{"id":531722,"date":"2022-08-29T11:01:42","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T15:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/?p=531722"},"modified":"2022-08-29T11:06:23","modified_gmt":"2022-08-29T15:06:23","slug":"milo-hamilton-hank-aaron-call-715th-home-run-531722","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/milo-hamilton-hank-aaron-call-715th-home-run-531722\/","title":{"rendered":"A baseball call for the ages: Hank Aaron\u2019s record-breaking home run"},"content":{"rendered":"

Baseball broadcasters have endeared themselves to fans with some memorable home run calls on radio and television. From Russ Hodges\u2019 \u201cThe Giants win the pennant!\u201d in 1951 to Vin Scully\u2019s \u201cThe impossible has happened!\u201d during the 1988 World Series, those legendary calls have stood the test of time.<\/p>\n

Now, Curt Smith\u2014a senior lecturer in the Department of English<\/a> at the Ä¢¹½´«Ã½<\/a> and an authority on baseball broadcasting\u2014has written an essay about another notable call for the Library of Congress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On April 8, 1974, Atlanta Braves star Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing to break the revered record held by Babe Ruth. The game was shown nationally on NBC, but Braves broadcaster Milo Hamilton had a radio call for the ages<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the pitch by Downing \u2026 swinging \u2026 there\u2019s a drive into left-center field! That ball is gonna be \u2026 outta here! It\u2019s gone! It\u2019s 715! There\u2019s a new home run champion of all time, and it\u2019s Henry Aaron!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The Library of Congress\u2019s National Recording Preservation Registry<\/a> annually\u00a0names 25 recordings \u201cdeemed so vital to the history of America\u2014aesthetically, culturally or historically\u2014that they demand permanent archiving in the nation\u2019s library.\u201d Each includes an in-depth essay by an expert on the subject. Hamilton\u2019s call was among those chosen<\/a> this year, and Smith was asked to pen an essay.<\/p>\n

Other broadcasters, including Scully and Curt Gowdy, also called Aaron\u2019s record-breaking home run that day. \u201cYet to many the most contemporary call was made by the voice identified with Aaron,\u201d writes Smith. He adds, \u201cOn April 8, Milo, like Curt and Vin, showed how baseball didn\u2019t need the censor of the brain to reach the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n