Summer of ’73: Remembering hammerin’ Hank Aaron’s quest for 715, plus other Kansas City Times clips from KC’s last All-Star summer

The day of the 1973 All-Star Game, the morning paper published several full pages of stories, covering a range of topics — from player dramas to deep analyses of the teams. Some gems discovered on microfiche in the Kansas City, Missouri, Central Library include:

• A lengthy story highlighted Henry Aaron’s quest to dethrone Babe Ruth as all-time home-run leader. In the first half of the season, Aaron hit 27 home runs, leaving him just 15 shy of setting the all-time mark. There was also a news brief about Aaron feeling snubbed by baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who didn’t send him a telegram when he socked his 700th dinger. Kuhn said he meant no disrespect. “I’m certainly sorry that Henry Aaron was disappointed as I am sure he knows I am one of his biggest rooters,” Kuhn told the paper. However, Babe Ruth’s widow was giving Aaron the cold shoulder as he neared the record, the paper reported.

• Another Aaron-centric blurb outlined an NBC camera crew’s plans to follow Aaron around, reality-TV style, until he hit his historic 715th homer. Aaron didn’t belt the record breaker until April 8, 1974.

• “Baseball May Be Closer to Interleague Accord,” read one headline. The leagues were nearing an agreement to have their teams meet up during the regular season, according to the story. But it was a story before its time; MLB interleague play didn’t start until 1997.

• Amid all of the baseball coverage, the sports page made room for a 10-inch piece headlined “Hockey Boss Never Rests.” Reporter Steve Marantz spoke with NHL president Clarence Campbell, who was in town to check on the construction of Kemper Arena. Campbell also discussed a court battle with rival upstart league the World Hockey Association. Campbell claimed that he didn’t want to merge with the WHA, instead opting to “ride out the storm” in court. The two leagues merged in 1979.

• The paper also noted that All-Star players were going to hold a chapel meeting at the Balboa Room of the Alameda Plaza Hotel (now the InterContinental). The paper chalked up future Hall of Fame hurler Nolan Ryan’s success to divine intervention. “Attendance is not mandatory, but Nolan Ryan will probably be there,” the paper reported. “On July 5 Ryan and six California Angels teammates held a similar meeting in Detroit. … The same night he went out and pitched his second no-hitter of the season.”