Sports Quote of the Day: Hank Aaron on Jackie Robinson's Legacy

Hank Aaron is considered by some to be the greatest player in MLB history. His 25 All-Star Game selections are the most ever, as were his 755 home runs up until 2007 when Barry Bonds surpassed him. An undisputed all-time great, Aaron's big league career was heavily influenced by another legend who came before him, baseball icon Jackie Robinson.

Breaking baseball's color barrier in 1947, Robinson became the first African American MLB player in the modern era when he debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He made seven All-Star appearances in his seven seasons, winning a World Series in 1955 with Brooklyn.

Robinson's MLB debut, now recognized as Jackie Robinson Day across baseball, came on April 15 in 1947. Seven years later, Aaron made his debut with the Milwaukee Braves as a 20-year-old.

Hank Aaron's Perfect Jackie Robinson Quote

While he possessed all the tools a baseball player could want, Robinson's character is what stood out most to those who knew him. For Aaron, who experienced many of the same challenges Robinson endured as an African American in the early 1950s, this is how he remembers him.

Admiring Robinson for his play on the field, but more importantly his courage off it, Aaron once perfectly described the career .313 hitter with a quote that appears on the front page of the Jackie Robinson Museum website.