New York Yankee baseball player Aaron Judge is the all-time, ace number one, authentic, legitimate, and clean home run champion of major league baseball — both American and National League. While it is true that three others hit more home runs in a season than Judge, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire did so during the steroid/performance-enhancing drug/amphetamine era that tarnished professional baseball.
Those three do not belong in the Hall of Fame and have now exceeded the 10-year limit to gain entrance through balloting by baseball sports writers. They may possibly get into the Hall through a special committee, but Judge is, in my opinion, the reigning home run king.
Enough of that. From the testimony of those who know him best, Judge is clean — no drug use. He is a Christian, and his life verse is 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” He said, “It is one of my favorite Bible verses. I try to live my life by it, and always trust the Man above and what He’s got in store for us. We never know what is round the corner, but if we have faith in Him, He will lead us in the right direction.”
He and his older brother were both adopted (different birth mothers) by Wayne and Sandy Judge, educators who insisted on a good education for their kids. His older brother is a teacher today. Judge, who is bi-racial, said he noticed that he did not look like his mom and dad, so he asked them about it as a kid. They then told him the story of his adoption. He said, “I have one set of parents, the ones who raised me. That is how it is. Some kids grew in their mom’s stomach; I grew in my mom’s heart.”
He grew up in the small farming town of Linden, Calif. The population is less than 2,000 and is about 15 miles from Stockton. His parents prioritized education for their sons, emphasizing hard work and doing homework. Judge said, “They would say, ‘Hey, you’ve got homework to do (when he wanted to play). If you finish before dinner, then you can go play.’ I didn’t like it as a kid, but looking back on it, I really appreciate what they did for me.”
He feels good about his adoption and embraces the Judges as his real parents. He said, “I feel like they kind of picked me. I feel that God was the one that matched us together. My parents are amazing. They’ve taught me so many lessons,” he said. “I honestly cannot thank them enough for what they’ve done for me.”
Judge’s dad said he and his wife wanted their son to be a “really good person.” Judge said the guidance they gave him while he was growing up included how to know the difference between right and wrong, how to treat people, and how to go the extra mile and put in the extra work. His dad said Judge’s adoption was a miracle. “Words can’t describe how proud we are of him.”
Judge praises his mom and says, “She’s molded me into the person that I am today.” When his mom heard that he said he was blessed to have the family he has, she replied, “We are more blessed than he is.” After hitting his 61st home run, he gave the historic ball to his mother.
He is married to his high school sweetheart, Samantha. He is one of the largest men to ever play baseball, 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 282 pounds. His wife is 5 feet 2 inches.
Former Yankee manager, Joe Girardi, said in 2017 (Judge’s rookie year), “He’s got a smile all the time. He loves to play the game. You always think that he is going to do the right thing on and off the field. When you look at him, there is a presence about him.” In 2017, he was named American League Rookie of the Year in a unanimous vote by the baseball writers of America, hitting more home runs than any rookie in baseball history.
In his hometown, they talk more about his loyalty, humility, kindness, and friendliness than home runs. One Linden resident said, “He’s a good guy. You never hear anything bad about Aaron.” He avoids the night life of the big city and still calls his parents every day.
His Twitter page has his motto for life: “Christian. Faith, Family, then Baseball.”
After he hit his 62nd home run, he tweeted, “What a night. Such a blessing from God to share that moment with so many special people.” He is the kind of athlete young people can look up to. We need genuine and godly people like that in high-profile sports.
I am thankful for his character and his devotion to God. By the way, I believe he is the real and authentic home run champion — and, as far as anyone can tell, he did it with hard work and without cheating. Thank you, Aaron Judge! May people like you infiltrate professional sports with character, truthfulness, and devotion to Christ. To God be the glory!