Major League Baseball loves to celebrate its history and its iconic players, so it was only fitting that they put on a stellar tribute to Hank Aaron during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Atlanta.
Aaron dethroned Babe Ruth as MLB’s all-time home run leader as a member of the Braves on April 8, 1974, hitting his 715th career home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.
The tribute to Aaron was quite a spectacle, using holograms and fireworks to recreate the moment on the field for those in attendance and the fans watching at home.
But while most baseball fans were left in awe, many were quick to point out that some creative editing had been done to the famous TV call made by legendary announcer Vin Scully.
During the Dodgers announcer’s iconic call, Scully references the fact that Aaron, a Black man, is receiving a standing ovation while playing in the Deep South.
“What a marvellous moment for baseball, what a marvellous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia, what a marvellous moment for the country and the world,” Scully said during the call from 1974. “A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us and particularly for Henry Aaron.”
However, MLB and the Braves apparently decided against using the full call, ending the audio before Scully says, “A Black man is getting a standing ovation.”
While the majority of fans commenting on social media about the tribute, some were quick to point out the omission.
“Stunning tribute. Though, was it MLB or foxsports who cut the MOST IMPORTANT LINE in Vin Scully’s call??” one user asked on X. “After “What a marvellous moment for…” “A BLACK MAN IS GETTING A STANDING OVATION IN THE DEEP SOUTH FOR BREAKING A RECORD OF AN ALL-TIME BASEBALL IDOL.”
“When you omit ‘A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol,’ you completely alter what Scully was describing as ‘marvellous.’ baseball writer Craig Calcaterra posted on social media site BlueSky.
“Scully was NOT just broadly marvelling. He was marvelling at a very specific, very important thing.”
“Man they sure took care to cut Vin Scully’s call veeeery carefully didn’t they,” one user commented on Reddit.
“This is like showing (the movie) 42 but only the scenes where (Jackie Robinson) is playing ball on mute,” another replied.