Hank Aaron has epitomized everything that is good about baseball.

Born in Mobile, his career began with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League and in the minor leagues.

In 1954, he started his major leaguer career that included 21 seasons with the Milwaukee, then the Atlanta Braves in the National League. He retired with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League.

For the greater part of two decades, Aaron hit 24 or more home runs every year.

He is Alabama’s own. From “Down the Bay,” he picked cotton on a farm. He spent most of his young life hitting with sticks because his family couldn’t afford baseball equipment.

It didn’t stop him.

In his major league career, he broke Babe Ruth’s career home run record, sending the ball over the fence at the old Braves stadium on April 8, 1974, off L.A. Dodgers pitcher Al Downing. A piece of that fence still exists outside of Turner Field today.

But the most important living aspect of Aaron is his house in Mobile — that place that nurtured him, even though life was hard.

Now, that house will become a museum in Mobile — a place where Alabamians, young and old, can celebrate the life and diamond deeds of Hammerin’ Hank.