Remembering Aaron's Greatness

Like it or not, baseball's biggest record is no longer owned by the great Henry Aaron.

For more than 30 years, of course, Aaron has been known by casual baseball fans -- and for that matter, by non-fans -- for only one thing: hitting 755 home runs. Which was sort of a shame. But I'm afraid that what happens next will be a bigger shame: Aaron will now be known only for having been the guy whose record Barry Bonds broke.
Forgotten? Aaron's three Gold Gloves. His wonderful baserunning. The records he still holds, among them total bases, extra-base hits and runs batted in. Not to mention the big record he now does not hold. Sure, we will remember that one. But the next generation will not.

But then again, perhaps that's not quite right. Those other, non-homer qualities can't really be forgotten, because they were not really remembered in the first place. Not by the hoi polloi. Which was sort of a shame, though certainly predictable, as most of us don't bother with complex thoughts.

On the other hand, one might argue that Aaron now occupies his rightful place in history. Aaron might have become the most famous player since Babe Ruth ... but was he the best? Objectively, it's hard to make that case. Willie Mays almost certainly was the greatest player between 1930 and 2000. After Mays, Aaron goes in a group of candidates that also includes Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, and Stan Musial (and if you like, Josh Gibson). As great a player as Aaron was -- and he was great, unquestionably -- his various records were a testament to his durability as much as his greatness.

There's nothing wrong with being one of the dozen or so greatest players in major league history. But Aaron has lost his exalted place atop the pantheon. And he's not getting it back. The King is dead; long live the King.

This opinion was lifted from ESPN.com.