Delta Honors Aaron, Takes a Swing at Bonds

It’s a rare and happy day when I can throw a little baseball into my posts. And today, Delta has given me good reason.

Delta announced yesterday that they’ve named one of their 757s after Hank Aaron. And not only did they name it after him, they named it “Hank Aaron 755.” Yup, that 755 is the current career home run record that Hank Aaron has held for over 30 years. How great is that?

Baseball fans know where I’m going with this one, but for those who live in a cave, let me explain a little further. This is one of those amazing baseball records that just doesn’t get broken easily. It’s not often you can find a power hitter who can sustain his level of play for so long. But after more than 30 years, the record is about to be broken by Barry Bonds, and I’d say that most people aren’t happy about this.

Bonds used steroids for years during his career. Now, steroids don’t make you a great baseball player – he certainly is that on his own – but they can give you more power. And that’s why Bonds taking this record is tainted. It should have a big asterisk in the record books when it happens. Most of the baseball-loving world isn’t happy, with the exception of the obnoxious Giants fans who think Bonds can do no wrong.

As we helplessly watch Bonds creep up on Aaron’s record, it feels like watching a car crash in slow motion. You know it’s happening and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. So you sit there with a bad taste in your mouth and try to forget about it.

So with that background you can understand why Delta’s move today is a feel-good kind of move for baseball fans all over. It’s true that there’s nothing they can do to stop it, but they can make a small statement that sends a strong message to baseball fans. They feel our pain and they wish they could help more, but this is the best they can do. Read here for more. (Photo Credit: Agustin Anaya)

Why did Delta do this? Well, Hank Aaron spent his days with the Milwaukee Braves, the team that moved to Atlanta in 1965. (You’d think AirTran would want to celebrate him now as well.) Aaron spent his last years playing in Atlanta and he’s now a VP with the team, so he’s a hometown hero in Delta’s hometown.

Delta certainly is gaining any fans in San Francisco with this move. There’s no mention of Bonds in the press release and nobody said a word about him at the rollout ceremony yesterday, but there’s no doubt what spurred the timing of this dedication. Nice work, Delta. And forget about Bonds, Giants fans. Start thinking about how to get out of the basement of the NL West instead.