>> Carla Hayden: Well, good afternoon. I know we're all excited. And welcome -- [ Applause ] Madison Council members and guests. And again this year has been a wonderful, wonderful year with your support, and it's had such a great impact on the library. And the exhibit that we hope you will enjoy was made possible by your support, the innovative and engaging Baseball Americana. We were so delighted when it was voted by USA Today as the number one exhibit to see this summer, the only one in Washington DC out of 15. So we were just -- [ Applause ] And you'll see that shortly. And then the 18th National Book Festival, record breaking attendance. Over 200,000 people in one day in the Balt -- - - I still commute from Baltimore. So excuse me. I do do that. The Washington Convention Center, and it was held on Labor Day weekend, and the crowd was just wonderful. And that also was made possible with your generosity. And that's just two examples of what the Madison Council does for us. And today, actually, is being made possible by two of our Madison Council members, Tom and Joyce Moorehead, who are friends with someone I think you're going to be excited to hear from. And we are in for a special treat. Because today, we have Mr. Henry Aaron, and his wife Billye, and I have to tell you, if you want to know about devotion, her birthday is right now. And because of their friendship with the Mooreheads, the Baseball Americana, respect for it, she said she would be here. Well, unbeknownst to her though, her dear friends -- and they call themselves like a kitchen cabinet who have been together for years, and her sisters and everything. They usually celebrate their birthday, her birthday together. And they fooled her and said they were going to Las Vegas. Well, they're all here. And they fooled her and they're here with us today. So we thank you, Mrs. Aaron, for sharing that with us. And so now, yes. [ Applause ] And so now, and I must say I'm pretty nervous. Because when I was 10, I wanted to be a shortstop. And it's been in the paper. I've said it with this exhibit. You know, I spent summers in Springfield, Illinois, going down to St. Louis with my grandfather. And I thought that, well, you see, I'm here as the Librarian of Congress. That didn't work out. But I can't tell you how delighted I am to be able to welcome to the stage Mr. Henry Aaron, someone who has shown in his life and in his deeds what being a champion really is. And so today, we are honored that he will talk a little bit with us about his experiences. Mr. Henry Aaron. [ Applause ] And I also should mention that I was such a baseball fan that when my parents got divorced, I had a few players I thought, if it wasn't going to work out with my dad, that she could marry. You know, Maury Wills, you know, I had a few lined up for her. So thank you, Mr. Aaron. >> Hank Aaron: Thank you. >> Carla Hayden: Oh, we mic-ed you up. We thought you could sit down. >> Hank Aaron: Oh yeah, thank you. >> Carla Hayden: We're going to pretend like this is just like the two of us talking together. >> Hank Aaron: I'd just like to thank some here if I may for a moment. I'd like to thank the Mooreheads, Joyce and Tom, for entertaining the kitchen cabinet. And especially all the people that is involved with making my wife's birthday what it is. You don't know what pressure that takes off me. [ Laughing ] But now I want to thank you guys. You guys are really somebody special. Tom, you and Joyce, thank you very much. And Dr. Hayden, I'd just like to thank you. I think all of the people here that have given me the opportunity to stand here and talk to you for a moment about something that I am very fond of. You know, I think about -- I don't get a chance to get to Washington that often. But I think about it now and I tell a lot of people that I have come in contact with that -- that you don't have to go overseas in order to come and find your roots. Really, you can come right here in Washington, right here to this beautiful building here. And understand what it has to offer. And I just want to thank you for all that you do. You have been instrumental in doing some great things. And I am so thankful for you. And of course, the thing that I've been involved with for many years, aside from the 23 years that I played the game of baseball, but just after the 23 years that I was not involved in baseball, that my life had to go on living, you know. And, of course, you know, my mother and my father has passed on since. But you and I was talking just a moment ago. >> Carla Hayden: I'd like you to mention that, more about your mother and father. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: Because they were quite instrumental in you being able to endure life after baseball. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. That's right. >> Carla Hayden: And succeed. >> Hank Aaron: That's right. Well, see, my father, he built his house -- it wasn't that much of a house, but it was ours. And he built it with himself -- just three of us really. It was me and my brother, my older brother, and him. We did it on Saturdays between jobs. He was working with the Alabama Drydocking Shipbuilding Company. >> Carla Hayden: In Mobile? >> Hank Aaron: In Mobile, Alabama. And wasn't making much money. But we built our home with ourselves. Wasn't much of a roof, I must say that. We did the best we could. On some rainy days, we didn't completely fill in all the potholes. We slept under some drops. But we did the best we could. We did the best we could and it was ours. That's the most important thing. Yeah. >> Carla Hayden: And I understand that even when you achieved so much success and everything, that your father -- you tried to get him to leave that house. >> Hank Aaron: Oh, no, he would not. Oh, God, he would not leave it for nothing. He was determined that it was his and he was going to stay there. In fact, after I had been in baseball for about 15, 16 years, I went back to Mobile and I tried to buy my mother and father -- and I bought a house for them. My mother loved fishing. And she had a special way of fishing. I know many of you probably fish but she had a special way to fish. And what she did was going on the dock and she'd take a newspaper and ball it up, and she would slap the water like this. And look -- got them. >> Carla Hayden: She would catch fish? >> Hank Aaron: She would catch fish, all kinds of fish. I tried to do the same thing and they ignored me. They wouldn't even think about me. But she had some special way of doing it. But I tried to get him to -- I tried to get him to move to this little house I had bought for them. And he told me one day, early one morning -- he was out there trying to crank his car with his crank. And he's going, "Gah." And he called me, he said, "Come here, son. I want to talk to you." And he said, "Listen. I see what you're trying to do." He said, "You're trying to get your mother and I to move to that house that you just bought." He said, "But we're not going anywhere." I said, "Is that right?" He said, "No." He said, "I tell you what." He said, "All of these people here -- there's not that many of them. There's maybe five or six families here in this little area." He said, "These are friends of mine." He said, "I can wake up in the morning, I can walk down, I can say hello, Stella, whatever, you know." And he said, "These are friends of mine." He said, "I'm not going anywhere." He said, "So you can take that money that you paid for that house and get a refund." [ Laughing ] But he was just determined not to go anywhere. >> Carla Hayden: Even after you became a successful businessman -- and I wanted to bring them up too -- and everything, he wouldn't budge. >> Hank Aaron: He wouldn't budge. He wouldn't even -- he wouldn't even think about owning a new car, to be honest for you. You know, he loved for some reason -- >> Carla Hayden: Wait a minute. >> Hank Aaron: Yes? >> Carla Hayden: But you were the first African American BMW dealer. You have a pretty extensive background in automobiles. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. He wanted nothing to do with it. He loved cranking his car up. He loved cranking his car up and he loved the people that he walked down the street with, wearing his overalls suspenders on one shoulder and one hanging down to here. But that was him. That was him. That was my father. And God rest his soul. He was a wonderful man. >> Carla Hayden: He did go around, I understand -- and I read all the books about you, including your autobiography, "I Had A Hammer." >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: And you said that even though he was wearing overalls, there were times when he was popping his buttons and everything. He was telling everybody who his son was. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: Yeah, he was that. And what happened to the house? >> Hank Aaron: The house now has moved to a little place called -- well, it's still in Mobile. But it moved to the baseball park. They moved it and that was the most -- that's the lonesome. I mean, I was in tears when that house was moved. It moved all the way from Tomanville, which is where I was born, in Tomanville, to a little place called Downdaby. And that's where the house is now sitting. Two bedrooms, a little place where -- and you can go in and see my mother's -- believe it or not, her wedding dress. Many, many 50, 60, 70 years ago, it's still hanging in that little room. >> Carla Hayden: It's a museum. >> Hank Aaron: Yes, it's a little museum. But that's where the house is now. >> Carla Hayden: Wow. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. >> Carla Hayden: And your mom was -- you mentioned with the fishing but they also both really gave you some values and some things that helped you through some pretty difficult times, even during those 23 years. There were some pretty rough times. >> Hank Aaron: Oh, no question about it. I had rough -- oh, you mean, growing up in Mobile? >> Carla Hayden: Well, that was the start. That was not -- >> Hank Aaron: Well, you know, and yet my mother always taught me, and she told me two things. One thing that you have to always remember and be proud of. She said your name is Henry Aaron. And say, "Always protect it." And I think about it now and I think many, many years ago I say you know, thinking about Henry Aaron. Even when I got into the business of automobile or whatever it was, food business, I always felt like regardless of what someone tried to tell me, the most important thing was the fact that they may want to come and they can show you a big picture of something. But the most important thing is that you always got to remember that your name is Henry Aaron and it's going to always be that. And I've always tried to protect that. And I try my darndest to make my mother and father proud of it. >> Carla Hayden: You never leave that feeling. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. >> Carla Hayden: And you got a chance and they both got a chance to be very proud. >> Hank Aaron: Right. >> Carla Hayden: Now, I mentioned those hard times though, because Mobile, Alabama that was deep south. >> Hank Aaron: Deep south, absolutely. >> Carla Hayden: People talk about Mississippi and everything but wow. >> Hank Aaron: Right. We had a rough time, you know, no question about it. When I was growing up in Alabama, I remember -- I remember two or three incidents. I remember very well that when it when it got dark, it was dark because we had no electric lights. And I remember many times -- my people with the kitchen cabinet heard me talking about this. But I remember many times that my mother used to call me and tell me to come and get under the bed. And I said, "For what reason?" Because I'm not doing anything but playing baseball, catching. But down the street was a group of white guys with the Ku Klux Klan. And they would be coming through your neighborhood, intimidating you, lighting fires, throwing a little bundle of lights in your yard, you know, and things like this, you know. And my mother said, that's the reason I wanted you to stay under the house -- I mean, under the bed, you know. >> Carla Hayden: And so coming out of and experiencing that and then what you had to endure entering into professional baseball. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. >> Carla Hayden: Because you mentioned you were always playing and everything, but it was what, lot playing? Or you were just playing? >> Hank Aaron: Yes. Yes, just playing. >> Carla Hayden: But then when you got into professional ball, you experienced some of the same things in different ways. >> Hank Aaron: Yes, I did. I had the same problem in some cases in cities like Cincinnati. >> Carla Hayden: Cincinnati? >> Hank Aaron: Oh, yeah, I had lots of trouble in Cincinnati one time. I traveled in Cincinnati. I remember a very dear friend of mine that had been in the service. And this is the first time I've told the story. This is the first time. He had been in service. And we used to play -- back when I first came in baseball, we used to play 150-some games, I think it was. And he used to always take a day off and come visit us in Cincinnati. Well, that was a long time ago when Cincinnati, when you -- When you get off out of the airport, from the airport, you had quite a ways to go before you get to the hotel. And I remember so very well that -- I remember that the police stopped us. And he had met some lady, and stopped us and told us that we needed to get off the highway. And he told me, he said -- and by the way, he said, "You need to get out of the car," speaking to me. And I got out of the car. And I remember he said, "Now when I come back down here, he said, "I don't want to see you on this highway anymore." You know, and so when he came back there, I immediately went back down in the trenches, the bottom. Mud was up to here. Now I'm playing professional baseball. Mud was up to my belt buckle. And I remember that I got to the hotel about two or three o'clock in the morning with mud all on me and everything. But he came back, they came back by with four or five cars of policemen. And they didn't find me, of course. They had to come down and search to find me. But I was able to get to the hotel. And I never did get back, go in that direction anymore. >> Carla Hayden: And that was in Ohio? >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: Cincinnati, Ohio. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: So those types of things happened. >> Hank Aaron: Oh, yes. >> Carla Hayden: During your career, professional? >> Hank Aaron: Oh yeah. >> Carla Hayden: You're going for all these records and things like that. But there was still that aspect? >> Hank Aaron: Oh yeah, no question. >> Carla Hayden: That was part of it? >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: So then you started thinking too about using your fame and position, excuse me, to really help do things. You got a little active with Civil Rights. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: And Atlanta gave a real opportunity. >> Hank Aaron: Well, you know, there's so many -- so many things that I think about as a young man growing up. And I started playing baseball when I was 18. I got to the big leagues when I was 18 years old. I played with Milwaukee from 18 till the year that they transferred us to Milwaukee -- I mean to Atlanta. And playing in Atlanta, Georgia -- now Atlanta itself was Atlanta. But outside of Atlanta, you were in Georgia. [ Laughing ] >> Carla Hayden: A little different, huh? >> Hank Aaron: And you better recognize that you were in Georgia. So I tried to make myself understood that. Although, you know, I'm in Atlanta playing baseball, but don't get carried away and think that you someplace else. Because you are in Georgia. And I tried to make myself believe that. You know, I understood that. >> Carla Hayden: And you were able to start businesses there in Atlanta. And Ted Turner had a part of that. >> Hank Aaron: I did. I did very well with Ted. Ted and I were very good friends. And I started -- I was very lucky. When I say lucky, I mean I was -- I wouldn't say lucky. I think I just took for granted that, you know, baseball was not going to be for me forever, or going to be with me forever. That I had to do something else in order to make a living. And I wasn't going to play it the rest of my life. So I had to do something else in order to make sure that my life will continue to function the way that I think that it should. >> Carla Hayden: But you also thought about others. We talked about the fact that the Jackie Robinson papers are here. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: And what he did in terms of business, but also being active. And you started a foundation. And I love the name. >> Hank Aaron: Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation. >> Carla Hayden: Chasing the Dream. >> Hank Aaron: And by the way, we have a young lady here who does more handling that than I do. [ Laughing ] She's right here. >> Carla Hayden: And so Chasing the Dream, I mean that name. >> Hank Aaron: But you know, what started that was the fact that when I retired from baseball, I remember Bud Selig who is now -- he was the commissioner of baseball. But right then he was the owner of the Milwaukee Braves And I remember him, I remember we was playing someplace in Baltimore. And I told a friend of mine. I said, "You know, I can't -- baseball is something I'm going to have to give up. I can't -- my longest ball is to the warning track. I slide and I'm thinking I'm in second base and I'm halfway." I said, "I can't do what I used to do." I said, "I need to try to think about something else." So I told this friend of mine, I said, "I'm going to retire." He said, "Well, why don't you go and tell the commissioner?" It wasn't the commissioner. Tell the owner, Bud Selig. So I went and told Bud Selig about it. I said, "Bud." I said, "I don't think I'm going to play." I said, "You gave me a two-year contract and that's going to be it." I said, "I don't think I can play no more." He said, "Well," he said, "What do you want to do?" I said, "I want to have -- I want to do something, but I can't think of what it is right now." And he said, "Well, come back tomorrow." So I went back in his office the next day. I said, "Two things that don't want." I said, "I don't want somebody to come up and say we're going to have a day for Hank Aaron, and we're going to give him a year supply of Coca-Cola." [ Laughing ] I said, "I don't want that. And I don't somebody to come up and say, I'm going to give him an automobile. I didn't want that." >> Carla Hayden: No. >> Hank Aaron: I said, "I want something that I think that two years from now I'm going to love to be." And my wife said, "Well, why don't you get a foundation?" So I said okay. So I called it -- it wasn't the Chasing the Dream Foundation at that time. It was just Hank Aaron Foundation. Started out little of nothing, doing nothing. Making no money, doing nothing, start out with $200 in it. >> Carla Hayden: $200? >> Hank Aaron: $200. >> Carla Hayden: You were ambitious. [ Laughing ] >> Hank Aaron: But we tried to do the best we could. >> Carla Hayden: Okay. >> Hank Aaron: Tried to do the very best we could. Until one day -- I'm getting ahead of myself. Now one day, I remember my wife and I was traveling someplace. And she said, you know, she said, "Your foundation isn't going anyplace." She said, "We ought to try to do something with this foundation." I said, "Well, what do you think we ought to do?" "Let's try and raise some money." I said, "Yes, I love that." I said, "Let's raise some money." >> Carla Hayden: That $250 wasn't doing much. >> Hank Aaron: So sure enough, she decided that she was going to get in touch with Coca Cola, some of the big boys, and she'd talk about some money. She went to Coca Cola and offered Coca Cola five seats, a tendency for $50,000 and $20,000. And I told her, I said, "Now don't embarrass me, please. God." I said, "That's a lot of money." She said, "Don't worry." She said, "Let me handle it." [ Laughing ] And so I said, "Okay." And so fast forward. I remember the night of the dinner. We had Bill Clinton then. Now I know this is not politics -- >> Carla Hayden: President Bill Clinton? >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. President Bill Clinton was there. We raised that night -- we raised over $1,200,000. >> Carla Hayden: Wow. >> Hank Aaron: That night, and that started me on the foundation. >> Carla Hayden: I think so. >> Hank Aaron: That started me on raising money for the kids. And today, we have helped over -- >> We have helped over 50 scholarships and 18 universities and colleges. >> Carla Hayden: Wow. Wonderful. [ Applause ] And those are full scholarships, full scholarships. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: Wonderful. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. So that's what we're doing now. And so I am so happy and extremely happy. Because it's all over the world, and it's helping kids chase their dreams as I chased mine many years ago. >> Carla Hayden: And that's what led it. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: You knew baseball was going to be that for you. >> Hank Aaron: True. >> Carla Hayden: You knew and you said, "This is going to be the way that I'm going to move out and hten later give to others." >> Hank Aaron: That's right. >> Carla Hayden: And some people don't. >> Hank Aaron: Well, that's true. >> Carla Hayden: That's why I think people admire you so much. >> Hank Aaron: Well, thank you. >> Carla Hayden: That you've used your fame and you've used what you've done to help others. >> Hank Aaron: Well, I have tried with the help of my wife, and with the foundation we have tried to do what we were called upon to do you know, to try to help others. >> Carla Hayden: You also did it in business. And I'm looking at Mr. Moorehead, because you were the first African American BMW dealership ever. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah, we were. Yeah. >> Carla Hayden: Now I think you said though you only -- this might be back with the $200 theme. You sold five cars the first year. >> Hank Aaron: We didn't sell too many BMW's, at least my dealership. >> Carla Hayden: Okay, there's a little theme here. >> Hank Aaron: At that time, my dealership was so small. We had a small dealership. I think Tom may have been a little larger than mine. >> Carla Hayden: He was the second African American BMW dealer. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. Yeah. But thank God, you know, Mr. Moorehead has since graduated, and has gone on and done quite well, thank God. Thanks, Tom. He's done very well. 8 [ Applause ] He and Joyce have done quite well. But anyhow, it gave me an opportunity to understand what being in business and what life was all about, you know, really. I've enjoyed myself. It's been something that I think that we have helped other kids to fulfill their dreams. So we feel quite proud of the fact that I have helped others. >> Carla Hayden: And you went into other businesses, the restaurant business. >> Hank Aaron: I mean, I mean, I mean, the food business. >> Carla Hayden: The food business. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: So you're just rolling. >> Hank Aaron: I don't know. >> Carla Hayden: You're doing pretty well here. That's because it's a continuation of the excellence and striving, and then it's back to your parents and those values and what they taught you about being there and being steady, staying the course. >> Hank Aaron: Right, right. And I have tried, in spite of all the things that have happened to not only -- not myself but have happened in this country and especially to African Americans, little kids, you know. And that was something that I think that made me and my wife talk about when we had -- not had, when we talked to our grandkid. You know, he's 14, 15 years old, 16 years old. And the most important thing is to make sure that he understands what life is all about. You know, when I was his age, I knew I had -- my wife, my mother didn't tell me anything, but one time. And after that, it was something else that was getting on my behind. So that's what she told me. But you know, today these kids are a little bit different, you know? >> Carla Hayden: And how do you -- and you mentioned your one grandson is about 17? >> Hank Aaron: 17, yes. >> Carla Hayden: And that you talk to him about being -- you use your experiences that you had. >> Hank Aaron: I use my experience. And what I try to tell him is that no matter what happens, if he's driving a car -- and today's kids are a little bit smarter than I was when I was growing up, you know, really, to be honest. And I try to tell him say, you know, the most important thing is that when someone stop you, wants you driver's license, give him your license, put your hands on the steering wheel, pull your hand up and don't make a move. Just stay right there. That's kind of tough. >> Carla Hayden: That's tough. >> Hank Aaron: It's tough, it's kind of tough. >> Carla Hayden: Especially for young people. >> Hank Aaron: Young kids today, yeah. >> Carla Hayden: And your experiences though in Mobile and then traveling and so. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: Really reinforced that though. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. And I understood that. I understood that because growing up in Mobile, you understood that. But today, you know, young people, young kids are not -- you know, you have to explain things to them, and you should. You can't just walk up to one and say something and expect that -- they want an answer, and they should rightfully have an answer. You know, really. >> Carla Hayden: Now do you ever have young athletes come to you and ask for advice and things? I'm sure they -- >> Hank Aaron: I have tried to stay out of that, really. And the reason for that is because I think that so many young players today think that -- the agents think that you're trying to figure out a way to get your hands in their pocketbook or something. And so I kind of stay away from that. You know, I try to help them as much as I can, away from the -- in the clubhouse. On the field I'll talk to one of them about hitting or something. But I never try to get one-on-one. >> Carla Hayden: And that must be -- you mentioned that you always thought that records were made to be broken. >> Hank Aaron: That's right. >> Carla Hayden: And that was your approach. >> Hank Aaron: That's true. That's true. And the reason for that is because for 23 years, I had I hit 750-some-odd homeruns. And Barry Bonds was slowly snipping at my heels and he was -- and people were saying that the reason that he was getting so close was because he was doing some things illegal. I didn't know he was doing anything illegal. I've never known him. I've never seen him do anything, really, to be honest with you. But that's what they were saying. And they were saying that, "Are you going to give him the record?" I said, "I'm not giving him anything." I said again, I said records are made to be broken. And no matter who it is, somebody is going to break somebody's record, you know. >> Carla Hayden: Eventually. >> Hank Aaron: That's right. >> Carla Hayden: And if you look at it like that, you can move through your life and keep going and feel good and do what you do. >> Hank Aaron: That's true. >> Carla Hayden: And that's why I think that when people talk about separating the record from the person is very important. Because you have that distinction. Now another distinction that I think we will see in the exhibit -- and people are going to see the baseball exhibit and I mentioned that your scouting report from Branch Rickey is in there. But you don't know what he said. >> Hank Aaron: No. >> Well, the whole world knows now. [ Laughing ] It's in the exhibit. Let's just say he said you had potential. >> Hank Aaron: I have an idea. I remember when I was planning in the Negro League many, many years ago. And I made $200 a month. That's what I was making. And I got $1 a day meal money for eating. And then some friend of mine named Jenkins, who was a very good friend of mine -- he and I was very good friends. And we used to buy a big jar of peanut butter about this so big. And it was real peanut butter. >> Carla Hayden: Peanut. >> Hank Aaron: This wasn't the kind that had oil on top. This was the real peanut butter. >> Carla Hayden: Okay, we know. >> Hank Aaron: And it would get right here and it would stick to your throat. And he and I -- I remember when I left Mobile, Alabama and my sister carried me to the train station with a suitcase about this big. That was my suitcase. I call it a suitcase. It was a briefcase. About this big. A pair of pants and a shirt. That was it. And I went to join the Indianapolis Clowns, the Negro League. And it was almost three and a half weeks before and we played in Winston Salem, South Carolina. It was cold as the dickens. I'll never forget. I didn't have a jacket, didn't have anything. And they wouldn't give me one because I was only a rookie. And I did the very best that I could. I froze at night, ate peanut butter and that was it. [ Laughing ] But you know, hey, I was 18 years old. And that didn't bother me. >> Carla Hayden: Yeah. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah, that didn't bother me. I was happy as a lark. You know, I wanted to -- I wanted to play baseball, you know. >> Carla Hayden: You were chasing the dream. >> Hank Aaron: I was chasing a dream. That's right. And I chased it. >> Carla Hayden: And when you think about that, the peanut butter and the briefcase and what that led to, do you sometimes reflect back and say, Wow? >> Hank Aaron: I think about it. I think about all of the things that -- I made $200 a month. And after taxes and all back then -- of course tax wasn't that much. But I used to send my mother all the rest of it. And I used to always have at least $25 or $30 in my pocket. And we never would -- we never would travel on the train. We'd travel on the bus. And all of us had a certain time, not in the evening, but at night, we would be watching the turn signal, helping the bus driver turn and drive the bus. But we had -- you know -- You think about things like that, you know, and you think, you say, how did I make it? What made me do it? And I always say you know, God works in mysterious ways. And sometimes he can have his hands on you and tell you what direction to go in. And you don't know why you're going in that direction. But you're going. So you have to say, you know, in spite of all of the things that you have tried to do, somebody else stronger than you, most powerful than you, have sent you a direction to make you go in the right direction. And I feel like out of all the things that have happened to me in the 23 years that I played baseball, and all the rest of the things, that I had someone that was guiding me in the right direction in order to make sure that, "Hank Aaron, we want you go this way rather than going that way." I played baseball for 23 years. And I've never ran with a crowd. >> Carla Hayden: Really? >> Hank Aaron: Never had anybody -- >> Carla Hayden: I didn't read that. Okay >> Hank Aaron: Never had anybody pulling my coattails or anything like that. When I went through chasing the Babe's record for many years, I stayed away from my teammates for a year and a half, and they stayed somewhere else. And I had to have people bring me food into the hotel. And for two years, I had to be left out of the ballpark, let in the back. Go out of the back way rather than going out. >> Carla Hayden: Now was that your choice or was that because of the threats? >> Hank Aaron: That was because I got all kinds of threatening letters. I must had all kinds of letters that was threatening my life. You know, if I did this, if I did this, you know. >> Carla Hayden: Because of a record? >> Hank Aaron: Because of a record. >> Carla Hayden: And it was the racial part. >> Hank Aaron: It was segregation, no question. >> Carla Hayden: They kind of put that in the letter too? >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: And that was part of it. And I could imagine that that would almost take something, the joy of doing it and you chasing your dream and playing and doing this, and then to have that -- wasn't that kind of bittersweet to have to deal with that too? >> Hank Aaron: No question about it. And also, you know, at that time, I was married, had two kids. And they were in school and they couldn't -- I had one daughter that was at Fisk University. >> Carla Hayden: Oh yes, in Nashville. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah, she's in Nashville. And for a year and a half, she couldn't leave the campus because she was getting threatening letters. >> Carla Hayden: Your daughter? >> Hank Aaron: And so she couldn't leave campus. And I had to go -- I had a little boy. I had two sons at Maris another little private school, but they too had to have people escort them here and there. It was -- >> Carla Hayden: It was hard. >> Hank Aaron: It was a tough moment for me. >> Carla Hayden: And people remember it in their ways, and they think about it, but they don't think about the human toll. >> Hank Aaron: That's right. >> Carla Hayden: And you were the human. >> Hank Aaron: That's right. >> Carla Hayden: You weren't just some -- you were pretty phenomenal now, pretty phenomenal. But you also were human and the toll that that took on you. >> Hank Aaron: Right. >> Carla Hayden: But no bitterness? No, you know -- I mean, just sitting here now? >> Hank Aaron: Well, as I said before, you know, you think about all of the things that you went through, you're going through and try to do the right thing, you know. And the most important thing I was trying to do was just bringing joy to people who wanted to see a little baseball, that's all. >> Carla Hayden: Now what about the new generations? We talked about younger people. There are more African America youth seeming to go into basketball and football. What about trying to get them involved with baseball? Do you think there's -- >> Hank Aaron: There's a problem, and it's been a problem. You know, it's a problem I've talked to. I've spoken to the commissioner of baseball about it. I've talked to both commissioners about it. And for some reason, we don't have African Americans playing Major League Baseball anymore, you know, for some reason. Most of your African American players are coming from the Dominican Republic, and some of the other places, from some of the other islands, you know. And for some reason we, you know, I was looking at the game last night, the other night when I think it was -- it was the Red Sox. The Red Sox. >> Carla Hayden: The Red Sox. [ Laughing ] >> Hank Aaron: The Red Sox and Houston Astros, yeah. >> Carla Hayden: Can you imagine Mr. Henry Aaron watching games. Wouldn't you love to sit next to him while he's watching a game? [ Laughing ] >> Hank Aaron: But I didn't see -- I didn't see -- I didn't see one African -- I saw one African American player. >> Carla Hayden: Isn't that something? >> Hank Aaron: Yeah, and some clubs don't have any. >> Carla Hayden: And what about in the front office? Now that really is -- now where's Mr. -- well, he's -- >> Hank Aaron: And I remember when we played baseball, you know, myself and Willie and some of the other players. We used to have -- it used to be you have five players. You have players hitting .300, some players hitting 25 or 30 home runs, and all of them would be African American players, you know. >> Carla Hayden: But they wouldn't be reflected in in the management and things like that later. >> Hank Aaron: No, no. For some reason, I don't understand it. We've never broken that pillar yet, you know, management. >> Carla Hayden: Well, that's one to break. That's the record to break. >> Hank Aaron: That's right. That's true. >> Carla Hayden: That's a record to break. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: Well, I must tell you that I put down -- and I told you I was a little nervous so I had a lot of my questions right here and I got a few, especially chasing the dream and helping young people see the possibilities. Now they don't have to be involved in athletics, right? >> Hank Aaron: No, no. >> Carla Hayden: This is a straight scholarship. It doesn't matter what they're majoring in. >> They can be anything. We have kids, we have one kid playing golf. Is that right? >> Carla Hayden: Okay. >> Hank Aaron: And we have one playing the cello. And we have one playing -- we have kids that are at Stanford. And we have them all over. >> Carla Hayden: Michigan. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. >> Carla Hayden: Okay, I think we will get some sports rivalries going here. I can tell. >> Hank Aaron: So we have them all over. Chased the Dream Foundation has been something that I think we are and I am very proud of. And it is not only -- we have white kids too now. Yeah. >> Carla Hayden: Oh, so it's kids. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah, we have schools that we have white kids that's going to school under the same thing. But we have one at University of Wisconsin, right? Madison too? Yes. So we have them all over. So I'm very proud. >> Carla Hayden: You should be. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah, these kids are doing wonderful. They've done marvelous. And each one, every year, we bring them all to Atlanta. Bring them all to Atlanta for one game, and they all -- and all of them, all of them usually show up. And they have a wonderful time. >> Carla Hayden: So this is the Atlanta Braves? >> Hank Aaron: Yeah. >> Carla Hayden: You bring them in there and they're on the big screen. >> Hank Aaron: The big screen. Yes, yes. >> Carla Hayden: And everything like that. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. And they have a lot of fun. >> Carla Hayden: You mentioned watching the game. So do you watch games a lot? >> Hank Aaron: I do it. I watch it in my bedroom at home. I don't usually -- >> Carla Hayden: Okay, I'm not going to ask you if you have any teams that you like or anything like that, because I know there's some people that would love to hear you talk about what teams you think are doing well. Remember, I'm from Baltimore. So don't talk about that right now. But the Cubs made it finally. >> Hank Aaron: Yes. >> Carla Hayden: We used to say every year they'd come out. So good. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah, they finally made it. They finally made it, the Cubs did. You know, and the commissioner, Commissioner Bud Selig has been instrumental in this panel. He's put together where you don't have the same team every year. You know, that was a time when you had the Yankees, Yankees, Yankees, Yankees, Yankees every year. Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn Dodgers. That doesn't happen anymore. You know, I mean, it has changed quite a bit now. >> Carla Hayden: And you've known him for how many years? >> Hank Aaron: Well, bud and I have known each other for at least 40 or 50 years. Yeah. And he's instrumental in my little thing that give to each player every year. So he and I have been friends for a long time. He's done a great job when he was commissioner of baseball. And he's done -- I would have to say he's done a great job with baseball period. >> Carla Hayden: So before we end, I'm going to have to ask you is there just one team that you're just kind of looking out at as the team that you're kind of watching? >> Hank Aaron: Who's going to win? >> Carla Hayden: Oh, no. No betting. [ Laughing ] No a team that's doing different things or you enjoy watching? >> Hank Aaron: I don't know, I think -- I would have to say without trying to put my -- I would say Milwaukee. >> Carla Hayden: I see people going, "Milwaukee?" >> Hank Aaron: Milwaukee has done just about as well as can be, you know, really. That's not just because I played with Milwaukee for a long time. But it's because I think the management has sought, seen fit to really put the ball club where it's supposed to be, you know. >> Carla Hayden: Well, Mr. Aaron, even though you have done so much after those 23 years, I think a lot of us are still pleased that you are still interested in the game and looking but also are helping so many other people chase their dreams. >> Hank Aaron: Well, thank you very much. >> Carla Hayden: We appreciate you being with us. >> Hank Aaron: It is so wonderful. But this is the first time I've been in this building, the very first time. I mean this is something that everybody should come and see. You are doing just -- >> Carla Hayden: Well, I work with some great people. And I'm telling you, we brought out the good silver, right, for Mr. Aaron. >> Hank Aaron: Yeah [ Laughing ] >> Carla Hayden: I mean we had -- you name it, we had it, and it was out there. And the curators and librarians were so excited. And in fact, they are going to make sure that you see some of the Jackie Robinson letters. And archivists went back, Adrian Cannon went back and looked into the archives and said, "You do that," because you were that aware that we had the Jackie Robinson. As I mentioned, you will see your scouting report in the baseball exhibit. >> Hank Aaron: Is it good? >> Carla Hayden: It was good. It was good. Like I said, he said you had potential. [ Laughing ] And he talked about you. And then we had something that we picked out from our archives. It's a map, a very rare map of Mobile, Alabama. >> Hank Aaron: Oh, oh. >> Carla Hayden: It is rare and old. It is the plan of Mobile, Alabama, and we have it for you and we'll make sure you get it. >> Hank Aaron: Thank you. >> Carla Hayden: But we want to take a memento from the Library of Congress for you. >> Hank Aaron: Isn't that wonderful? >> Carla Hayden: We wanted you to have that. >> Hank Aaron: Thank you, thank you very much. >> Carla Hayden: Oh yeah. So I know that people would like to speak with you and just be with you for a few minutes before we go on to dinner. >> Hank Aaron: Sure. >> Carla Hayden: And please, everyone, please thank Mr. and Mrs. Aaron for being here today. [ Applause ] >> Hank Aaron: Thank you.