hank has a 2016 BMW with 13000 miles. She wants to have it, she wants to buy it.”

Now that Dusty Baker has retired, more such interviews and stories may come to light. As some may already know, the veteran skipper was witness to one of the biggest moments in Hank Aaron’s career.

Baker saw Aaron’s most iconic moment at the plate

Though Dusty Baker has had many legendary moments throughout his career, the biggest one of his career didn’t even star him. It was April 8, 1974 – and the Atlanta Braves were facing the LA Dodgers. Hank Aaron was batting while the pitcher was Al Downing. The fans watched anxiously as Hank Aaron was close to creating history, and he did! He hit his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s record. Dusty was on the deck when this historical moment happened.  So he got to witness history from the best possible spot.

Now as Baker goes through the sunset of his illustrious career, baseball fans will surely miss seeing Baker in the dugout.

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