What makes this photo so interesting is not the fact that two of the greatest home run hitters are sitting together at old Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium but who is asking for their autograph.
In October 1991 when every media outlet in the world appeared to ascend on Atlanta and the Braves, CBS This Morning was in town doing their show when then weatherman Mark McEwen ventured over to the stands to get an autograph from Hank Aaron, who was sitting with Willie Stargell. Aaron and Stargell combined for 1,230 home runs and at the time both were working for the Braves.
McEwen spotted Aaron in the crowd, and wondered aloud who was sitting next to the home run king. One of his producers shouted “Willie Stargell.’’ CBS This Morning host Harry Smith, who is married to sportscaster Andrea Joyce and is a big baseball fan, handed McEwen two baseballs to get signed. McEwen actually climbed over the wall on the third baseball side of the dugout and asked for their autographs, which was and is taboo for the media.
Meanwhile, what many forget about that game that was to follow was it was the turning point of what would become perhaps the greatest World Series ever played with the Twins winning in seven games.
McEwen has been quite a story himself after suffering a terrible stroke in 2005 and having to learn how to walk and talk again. He even returned to CBS This Morning for a brief time in 2010 and today at 60 is a motivational speaker.
