My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams.[87]. Aaron grew up in a poor family. Four days earlier, in Cincinnati, he had homered in his first at-bat of the season to tie Ruth at 714. He was named to the NL All-Star roster for the first time; it was the first of a record 21 All-Star selections and first of a record 25 All-Star Game appearances. 02-05-1934 | Aaron is born on a Monday in Mobile, Alabama. Hank Aaron, one of baseball's all-time great home run hitters, has died. 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. On board is astronaut Ellen Ochoa, soon to become the first Hispanic woman in space. [140], In 2011, the President of Princeton University Shirley M. Tilghman awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree to Aaron. In a statement, the Braves said Aaron died peacefully. Lewis Grizzard, then-executive sports editor of The Atlanta Journal, reported receiving numerous phone calls calling journalists "nigger lovers" for covering Aaron's chase. Even if the five Negro League home runs do get added eventually, Aaron would still be two short of Barry Bonds's 762 homers. Aaron spent his 23-year big league career with two organizations. Aaron broke Babe Ruth's career home run record in 1974 despite enduring racism and went on to hit 755 homers in a 23-year career. Aaron got his start playing for. [127], On February 5, 1999, at his 65th birthday celebration, Major League Baseball announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award. This is wrong. The Atlanta Braves great, who smashed Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, died Jan. 22. [42], Considerably later in his career, Aaron coined "Stone-fingers", which would prove a popular handle for one of baseball's more colorful characters, the famously distance-hitting but defensively challenged first baseman Dick Stuart,[43] reportedly "delight[ing]" even its recipient. Braves management wanted Hank to break the record in Atlanta and so they planned to sit him out that first series. His closest competition is Hank Aaron who "only" hit home runs in every possible ballpark during nine seasons! Where Hank Aaron does stand out is in the total number of hits. Cobains suicide brought an end to a life marked by far more read more, Who killed Laura Palmer? was the question on everyones mind on the night of April 8, 1990, when David Lynchs surreal television drama Twin Peaks premiered on ABC. During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. 715 call", "Stuart Ranks Next to Foxx; Sox' 2nd Best Righty Slugger", "This Day in Black Sports History: February 5, 1934", "Hank Aaron explains how he is a fan of the Browns", "Hank Aaron Reunites with Valdosta Man who Followed him onto Field", "Ted Turner, Hank Aaron influenced each other as well as Georgia", "Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame Members by Year", Play-by-Play Audio of Aaron's 715th Home Run, Major League Baseball Player of the Month, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hank_Aaron&oldid=1141128927, October 3,1976,for theMilwaukee Brewers, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 14:06. [118], In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. His daughter told. [136], In 2002, Aaron was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. However, some observers looked back on Aaron's personal history, pointing out that he had downplayed his own breaking of Babe Ruth's all-time record and suggesting Aaron was simply treating Bonds in a similar fashion. Aaron was born and raised in and around Mobile, Alabama. Aaron was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982, and now works in the front office for the Atlanta Braves. [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. [11] In addition, Aaron hit for a .336 batting average. In that announcement, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig also announced that Aaron would be playing a major role in the management of the Braves,[82] forming programs through major league baseball that will encourage the influx of minorities into baseball. [76] Minor league right-handed pitcher Roger Alexander was sent to the Braves to complete the transaction at the Winter Meetings one month later on December 2. [150], In 2022, a recording of the WSB broadcast of the April 8, 1974, BravesDodgers game in which Aaron hit his 715th home run was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry. [35] In 1958, Aaron hit .326, with 30 home runs and 95 RBIs. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. All Rights Reserved. For three decades the baseball player Hank Aaron, who has died aged 86, held the record for hitting more home runs - 755 - than anyone in major league history, and will be remembered in. [c] In that season, Aaron became the third player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a single season, and the first player to record 40 home runs and 30 steals in a season. Aaron led the league in runs (115), hits (208), doubles (36), RBIs (125), total bases (338), and batting average (.362). A crowd of 53,775 people, the largest in the. Hank Aaron, Major League Baseball's former home-run king and a cornerstone of the Atlanta Braves franchise, died on Friday. 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. [18] Aaron was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. Baseball's all-time home run king, Hank Aaron did more than hit home runs. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973 and is one of only two players to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times.[1]. He had been given six months to live in December of 1984 but defied expectations and lived for five more years, during which time his story helped educate the read more, On April 8, 1993, the space shuttle Discovery lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center. What a horrible sound. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season. He then changed his number to 44, which would turn out to look like a "lucky number" for the slugger. The moment is still frozen in time: Hank Aaron rounding the bases after hitting his record 715th home run when, suddenly, two young fans ran up from behind to pat him on the shoulder. Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms released the following statement on his death: Derek, our family and I join the nation in sending heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Billye Aaron, the beautiful wife of Henry Hank Aaron for nearly 50 years, and the entire family. [146][147], The Elite Development Invitational, a youth baseball tournament organized by the Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association to increase diversity in the sport, was renamed the Hank Aaron Invitational for the 2019 season. Until then, Aaron had hit most pitches to left field or center field, but after working with Owen, Aaron was able to hit the ball more effectively all over the field. By 1969, his chances of breaking the Babe's record were in sight. 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. Aaron owned Hank Aaron BMW of south Atlanta in Union City, Georgia, where he included an autographed baseball with every car sold. By Alyse Shorland, CNN (CNN) - The night of April 8, 1974, Braves outfielder Hank Aaron hit home-run number 715, broke the record held by the legendary Babe Ruth and became, at that time, the home-run leader in baseball. "[45], Aaron hit .314 with 27 home runs and 106 RBIs, in 1955. [11] Although he appeared in just 87 games, he scored 89 runs, had 116 hits, nine home runs, and 61 RBIs. On April 4, Opening Day, a 39-year-old Aaron sent the very first pitch he saw over the wall,. [11] During his minor league experience, he was very homesick and faced constant racism, but his brother, Herbert Jr., told him not to give up the opportunity. Sure, Aaron led the National League (NL) four times, he also was a two-time batting champion and led the league in RBIs four times and runs scored three times. Pujols . On the Dodgers broadcast for Aarons 715th home run, Vin Scully took note of the momentous occasion both for baseball and society. Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's home run record eleven years ago By Jordan Shusterman August 7, 2018 On August 7, 2007, Barry Bonds punctuated his gradual, if inevitable climb to the top of the all-time home run list with an iconic blast to center field at AT&T Park for career home run No. Aaron had seven siblings, including Tommie Aaron, who played major-league baseball with him. Hank Aaron was a tremendous ambassador for baseball, and we can think of one way baseball can honor him in death. [120] In 1977, Aaron received the American Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award. He added 22 more in 1975 and 1976, finally calling it a career with 755 career home runs. [32] The 1950s were a period of racial segregation in parts of the United States, especially the southeastern portion of the country. The next day, Aaron made his first spring training start for the Braves major league team, playing in left field and hitting a home run. 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. Braves announcer Milo Hamilton, calling the game on WSB radio, described the scene as Aaron broke the record: Henry Aaron, in the second inning walked and scored. He was 86. Hank Aaron, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, died Friday at age 86. Robinson, who also bats second, homers in his first at-bat in Cleveland's 5-3 win. [11] Over the next 122 games, Aaron batted .280 with 13 homers before he suffered a fractured ankle on September 5. I was a prisoner in my own apartment. . 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. During his rookie year, his other well-known nicknames, "Hammerin' Hank" (by teammates) and "Bad Henry" (by opposing pitchers) are reported to have arisen. Eric Robert Rudolph was born read more. I had nowhere to go except home and to the ballpark, home and to the ballpark. 756. [88] Aaron also owned Mini, Land Rover, Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda dealerships throughout Georgia, as part of the Hank Aaron Automotive Group. [18] This led Hank Aaron to a major league contract, signed on the final day of spring training, and a Braves uniform with the number five. 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. [141][142], In November 2015, Aaron was one of the five inaugural recipients of the Portrait of a Nation Prize, an award granted by the National Portrait Gallery in recognition of "exemplary achievements in the fields of civil rights, business, entertainment, science, and sports. [8], In 1999, major league baseball created the Hank Aaron Award, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Aaron's surpassing of Babe Ruth's career home run mark of 714 home runs and to honor Aaron's contributions to baseball. He led the league with 44 home runs and 130 RBIs and finished third in batting average. If successful, this would give North Vietnam control of the northern read more, President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorizes almost $5 million to implement work-relief programs on this day in 1935. Sports Illustrated pointedly summarized the racist vitriol that Aaron was forced to endure: Is this to be the year in which Aaron, at the age of thirty-nine, takes a moon walk above one of the most hallowed individual records in American sport? 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. Our gratitude, thoughts and prayers are with the Aaron family. [109], Georgia governor Brian Kemp ordered flags in the state of Georgia to be lowered half-staff in honor of him. He played right field for the Milwaukee Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers. [52] Aaron was, at the time, the second-youngest player to reach the milestone. Sports Illustrated commemorates Hank Aaron's record-setting home run in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. Aaron was known to frequently read Thomas Kempis' 15th-century book The Imitation of Christ, which he kept in his locker. Aaron . [65] As the 1974 season began, Aaron's pursuit of the record caused a small controversy. [22] On August 1, 1982, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, having received votes on 97.8 percent of the ballots, second only to Ty Cobb, who had received votes on 98.2% of the ballot in the inaugural 1936 Hall of Fame election. To many baseball fans, it won't matter, Hank Aaron is the home run . [119], Aaron was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1976, from the NAACP. We've received your submission. "[90][91], Aaron was Catholic, having converted in 1959 with his family. He was one of the first African Americans to play in the league. That record would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds . [133], On January 8, 2001, Aaron was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton. 714. Hank Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. After the game, Aaron said his only fear was that he might not live to see the 1974 season. Aaron broke Ruths record on April 8, 1974 at Atlantas Fulton County Stadium against Al Downing and the Dodgers. A 6-foot, 180-pounder, Aaron broke Babe Ruth's hallowed home run mark on April 8, 1974, slugging his record 715th off . In 1935, Babe Ruth hit his final and 714th home run, a record that would stand for 39 years. It's 715! [100][101], Aaron died in his sleep in his Atlanta residence on January 22, 2021 at the age of 86. 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. [54] Aaron established the record for most seasons with thirty or more home runs in the National League. [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. If dogs had eaten off those plates, they'd have washed them. However, as Aaron was an African American who had received death threats and racist hate mail during his pursuit of one of baseballs most distinguished records, the achievement was bittersweet. to 483 B.C. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission. It is a great accomplishment that required skill, longevity, and determination. [11] While on the Bears, Aaron earned $3 per game ($30 today), which was a dollar more than he got while on the Athletics. Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 - January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. He started play as a 6ft (180cm), 180lb (82kg) shortstop,[22] and earned $200 per month. 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). Aaron, known as hard working and quiet, was the last Negro league player to also compete in the Major Leagues. Actor: MacGyver. On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron homered for the 715th time in the majors, breaking Babe Ruth's all-time record as America reckoned with his astounding achievements as a player and a man.
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