News of the death of Henry Aaron's mother, Estella, has just crossed the wire. Usually the passing of the parent of a big-league ballplayer wouldn't make a ripple in the news cycle, even if the player is someone of the stature of Aaron, one of the greats in the history of baseball. But Aaron's mother was more visible than most; few who watched the Atlanta Braves outfielder break Babe Ruth's all-time home run record on April 8, 1974 - 34 years ago today - will forget the site of Estella wading through the crowd of fellow players, officials and reporters to wrap her arms around the neck of her triumphant son within moments of his crossing the plate with his 715th home run on that crisp Georgia night. Most everyone thinks that their mother is the best in the world. (I know for sure that my mother is at the top of the Mom Mountain.) Hank Aaron had more than enough proof of how great his mother was that night, and many nights before and after. I can't imagine the loss the Hall of Famer is feeling today, and pray that I won't have to know for many more years.
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