[148], Atlanta-area sports teams planned to honor Aaron during the 2021 seasons. A seven-time NL MVP, the 43-year-old Bonds hit his 22nd home run of the year. Hank Aaron Timeline - Hank Aaron's 755 Home Runs [11] In addition, Aaron hit for a .336 batting average. But for Aaron, the journey to 715 home runs was much more complex. [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. We've received your submission. In April 1997, a new baseball facility for the AA Mobile Bay Bears constructed in Aaron's hometown of Mobile, Alabama was named Hank Aaron Stadium. Aaron reportedly received 930,000 pieces of mail in 1973 the year before he broke Ruths record with enough including threats that the FBI got involved to protect him and his family. Aaron would finish the season in Atlanta, go back to Milwaukee for two seasons as the Brewers' DH and end his career with 755 home runs. Does Hank Aaron's Home Run Record Really Stack Up Against Babe Ruth [129] Later that year, he ranked fifth on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players,[130] and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. I was just a man doing something that God had given me the power to do, and I was living like an outcast in my own country. 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). 02-05-1934 | Aaron is born on a Monday in Mobile, Alabama. [114], The Atlanta Braves honored Hank Aaron during the 2021 season by including his jersey number 44 on the back of the team caps along with Phil Niekro's jersey number, 35 (who died one month earlier in December 2020). [11] Although he appeared in just 87 games, he scored 89 runs, had 116 hits, nine home runs, and 61 RBIs. When the stadium was instead named Turner Field (after Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner), a section of Capitol Avenue running past the stadium was renamed Hank Aaron Drive. Thanks for contacting us. Hank Aaron's 715th home run: What to remember about Braves' legend I didnt read most of them, but I wanted to have them as reminders, Aaron later wrote in his autobiography I Had a Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story.. 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. He played two out of three and tied Babe Ruth's record on April 4, 1974, in his very first at-bat on his first swing of the seasonoff Reds pitcher Jack Billingham, but did not hit another home run in the series.[66]. [11] Aaron did his part by hitting .393 with three homers and seven RBIs. Robinson, who also bats second, homers in his first at-bat in Cleveland's 5-3 win. According to the Hall of Fame 's stats keepers, Aaron leads both leagues in all-time ribbies, with 2.297 runs batted in during his storied career. Henry Louis Aaron Jr., born in Mobile, Alabama, on February 5, 1934, made his Major League debut in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves, just seven years after Jackie Robinson broke baseballs color barrier and became the first African American to play in the majors. 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]. He again finished third in National League MVP voting. He had 100+ RBIs in a season 15 times, including a record of 13 in a row. While cannons were fired in celebration, two college students [67] sprinted onto the field and jogged alongside Aaron for part of his circuit around the bases, temporarily startling him. Hank Aaron - Death, Stats & Facts - Biography I move over now and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historical achievement. As Aaron hammered closer to Ruth's 714 home runs, he . 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. Who is the true home run king? Barry Bonds-Hank Aaron debate continues 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.. It was presented during the university's unified commencement ceremony and was accepted on his behalf by his widow Billye. This made him one of the first minorities in Major League Baseball upper-level management. Nearly 28 years earlier, the read more, Pirates had not captured a ship sailing under the American flag since the 1820s until April 8, 2009, when the MV Maersk Alabama was hijacked off the coast of Somalia. Hank Aaron was a Major League Baseball player that is considered by many the greatest baseball player ever. [112][113] He also received tributes from former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Or will it be remembered as the season in which Aaron, the most dignified of athletes, was besieged with hate mail and trapped by the cobwebs and goblins that lurk in baseball's attic? Vin Scully calls Hank Aaron's historic 715th home run - YouTube His average was .319, .007 behind the leader. [11] Although Dodgers outfielder Bill Buckner nearly went over the outfield fence trying to catch it, the ball flew into the Braves' bullpen, where relief pitcher Tom House caught it. It's gone! Hank Aaron hits home run No. Lucy says in the August 11 strip, "Hank Aaron is a great player but you! This is wrong. [4] By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. Hank Aaron. [35] In 1958, Aaron hit .326, with 30 home runs and 95 RBIs. [105], Upon Aaron's death, the sports world expressed their condolences to him. [46][47] In 1956, Aaron hit .328 and captured the first of two NL batting titles. Henry Aaron hits home run No. 715 | Baseball Hall of Fame [44], Sal Maglie recommended throwing low curveballs to Aaron. Hank Greenberg, 1938 Tigers: 58; Jimmie Foxx, 1932 Athletics: 58; . He and his wife first became interested in the faith after the birth of their first child, whom they baptized immediately. (Neil Leifer/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) Aaron hit 40 home runs in the 1973 season, bringing his career total to 713, one run short of the record. Hank Aaron home run video | 11alive.com 1974 Hank Aaron Record Home Run #715 Framed Newspaper Print document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. I resented it, and I still resent it. 714. The high-profile incident drew worldwide attention to the problem of piracy, commonly believed to be a thing of read more, On April 8, 1990, 18-year-old Ryan White dies of pneumonia, due to having contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion. [122] The award is given annually to the baseball hitters voted the most effective in each respective league. on April 8th, 1974 he hit his 715th home run, which broke the then record of 714 held by Babe Ruth. [31] On January 21, 2007, Major League Baseball announced the sale of the Atlanta Braves. That record would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds . [11] The 1952 season proved to be very beneficial for Aaron. 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. Aaron lived in the Atlanta area. Baseball Almanac - Hank Aaron Home Run Logs Hank Aaron still holds the real home run record - New York Post [128] The award honors the best overall offensive performer in the American and National League. Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, who battled racial prejudice and hatred on his way to breaking the major leagues' career home run record, has died at the age of 86, the Atlanta . Hank Aaron dies: MLB Hall of Famer, former home run king dead at 86 READ MORE: When Hank Aaron Passed the Babe, Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruths all-time home run record, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/aaron-sets-new-home-run-record. Politicians also paid tribute to him. [134] He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, from President George W. Bush in June 2002. He died on January 22, 2021, at age 86. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. [121] In 1988, Aaron was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame for his time spent on the Eau Claire Bears, Milwaukee Braves, and Milwaukee Brewers. Hank Aaron, baseball legend who broke Babe Ruth's career home run The Braves opened the season on the road in Cincinnati with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. Hank Aaron's Greatness, by the Numbers - The Ringer Eric Robert Rudolph was born read more. Hank Aaron hits his 714th home run, tying Babe Ruth for the home-run record Barry Bonds remembers Hank Aaron as 'icon' after complicat Daniel Jones needs to see big picture in Giants negotiations, Red-hot Jon Rahm no match for wind-swept Bay Hill: 'F--king hard', The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Amazin' But True: A NY Mets Baseball Podcast, Gangs All Here: A NY Jets Football Podcast, Kellyanne Conway and George Conway to divorce, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave. [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]. Now the Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School, 500 St. Anthony St., Mobile. He could run, too: He retired with 240 career steals and was only the third player,. 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. It is as of yet the only pennant-clinching walk-off home run in major league history in a non-playoff regular-season game. That whole period, I lived like a guy in a fishbowl, swimming from side to side with nowhere to go, watching everybody watch me. Research is still ongoing and we'll continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. He divorced Barbara in 1971 and married Billye Suber Williams on November 13, 1973. Four days earlier, in Cincinnati, he had homered in his first at-bat of the season to tie Ruth at 714. On May 1, 1975, Aaron broke baseball's all-time RBI record, previously held by Ruth with 2,213. Aaron broke Ruths record on April 8, 1974 at Atlantas Fulton County Stadium against Al Downing and the Dodgers. Hank Aaron Home Runs By Season | StatMuse Hank Aaron went yard 13 times in his rookie season in 1954. [79][80] Over the course of his record-breaking 23-year career, Aaron had a batting average of .305 and 163 hits a season, while averaging just over 32 home runs and 99 RBIs a year. Hank has 3,771 hits and even at the end of 1973 season (his 20th season) he still had 3,509 hits before breaking Babe Ruth's home run record in 1974. Whats that you say? Hank Aaron, who hit 755 career home runs in the baseball's . 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. Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Friday. Braves management wanted him to break the record in Atlanta and was therefore going to have Aaron sit out the first three games of the season. I was a prisoner in my own apartment. 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. [73] The Braves offered Aaron a position with the team when he retired, but the role would be more in public relations, rather than one where he could evaluate talent.[74]. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. He was also named The Sporting News NL Player of the Year. 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. [29], The Braves assigned Aaron to the Eau Claire Bears, the Braves' Northern League Class-C farm team. [85][non-primary source needed] As Bonds began to close in on the record during the 2007 season, Aaron let it be known that, although he recognized Bonds' achievements, he would not be present when Bonds broke the record. [37] On April 13, Aaron made his major league debut and was hitless in five at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds' left-hander Joe Nuxhall. 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. Former home run record-holder and Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron is awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities during commencement for the class of 2011 at Princeton University, in Princeton . 755", "Bonds Hits No. The location of where Hank Aaron's record 755th home run landed has been monumented in Milwaukee. But two other men were enshrined in history with him - Clifford Courtenay and Britt Gaston. Remembering the Day Hank Aaron Broke Babe Ruth's Home Run Record In 1935, Babe Ruth hit his final and 714th home run, a record that would stand for 39 years. [48], After the 1976 season, Aaron rejoined the Braves as an executive. Longtime MLB home run king Hank Aaron dies at 86 - ESPN.com He didnt know what he was taking, he testified, and thought it was all natural. [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. That same year, baseball fans named Aaron to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Today in Baseball History: Hank Aaron breaks Babe Ruth's home run record While with the Clowns he experienced racism. [36], In 1954, Aaron attended spring training with the major league club. Babe Ruth ended his career with 2,873 hits after 22 seasons. Aaron went 0 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts in Atlanta's 5-3 win over the Reds on April 7. He started play as a 6ft (180cm), 180lb (82kg) shortstop,[22] and earned $200 per month. On board is astronaut Ellen Ochoa, soon to become the first Hispanic woman in space. [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". Of a time his team was in Washington, D.C. Aaron recalled: We had breakfast while we were waiting for the rain to stop, and I can still envision sitting with the Clowns in a restaurant behind Griffith Stadium and hearing them break all the plates in the kitchen after we finished eating. [106][107] Fans paid tribute to Aaron by placing flowers in front of the home run wall where he hit his 715th home run at the former site of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and in front of his statue at Truist Park.[108]. Although he was on the roster of its farm club, Milwaukee manager Charley Grimm later stated, "From the start, he did so well I knew we were going to have to carry him. Aaron has the second most home runs ever? [49], In 1963, Aaron nearly won the triple crown. This one has been a long time in the making. [35] Two days later, one of the children died. [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. The act was unprecedented and read more, On April 8, 1994, rock star Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home in Seattle, Washington, with fresh injection marks in both arms and a fatal wound to the head from the 20-gauge shotgun found between his knees. [11] Helped by Aaron's performance, the Braves won the league championship that year. [71] Aaron commented after the game that it was his last time as a player in Atlanta as his contract had expired. 4/8/74: Vin Scully calls Hank Aaron's milestone home run as he passes Babe Ruth for the most career home runs when he slugs his 715th homerCheck out http://m. All that hatred left a deep scar on me. Number six-hundred forty-nine (649) was hit on June 10, 1972 and it is significant because it passed Willie Mays and made Hank Aaron the all-time home run leader in the National League. A crowd of 53,775 people, the largest in the. Vin Scully calls Hank Aaron's historic 715th home run [31], In December 1980, Aaron became senior vice president and assistant to the Braves' president. The Braves returned to Atlanta, and on April 8, 1974, a crowd of 53,775 people showed up for the gamea Braves attendance record. There is also a statue of him as an 18-year-old shortstop outside Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he played his first season in the Braves' minor league system. Aaron attended the dedication. Ochoa started at NASA in 1988 after receiving a doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford read more, Eric Rudolph agrees to plead guilty to a series of bombings, including the fatal bombing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, in order to avoid the death penalty. [119], Aaron was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1976, from the NAACP. ", "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? [11][12] He had seven siblings. While preparing the massive coverage of the home run record, he quietly had an obituary written, afraid that Aaron might be murdered.[62]. Statistic Description: Home Runs Hit/Allowed. In spite of all of the things that I went through Ive always been able to separate the two, Aaron said in a 2014 interview with CNN. During the strike-shortened season of 1972, Aaron tied and then surpassed Willie Mays for second place on the career home run list. Aaron's legacy has and will always be. They were also the first siblings to appear in a League Championship Series as teammates.[13]. There's a new home run champion of all time, and it's Henry Aaron! In 1986, Hank Aaron made a guest appearance in "Just Another Fox in the Crowd", episode 30 of Crazy Like a Fox. We've received your submission. The next day, he made history back home. [118], In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. Obituary: Hank Aaron, baseball great who became voice for civil rights, dies at 86 Photos: The life and . Braves management wanted Hank to break the record in Atlanta and so they planned to sit him out that first series. [11] On September 23, 1957, in Milwaukee, Aaron hit a two-run walk-off home run against the St. Louis Cardinals, clinching the pennant for the Braves. [36], The stint in Puerto Rico also allowed Aaron to avoid being drafted into military service. To many baseball fans, it won't matter, Hank Aaron is the home run . Home run number seven-hundred fourteen (714) tied Babe Ruth and seven-hundred fifteen (715) made Hank Aaron the all-time home . Hank Aaron wore this jersey when he hit his 715th home run on April 8, 1974. As a result, in 1949, at the age of 15, Aaron had his first tryout with an MLB franchise, the Brooklyn Dodgers; however, he did not make the team. [23] On June 12, 1952, Aaron signed with Braves' scout Dewey Griggs. Hank Aaron - IMDb Hank Aaron & Barry Bonds Retirement (2002)", "Hank Aaron, Home Run King Who Defied Racism, Dies at 86", "Famous Religious Conversions Hank Aaron", "Baseball's home run king Hank Aaron fought racism on and off the field", "Hall of Famer Hank Aaron's death unrelated to Covid-19 vaccination", "Health experts urge confidence in vaccine after superstar's death", "Baseball legend Hank Aaron got virus vaccine earlier in January", "Hall of Famer Henry "Hank" Aaron dies at 86", "Hank Aaron, baseball legend and former home run king, dies at 86", "Private funeral service for Hank Aaron announced", "Tributes pour in honoring the legendary Hank Aaron", "Players, celebrities and fans react to the death of baseball legend Hank Aaron", "Gov. On January 5, 2021, Aaron publicly received a COVID-19 vaccination with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine[99] at the Morehouse School of Medicine at Atlanta, Georgia. [5] His experiences fueled his activism during the civil rights movement.[6]. [123] In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Aaron on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans. It is expected the Gwinnett County professional teams, the AAA Gwinnett Stripers (2021 season) and AA Atlanta Gladiators (202122 season), will also be involved in temporarily retiring Aaron's 44. Hank Aaron Significant Home Runs. Barry Bonds is the home run king - but Hank Aaron's legacy runs deeper There's a drive into left-center field. His closest competition is Hank Aaron who "only" hit home runs in every possible ballpark during nine seasons! Judge is now just one dinger shy of the AL home run record, set at 61 by fellow Yankee Roger Maris back in 1961. . His debut generates a buzz throughout the sports world. On May 17, Aaron collected his 3,000th hit, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, the team against which he played in his first major-league game. Where Hank Aaron does stand out is in the total number of hits. His teammates are at home plate. At the end of the 1969 season, Aaron again finished third in the MVP voting.