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DENVER The overwhelming volume of calls and texts on Paul Egins’ phone Friday morning brought him back to a phone call so mind-boggling that even he didn’t believe it.
Hank Aaron, the home run king in the hearts of baseball fans, died Friday at age 86. Egins, the Rockies’ senior director of Major League operations, credits his career to Aaron, who brought him into pro baseball with the Braves in 1988.
In discussing Aaron on Friday, the grief gave way to a joie de vivre that grew in Egins’ voice. That’s because one story, like how Aaron taught him to spot a ballplayer, led to the next. For example, as assistant personnel director of the expansion Rockies, Egins was able to help the club pluck third baseman Vinny Castilla with Aaron’s blessing, but not with everyone else’s with the Braves.