Fifty years later, Henry Aaron’s legacy lives on in Atlanta and beyond

Other Black athletes had flashes of greatness in Atlanta, from Deion Sanders’s two-sport stardom for the Falcons and Braves to Michael Vick’s electrifying quarterback play before a dogfighting conviction interrupted his NFL career. Even if they never made the same connection with Aaron as Wilkins, it was impossible to play in the sports town he built without having appreciation and respect for him. When Aaron died, Sanders referred to him as his “hero.” Aaron also had a hand in helping Vick get a second chance in football by writing a...