", "Sporting News' 100 Greatest Baseball Players", "Aaron to throw out first pitch at All-Star Game", "President Bush Announces the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom", "About Carson Park: Eau Claire, Wisconsin", "Aaron receives honorary degree from Princeton", "Portrait of Nation Prize Winner: Hank Aaron", "National Portrait Gallery Honors Aretha Franklin, Carolina Herrera, Hank Aaron", "Hank Aaron presented with Order of the Rising Sun", "Hank Aaron throws out 1st pitch at SunTrust Park", "MLB renames developmental program after Hank Aaron", "Georgia Tech football to retire Hank Aaron's number 44 for 2021 season", "Hank Aaron replaces Confederate general in school name", "National Recording Registry Inducts Music from Alicia Keys, Ricky Martin, Journey and More in 2022", "Sports stars of Alabama: Where are they now? Aaron's first marriage was to Barbara Lucas in 1953. He again finished third in National League MVP voting. Another fun one: Aaron started this season at 713 and the Braves opened the season on the road. The board appears to have been convinced, as Aaron was not drafted. On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth 's legendary record of 714 homers. [35] Two days later, one of the children died. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Hank Aaron, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, died Friday at age 86. In 1974, after tying Ruth on Opening Day in Cincinnati, Ohio, Aaron came home with his team. [94][96], Aaron was a long-time fan of the Cleveland Browns, having attended many games in disguise in their "Dawg Pound" seating section.[97]. Hank Aaron wore this jersey when he hit his 715th home run on April 8, 1974. Braves' public relations director Don Davidson, observing Aaron's quiet, reserved nature, began referring to him publicly as "Hank" in order to suggest more accessibility. [11] He won the league's Most Valuable Player Award,[11][18] and had such a dominant year that one sportswriter was prompted to say, "Henry Aaron led the league in everything except hotel accommodations. Hank Aaron, Major League Baseball's former home-run king and a cornerstone of the Atlanta Braves franchise, died on Friday. [100] He and several other African American public figures, including activist Joe Beasley, Andrew Young, and Louis Sullivan, did so to demonstrate the safety of the vaccine and encourage other black Americans to do the same. He added 22 more in 1975 and 1976, finally calling it a career with 755 career home runs. That year, he also played in his last and 24th All-Star Game (25th All-Star Game selection[47]); he lined out to Dave Concepcin as a pinch-hitter in the second inning. [93], In an interview in 1991, Aaron credited the priest, Fr. Listen to HISTORY This Week Podcast: More Than a Home Run. It is a great accomplishment that required skill, longevity, and determination. Aaron clobbered his 715th career home run as a member of the Atlanta Braves and passed Babe Ruth to become baseball's all-time home run king.. For fans of Major League Baseball in the 1970s, Henry Aaron's superhero-like home run did a lot of things. . "On April 8, 1974, when Atlanta Braves' Henry 'Hank' Aaron hit his 715th home run to eclipse the record held by Babe Ruth, there was hardly any celebration. Getty Images Aaron reportedly received 930,000 pieces of mail in 1973 the year before he broke Ruth's record with enough including threats that the. The Arthur Blank-owned Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC, along with Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have plans during their 2021 seasons to reserve 44 for Aaron. [10], Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama, to Herbert Aaron Sr. and Estella (Pritchett) Aaron. During his junior year, Aaron joined the Prichard Athletics, an independent Negro league team,[20] followed by the Mobile Black Bears, another independent Negro league team. [148], Atlanta-area sports teams planned to honor Aaron during the 2021 seasons. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. In 1988, Aaron was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. Aaron played the vast majority of his MLB games in right field, though he appeared at several other infield and outfield positions. Bonds is the all-time home run leader: He hit those 762 balls over the fence, a majority of them unenhanced by chemists, all of them a testament to his skill, strength and determination. Michael Sablica, with helping him grow as a person in the 1950s. [112][113] He also received tributes from former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. That's the only thing that kept Willie Mays and me from being teammates fifty dollars.[24]. Bonds denied the allegations, then later argued ignorance. He went on to become one of baseballs first African American executives, with the Atlanta Braves, and a leading spokesperson for minority hiring. [11] Helped by Aaron's performance, the Braves won the league championship that year. The moment became an iconic one, with the indelible image of Hank Aaron rounding the bases, being joined by two fans between second and third, and then mobbed by his teammates and family at home plate, after breaking Babe Ruths home run record in 1974. Free shipping for many products! Aaronhung up his cleats in 1976 with 755 career home runsa record that stood until 2007, when it was broken by controversial slugger Barry Bonds(Bonds admitted to using steroids in 2011). [23] As a result of his standout play with the Indianapolis Clowns, Aaron received two offers from MLB teams via telegram, one from the New York Giants and the other from the Boston Braves. [139], He was named a 2010 Georgia Trustee by the Georgia Historical Society, in conjunction with the Governor of Georgia, to recognize accomplishments and community service that reflect the ideals of the founding body of Trustees, which governed the Georgia colony from 1732 to 1752. [41], At this point, Aaron was known to family and friends primarily as "Henry". Hoping to lift the country out of the crippling Great Depression, Congress allowed the president to use the funds at his discretion. After his retirement, Aaron held front office roles with the Atlanta Braves, including the senior vice president. [25], The Howe Sports Bureau credits Aaron with a .366 batting average in 26 official Negro league games, with five home runs, 33 runs batted in (RBIs), 41 hits, and nine stolen bases. After touching home plate he was carried off the field by his teammates. "A grand jury, a tell-all book and a congressional committee have combined to form a major-league needle puncturing baseball's public image" , reported Chris Jenkins of USA Today in 'Players Admit Steroids Changed Baseball' (USA Today, 03/15/2005) Between February 17, 2005 and March 9, 2005 five-hundred . [72] He had also said that he would be interested in serving as a team's general manager, someone who would make decisions and not a house boy. That he didnt take human growth hormones, the infamous cream and clear, which turned his Bill Bixby frame into Lou Ferrigno. [94], Sablica also encouraged him to "attend Mass every Sunday" during Spring Training, to which he responded with the racist realities of the day: "[In Bradenton], they won't let me go to Mass. And for the first time in a long time, that poker face of Aarons shows the tremendous strain and relief of what it must have been like to live with for the past several months.. MLB, give him back his home run record. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron And for the first time in a long time, that poker face in Aaron shows the tremendous strain and relief of what it must have been like to live with for the past several months. His daughter told. [33] The Braves' manager, Ben Geraghty, tried his best to help Aaron on and off the field. What a marvelous moment for baseball, what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the country and the world, Scully said. I always felt like once I put the uniform on and once I got on the playing field, that I could separate the two an evil letter I got the day before or even 20 minutes before that I could also concentrate on what I had to do as far as trying to watch a fastball, somebody throwing the ball 90 mph, rather than worrying about a letter somebody sent., The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, On this day in history, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner among first members of National Baseball Hall of Fame, The fabled list of Yankees captains Aaron Judge joined, All of Aaron Judges home runs this season, Judges 60th blast sparks comeback as he ties Babe Ruth, now one shy of Roger Maris. In most circumstances, the team was responsible for arranging housing and meals for its players, but Aaron often had to make his own arrangements. All Rights Reserved. [4] By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. [11] Aaron did his part by hitting .393 with three homers and seven RBIs. [68] As the fans cheered wildly, Aaron's parents ran onto the field as well. Every home run Hank Aaron hit over the course of his big league career appears below in chronological order, along with the date of the home run, his age at the time he homered, the pitcher who surrendered the home run, the inning (Inn), his batting order position (BOP) in the lineup, and where he was playing that day (Pos). [127], On February 5, 1999, at his 65th birthday celebration, Major League Baseball announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award. Aaron showed awesome skill when, unaided by pharmaceuticals, he broke Babe Ruths seemingly unbreakable record. Aaron led the league in runs (115), hits (208), doubles (36), RBIs (125), total bases (338), and batting average (.362). Even if the five Negro League home runs do get added eventually, Aaron would still be two short of Barry Bonds's 762 homers. Hank Aaron, who faced down racism as he eclipsed Babe Ruth as baseball's home run king, hitting 755 homers and holding the most celebrated record in sports for more than 30 years, has. Aaron finished third in the MVP race and he received his first of three Gold Glove Awards. Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. Atlanta Braves home uniform shirt #44 worn by Hank Aaron on April 8, 1974 when he broke Babe Ruth's career home run record with his 715th homer in the 4th inning vs. Los Angeles Dodgers - B-5.87 (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame Library) Related Hall of Famers To the top Hank Aaron Inducted: 1982 Position: Right Fielder Walter Alston [74] Playing in the American League would allow Aaron to serve as a designated hitter rather than play in the field. [57] Aaron finished the season with 673 career home runs. Aaron's autobiography, I Had a Hammer was published in 1990. Serving from 1979 to 1990, Thatcher was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. [51], During his days in Atlanta, Aaron reached several milestones; he was only the eighth player ever to hit 500 career home runs, with his 500th coming against Mike McCormick of the San Francisco Giants on July 14, 1968exactly one year after former Milwaukee Braves teammate Eddie Mathews had hit his 500th. [3] Aaron's ability as a hitter can be illustrated by his still having over 3,000 hits even without counting any of his home runs. He could run, too: He retired with 240 career steals and was only the third player,. Although he batted cross-handed (as a right-handed hitter, with his left hand above his right), Aaron established himself as a power hitter. In a statement, the Braves said Aaron died peacefully. Aaron was 34 years, five months, and nine days old. 756 to Break Aaron's Record", "Midsummer Classics: Celebrating MLB's All-Star Game", "Hank Aaron praises Barry Bonds for home run record", "Craig Sager's backstory more colorful than his clothes", "Police recover both of Hank Aaron's stolen cars after Atlanta home burglarized", "Milo Hamilton made Hank Aaron's homer itself star of No. Hank, the superstar outfielder for the Atlanta Braves, was approaching what was then considered the greatest record in sports: the career home-run record of 714, held by the legendary. While the world knew him as Hammering Hank Aaron because of his incredible, record-setting baseball career, he was a cornerstone of our village, graciously and freely joining Mrs. Aaron in giving their presence and resources toward making our city a better place. After the game, Aaron said his only fear was that he might not live to see the 1974 season. Hank Aaron Stats. [19], On November 20, 1951, baseball scout Ed Scott signed Aaron to a contract on behalf of the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League, where he played for three months.[21]. home run record and Gerrit Cole broke the Yankees' single-season strikeouts record. [11] Tommie Aaron, one of his brothers, also went on to play Major League Baseball. The Braves legend, who died Friday at the age of 86, made history while receiving death threats and hate mail on the way to surpassing Ruth in the record books late in his Hall of Fame career, which spanned from 1954-1976. The Hall of Famer holds a host of records, from the most runs batted in (2,297), the most seasons as an. [64] Babe Ruth's widow, Claire Hodgson, denounced the racism and declared that her husband would have enthusiastically cheered Aaron's attempt at the record. Formally entitled a read more. Aaron . 11-20-1951 | Aaron is signed by scout Ed Scott to play for the Indianapolis Clowns. He didnt know what he was taking, he testified, and thought it was all natural. [38] In the same game, Eddie Mathews hit two home runs, the first of a record 863 home runs the pair would hit as teammates. CBS 46 and FOX 5 Atlanta were among those that first reported Aaron's death Friday. Judge is now just one dinger shy of the AL home run record, set at 61 by fellow Yankee Roger Maris back in 1961. . With 755 career home runs, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record by more than 40 home runs. On the Dodgers broadcast for Aarons 715th home run, Vin Scully took note of the momentous occasion both for baseball and society. Hank. Four days earlier, in Cincinnati, he had homered in his first at-bat of the season to tie Ruth at 714. Hank Aaron, one of baseball's all-time great home run hitters, has died. "[23] On March 13, 1954, Milwaukee Braves left fielder Bobby Thomson fractured his ankle while sliding into second base during a spring training game. [8] In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on its list of the "100 Greatest Baseball Players". [135] In 2001, a recreational trail in Milwaukee connecting American Family Field with Lake Michigan along the Menomonee River was dedicated as the "Hank Aaron State Trail". This is wrong. [58], Aaron himself downplayed the "chase" to surpass Babe Ruth, while baseball enthusiasts and the national media grew increasingly excited as he closed in on the 714 career home runs record. I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historical achievement. Similarly, the point where Aaron's 715th homer landed, upon breaking Ruth's career record in 1974, is marked in the Turner Field parking lot. "[34], That same year, Aaron met his future wife, Barbara Lucas. He hit home run number 713 on September 29, 1973, and with one day remaining in the season, many expected him to tie the record. He led the Braves to another pennant, but this time they lost a seven-game World Series to the Yankees. What a horrible sound. During his time in Major League Baseball, and especially during his run for the home run record, Aaron and his family endured extensive racist threats. [132] In July 2000 and again in July 2002, Aaron threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, played at Turner Field and Miller Park now named American Family Field, respectively. The award was created to honor Vince Lombardi's legacy and is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the coach. [145], On April 14, 2017, Aaron threw out the first pitch at SunTrust Park (now called Truist Park) at 83 years old. Aaron went 0 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts in Atlanta's 5-3 win over the Reds on April 7. Im proud of the home run record, but I dont talk about it because it brings back too many unpleasant memories.. He died on January 22, 2021, at age 86. That ball is gonna be-eee Outta here! [59], Aaron (then age 39) hit 40 home runs in 392 at-bats, ending the 1973 season one home run short of the record. All that hatred left a deep scar on me. The attack would result in the breaking of German defensive lines in just four days, eventually sending read more, North Vietnamese 2nd Division troops drive out of Laos and Cambodia to open a third front of their offensive in the Central Highlands, attacking at Kontum and Pleiku in an attempt to cut South Vietnam in two. That same year, MLB introduced the Hank Aaron Award to recognize the top offensive players in each league. He hit his 40th home run of the season against the Giants' Jerry Johnson on August 10, which established a National League record for most seasons with 40 or more home runs (seven). SCP Auctions reports that Barry Bonds' record 756th home run ball to pass Hank Aaron for first on the all-time home run list went for $752,467 in 2007, while No. At age 37, he hit a career-high 47 home runs during the season (along with a career-high .669 slugging percentage) and finished third in MVP voting for the sixth time. Kemp orders flags to fly at half-staff to honor Hank Aaron", "Georgia Governor Brian Kemp: flags to fly at half-staff in honor of Hank Aaron", "Statement of President Joe Biden on the Passing of Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron", "President Joe Biden calls Hank Aaron 'an American hero', "Atlanta Braves 44: Hank Aaron's number painted on the field", "World Series Game 3: Braves hold emotional tribute to Hank Aaron", "Aaron's spirit lives on in World Series tribute", "Atlanta Braves receive World Series rings featuring 18.71-karat white gold, 755 diamonds and, yes, pearls", "Are These the 4 Most Important Athletes in Atlanta History? A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. Playing in the infield, Aaron continued to develop as a ballplayer and made the Northern League's All-Star team. [44], Sal Maglie recommended throwing low curveballs to Aaron. If dogs had eaten off those plates, they'd have washed them. Lucy says in the August 11 strip, "Hank Aaron is a great player but you! Baseball legend Hank Aaron, who broke Babe Ruth's career home run record, has died, the Atlanta Braves announced Friday. [52] Aaron was, at the time, the second-youngest player to reach the milestone. Aaron broke Ruths record on April 8, 1974 at Atlantas Fulton County Stadium against Al Downing and the Dodgers. Newspaper cartoonist Charles Schulz created a series of Peanuts strips printed in August 1973 in which Snoopy attempts to break the Ruth record, only to be besieged with hate mail. [100][101], Aaron died in his sleep in his Atlanta residence on January 22, 2021 at the age of 86. Aaron owned Hank Aaron BMW of south Atlanta in Union City, Georgia, where he included an autographed baseball with every car sold. It's gone! Aaron holds the MLB records for the most career runs batted in (RBIs) (2,297), extra base hits (1,477), and total bases (6,856). to 483 B.C. Active in the civil rights movement, the priest encouraged Aaron to be more publicly vocal about causes he believed in.