Baseball lost an absolute titan Friday with the death of Hank Aaron.

The longtime home run king died at the age of 86, leaving behind one of the greatest legacies in sports. Aaron was more than just a baseball player, but a standard bearer and humanitarian who came to transcend the game.

A number of former players took to Twitter to offer their condolences to Aaron’s family and share personal recollections, including legendary designated hitters David Ortiz and Frank Thomas.

Aaron’s greatness on and off the field also resonated with Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson, who credited Aaron with helping him transition into the business world.

Numerous reporters shared personal stories of encounters with Aaron, emphasizing the sheer aura that surrounded Hammerin’ Hank Aaron.

https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/1352650726984527872

Indeed, Aaron’s baseball journey is one of tremendous longevity, excellence and perseverance.

The Milwaukee-Atlanta Braves legend made the All-Star team in every single season between 1955 and 1975. He led baseball in RBI on four separate occasions, also hitting 40 or more homer runs eight times during that span. Aaron is still the all-time leader in RBI and total bases, records unlikely to be broken anytime soon, if ever.

But it is Aaron’s chase of the all-time home record that is ultimately the definitive period of his career. He received death threats and was constantly engulfed by scrutiny as a Black man seeking to surpass Babe Ruth’s 714 home runs. Yet, he persisted, breaking the record on April 8, 1974 in one of the most memorable moments in MLB history.

Major League Baseball’s Hank Aaron Award is one of the highest honors players can receive, and his legacy as a sportsman and a genuine figure will live on forever.