Sculptor of Hank Aaron’s home run statue ‘humbled’

‘Now he belongs to eternity’
Atlanta Technical College will name Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron Academic Complex in honor of baseball legend, philanthropist. The legend is seen here at the opening of SunTrust Park which recently was renamed Truist Park. AJC file photo

Credit: AJC file photo

Credit: AJC file photo

Atlanta Technical College will name Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron Academic Complex in honor of baseball legend, philanthropist. The legend is seen here at the opening of SunTrust Park which recently was renamed Truist Park. AJC file photo

Looking for a way to express their love for the late Hank Aaron who died Friday, Atlantans gathered at the feet of his nine-foot bronze statue at Truist Park.

Ross Rossin, the sculptor who created the statue, is proud to have provided a magnet for that outpouring.

”I’m humbled and honored to be part of this,” he said, from his North Atlanta studio. “Now he belongs to eternity.”

Rossin, 56, was introduced to Aaron by their mutual friend, former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, and had already painted Aaron’s portrait twice — once for the Baseball Hall of Fame, once for the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian — when he received a commission from the Braves to create the sculpture.

The artist was well-known for his large-scale photorealistic paintings, but not as well-known for his work in sculpture. He said the Braves organization trusted him with the commission because his work already showed that he had a sense of Aaron’s character.

”I promised to not only create a strict physical likeness, but that it was essential to capture his heroic spirit and determination and hard work and everything that his personality stands for,” said Rossin.

“I hope it’s evident in my work,” he said. “It was a challenge, but a glorious challenge.”

Rossin is a native of Bulgaria who only moved to Atlanta in the last 20 years, and some of his knowledge of baseball was sketchy.

He studied TV footage from April 8, 1974, and invited Aaron into his studio for a series of photographs.

Ross Rossin (left) and baseball great Henry Aaron (center) attend the unveiling of Rossin's nine-foot statue of Aaron. Courtesy: Ross Rossin

Credit: Courtesy: Ross Rossin

icon to expand image

Credit: Courtesy: Ross Rossin

When the baseball legend arrived, Rossin expected a version of Mt. Rushmore to walk in the door, but instead was impressed by his “humanity.”

“I had to ask him, ‘what were you thinking when you hit that home-run?’ and he told me ‘I was just doing my job.’”

Because he needed the body of a younger man as a model, he used a pro-baseball player to recreate Aaron’s pose in the moment of Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run.

But he also consulted Aaron carefully about details of his posture and swing. Aaron offered Rossin a close-up look at his unorthodox grip on the bat, in which the little finger of his left hand dangles on the outer circumference of the knob.

the nine-foot, one-ton statue of Henry Aaron at Truist Park was visited by baseball fans after they learned of Aaron's death Friday. Courtesy: Ross Rossin

Credit: Courtesy: Ross Rossin

icon to expand image

Credit: Courtesy: Ross Rossin

”What he’s doing is incorrect, quote unquote, and not by the rules,” said Rossin, “but then he’s a legendary home run hero.”

When the statue was unveiled in 2017, what was Aaron’s reaction? “He smiled,” said Rossin. “He was truly happy.”