SAVANNAH, Ga. — Charlie Russo had an incredible view of Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run. Half a century later, he’s prepared to make it public.
The 81-year-old Russo is making his long-private footage of the moment Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s record on April 8, 1974 available, which he filmed after secretly following Aaron’s family onto the field at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. He was right there celebrating at home plate with Aaron, his family, and teammates — including Dusty Baker, who was on deck for the Atlanta Braves when Aaron made the historic hit.
“Was that guy filming?” Baker asked when informed about the video provided to The Associated Press by Russo and his family. “Come on! I’ve never seen that!”
Russo's video displays Aaron — standing just a few feet away — raising his right arm and smiling to the cheering crowd.
“Everything just fell into place,” Russo said. “I mean, just everything we did was just, you know, magical.”
Russo explains that he and his uncle, Joseph Mathews, secured the sought-after tickets before driving from Savannah. The game was completely sold out, with a crowd of 53,775. Russo remembers that finding the tickets was just the beginning of an extraordinary day.
Russo was recording from seats behind the third-base dugout when Aaron’s hit cleared the wall in left-center during his second at-bat. He then moved closer to where he had seen Aaron’s family and entertainers Sammy Davis Jr. and Pearl Bailey seated. When Aaron’s mother, father, and others headed toward the field, Russo followed.
“They open the gate and they go,” Russo said. “So I go in the field, too. I mean, it’s just like ‘OK, I’m part of the family.’”
Russo’s shots — filmed with an 8 mm camera — show him getting closer and closer to Aaron, until suddenly Aaron is grinning inches away from his lens. He also captured a close-up moment with Davis, who had pledged $25,000 to whoever caught the home run. Footage from other cameras shows Russo, in a brown leather jacket, standing directly behind Aaron while the Hall of Famer waved to someone in the stands.
It was extraordinary access considering the security concerns around Aaron at the time. Aaron had received numerous death threats as he approached Ruth’s record and was the target of racism as a Black man about to surpass a white player whose mark was set during the sport's segregation. Despite increased security, Russo — who is white — said he was never questioned.
“Nobody says anything,” he said. “Well, all the attention is on Aaron, you know?”
Former Braves media relations director Bob Hope reveals that a popular rumor was that police snipers were positioned atop the stadium due to security concerns. Hope clarifies that this was not the case, but upon hearing Russo’s account, he acknowledges that security should have been more rigorous.
Russo wasn’t the only unauthorized person on the field. Two 17-year-old fans, Britt Gaston and Cliff Courtenay, intruded onto the diamond and joined Aaron as he ran around the bases.
“I mean, I don’t know how the security wasn’t tighter than it was,” Hope said. “It definitely should have been. … I mean, the two kids run around the bases. Oh my gosh, if there were snipers, they would have gotten them for sure.”
While recording, Russo glanced down and spotted the rosin bag and weighted donut used by Braves batters in the on-deck circle. Russo bent down and put the items in his jacket.
Russo explained, “I was just down there and, you know, I think everything just sort of fell into place. Okay, this is the rosin bag and a donut. Oh, my Lord. And I put them in my pocket.”
Aaron came to Savannah a few months later and gave Russo a signature, which was framed with the rosin bag, donut, and Sports Illustrated cover displaying the record homer. Russo now desires to pass on the rosin bag and donut, possibly for auction.
Russo stated that Aaron was not upset to find out Russo had the items from the on-deck circle.
“He was as nice as he could be,” Russo said. “Came in and autographed them. … I mean, his demeanor is just ‘Oh, man, that’s beautiful.’ And, I mean, he’s fine. And he signed them, ‘Best wishes, Hank Aaron.’”
Aaron ended his Hall of Fame career with 755 homers, a record surpassed by Barry Bonds in 2007.
The Braves intend to commemorate the 50th anniversary at Truist Park next week. Baker, who retired as Houston Astros manager after last season, plans to attend, along with Tom House, the relief pitcher who caught the homer in the Braves bullpen. Baker and Hope were the only non-family pallbearers at Aaron’s funeral following his death at 86 in 2021.
Russo mentioned that being so near to one of the most famous homers in baseball history was not his first encounter with a memorable game. He said he leaped over Sanford Stadium’s hedges to step onto the field after Georgia’s young coach, Vince Dooley, defeated Alabama’s Bear Bryant in 1965.
He also possesses a framed photo of himself standing next to Pete Maravich in the Louisiana State locker room after Maravich scored 58 points in a double-overtime victory at Georgia in 1969.
“Maybe it’s my demeanor that, you know, it’s an occasion,” Russo said. “And when you do these things, you’ve got to go ahead and do them. You can’t sit and think about them.”
Russo isn’t one to just sit. He still works six-day weeks at the fish market founded by his father in 1946. He says he wouldn’t hesitate if he had another opportunity to leave the stands for an up-close view of history.
“Yes,” he said. “If the event called for it, yes I would.”