hank aaron home run record
Aaron was born and raised in and around Mobile, Alabama. 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. Though the Korean War was over, people were still being drafted. [110][111], US President Joe Biden paid tribute to Aaron by releasing a statement calling him "an American hero". Aaron received thousands of letters every week during the summer of 1973, including hate mail; the Braves ended up hiring a secretary to help him sort through it. All Rights Reserved. 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. [35] In 1958, Aaron's wife noted that during the off-season he liked "to sit and watch those shooting westerns". He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. It is a great accomplishment that required skill, longevity, and determination. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, and is the only player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times. He died on January 22, 2021, at age 86. He is one of only four players to have at least 17 seasons with 150 or more hits. "Maybe I was unnerved by all the attention," read more, On April 8, 1975, against the New York Yankees in Cleveland, the Indians' Frank Robinson becomes the first African American to manage a game in Major League Baseball. He then changed his number to 44, which would turn out to look like a "lucky number" for the slugger. A young Craig Sager actually interviewed Aaron between third and home for a television station, WXLT (now WWSB-Channel 40) in Sarasota. Lucy says in the August 11 strip, "Hank Aaron is a great player but you! Atlanta Braves' Hank Aaron (44) breaks Babe Ruth's record for career home runs as he hits his 715th off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing in the fourth inning of the game opener at Atlanta . 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. 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. 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. And Aaron showed grace and humility when he congratulated Bonds for beating his mark, though it was clear to everyone that it was tainted. Hank Aaron, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, died Friday at age 86. "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. [125] Georgia State University acquired Turner Field and has since rebuilt it as Center Parc Stadium, in 2017, and university officials plan to build a new baseball park on the former AtlantaFulton County Stadium site, incorporating the left field wall where Aaron hit his record-breaking home run. 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. Yankees outfielder growing golf profile alongside Tiger Wo 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. The Braves opened the season on the road in Cincinnati with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. Years later, Aaron remembered: I had the Giants' contract in my hand. [133], On January 8, 2001, Aaron was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton. Here's the pitch by Downing. Hank Greenberg, 1938 Tigers: 58; Jimmie Foxx, 1932 Athletics: 58; . Hank Aaron, one of baseball's all-time great home run hitters, has died. Aaron was the first player to reach both Hall-worthy batting thresholds of 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. [48], After the 1976 season, Aaron rejoined the Braves as an executive. Free shipping for many products! Playing in the infield, Aaron continued to develop as a ballplayer and made the Northern League's All-Star team. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. The 20 home runs Aaron hit in 1974 were the third-most ever by a player 40 or older. [31] On January 21, 2007, Major League Baseball announced the sale of the Atlanta Braves. Many current or former athletes and team owners such as MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, Magic Johnson, David Ortiz, Dusty Baker, Eduardo Prez, Mike Trout, and Baseball Hall of Fame chairman Jane Forbes Clark paid tribute to him. Aaron went 0 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts in Atlanta's 5-3 win over the Reds on April 7. 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. [11] Over the next 122 games, Aaron batted .280 with 13 homers before he suffered a fractured ankle on September 5. 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. 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. [10], Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama, to Herbert Aaron Sr. and Estella (Pritchett) Aaron. On April 8, 1974, Aaron hit his 715th home run, breaking Ruth's record and in doing so, received the undying support of the fans. After touching home plate he was carried off the field by his teammates. Mickey Owen, the team's manager, helped Aaron with his batting stance. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. That whole period, I lived like a guy in a fishbowl, swimming from side to side with nowhere to go, watching everybody watch me. Hank Aaron Significant Home Runs. [60], He was the recipient of death threats and a large assortment of hate mail during the 19731974 offseason from people who did not want to see Aaron break Ruth's nearly sacrosanct home run record. During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. Aaron would hit 44 home runs in four different seasons,[40] and he hit his record-breaking 715th career home run off Dodgers pitcher Al Downing, who coincidentally also wore number 44. 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. Coincidentally, Snoopy was only one home run short of tying the record (and finished the season as such when Charlie Brown got picked off during Snoopy's last at-bat), and as it turned out, Aaron finished the 1973 season one home run short of Ruth. [4] By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. [118], In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. But it was Hammerin' Hank's sweet home run swing for which he was best known. On October 6, Aaron and Lucas married. 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. [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. Postal Service for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians. It's 715! While he considered retirement, he said that he was willing to return to baseball for another year. Home run number seven-hundred fourteen (714) tied Babe Ruth and seven-hundred fifteen (715) made Hank Aaron the all-time home . Braves management wanted Hank to break the record in Atlanta and so they planned to sit him out that first series. He would create his own bats and balls out of materials he found on the streets. [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. [148], Atlanta-area sports teams planned to honor Aaron during the 2021 seasons. 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 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. ATLANTA It's one of the most iconic sports photos of all time: Hammerin' Hank Aaron running the bases after hitting the record-breaking 715th home run at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Aaron grew up in a poor family. "And he'll hit almost anything, so you have to be careful. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Aaron's record was . [55] As the year came to a close, Aaron broke Stan Musial's major-league record for total bases (6,134),[56] the record he was the most proud of since it reflected his overall performance as a hitter and team player. [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. Milwaukee went on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees, the defending champions, 4 games to 3. 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. 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. Considered one of the greatest baseball players in history, he spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL). [63], At the end of the 1973 season, Aaron received a plaque from the U.S. 1:28. [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]. 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 . [11] Aaron did his part by hitting .393 with three homers and seven RBIs. [35], Aaron spent the winter of 1953 playing in Puerto Rico. 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. [131], In June 2000 Tufts University awarded Aaron an honorary Doctor of Public Service. Baseball legend Hank Aaron, who broke Babe Ruth's career home run record, has died, the Atlanta Braves announced Friday. [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. [33] The Braves' manager, Ben Geraghty, tried his best to help Aaron on and off the field. Aaron helped lead the Clowns to victory in the 1952 Negro League World Series. The alternative high school had been named after Nathan Bedford Forrest, a general in the Confederate Army and the Ku Klux Klan's first Grand Wizard. [15] Aaron attended Central High School[b] as a freshman and a sophomore. His average was .319, .007 behind the leader. Hoping to lift the country out of the crippling Great Depression, Congress allowed the president to use the funds at his discretion. [52] Aaron was, at the time, the second-youngest player to reach the milestone. He had 100+ RBIs in a season 15 times, including a record of 13 in a row. 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. [11][12] He had seven siblings. We've received your submission. 2 all-time, died January 22. Aaron was known to frequently read Thomas Kempis' 15th-century book The Imitation of Christ, which he kept in his locker. After the game, Aaron said his only fear was that he might not live to see the 1974 season. Aaron owned Hank Aaron BMW of south Atlanta in Union City, Georgia, where he included an autographed baseball with every car sold. [81] Aaron was then named the Braves' vice president and director of player development. 11-20-1951 | Aaron is signed by scout Ed Scott to play for the Indianapolis Clowns. [116][117] After the Braves won the 2021 World Series, Aaron was honored in the design of the team's World Series championship ring, which includes 755 total diamonds to commemorate Aaron's career home runs, and 44 emerald-cut diamonds to represent Aaron's jersey number with the Braves. [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. 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. In 1986, Hank Aaron made a guest appearance in "Just Another Fox in the Crowd", episode 30 of Crazy Like a Fox. A 6-foot, 180-pounder, Aaron broke Babe Ruth's hallowed home run mark on April 8, 1974, slugging his record 715th off . [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. Im proud of the home run record, but I dont talk about it because it brings back too many unpleasant memories.. CBS 46 and FOX 5 Atlanta were among those that first reported Aaron's death Friday. [65] As the 1974 season began, Aaron's pursuit of the record caused a small controversy. He was named a 2010 Georgia Trustee by the Georgia Historical Society in recognition of accomplishments that reflect the ideals of Georgia's founders. 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. In most circumstances, the team was responsible for arranging housing and meals for its players, but Aaron often had to make his own arrangements. He finished with 755 overall before retiring after the 1976 season. He broke the long-standing MLB record for home runs held by Babe Ruth and remained the career leader for 33 years. [50] In 1968, Aaron was the first Atlanta Braves player to hit his 500th career home run, and in 1970, he was the first Atlanta Brave to reach 3,000 career hits. [23] During this time, he picked up the nickname "pork chops" because it "was the only thing I knew to order off the menu". 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. 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? 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. 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. [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 was with the Braves from 1954 to 1974first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta, when the franchise moved in 1966and closed it out with two seasons back in Milwaukee for the Brewers. [48] He batted .322, placing third, and led the league in home runs and runs batted in. Aaron was on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service. "[95] Sablica said in an interview that he wouldn't have blamed Aaron if he stopped practicing, and Aaron indeed attended Friendship Baptist Church toward the end of his lifenoting in his autobiography that he didn't remain Catholic for very long after converting. By the time Aaron retired, he and his brother held the record for most career home runs by a pair of siblings (768). During the strike-shortened season of 1972, Aaron tied and then surpassed Willie Mays for second place on the career home run list. The naked body of the blonde homecoming queen was found washed up on the shore wrapped in plastic in the shows read more, On April 8, 1904, with war in Europe a decade away, Britain and France sign an agreement, later known as the Entente Cordiale, resolving long-standing colonial disputes in North Africa and establishing a diplomatic understanding between the two countries. "He taught me what life was all about. Even if the five Negro League home runs do get added eventually, Aaron would still be two short of Barry Bonds's 762 homers. . [70], On October 2, 1974, Aaron hit his 733rd home run in his last at-bat as a Braves player. [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. Baseball's all-time home run king, Hank Aaron did more than hit home runs. Aaron . Aaron played the vast majority of his MLB games in right field, though he appeared at several other infield and outfield positions. 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. He won the NL's Most Valuable Player award in 1957 and has a lifetime batting average of .305. 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. He could run, too: He retired with 240 career steals and was only the third player,. [123] In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Aaron on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans. [54] Aaron established the record for most seasons with thirty or more home runs in the National League. At the end of the season, Aaron, who had a prior relationship with Brewers owner Bud Selig, requested a trade to Milwaukee. [102][103][104], His funeral was held on January 27, followed by his burial at South-View Cemetery. [11] Tommie Aaron, one of his brothers, also went on to play Major League Baseball. 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. 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. On May 10, 1967, he hit an inside-the-park home run against Jim Bunning in Philadelphia. [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]. The spot sits outside American Family Field, where the Milwaukee Brewers currently play. 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. On April 27, 1971, Aaron hit his 600th career home run, the third major league player ever to do so. The nickname quickly gained currency, but "Henry" continued to be cited frequently in the media, both sometimes appearing in the same article, and Aaron would answer to either one. MLB, give him back his home run record. Hank Aaron's most notable achievement was breaking the career home run record set by Babe Ruth. [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. [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. In 1957, Aaron won his only NL MVP Award,[11] as he had his first brush with the triple crown. Hank Aaron wore this jersey when he hit his 715th home run on April 8, 1974. Aaron's achievements didn't end when his career did, though. 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. They also painted 44 in the midfield at Truist Park. 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. On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruths legendary record of 714 homers. [92] A friendship with a Roman Catholic priest later helped lead to Hank and his wife's conversion. In 1974, after tying Ruth on Opening Day in Cincinnati, Ohio, Aaron came home with his team. The fireworks are going. He and his wife first became interested in the faith after the birth of their first child, whom they baptized immediately. [26], The Braves purchased Aaron's contract from the Clowns for $10,000,[27] which GM John Quinn thought was a steal, as he stated that he felt that Aaron was a $100,000 property. It was the first major award to be introduced in more than thirty years and had the distinction of being the first award named after a player who was still alive. To many baseball fans, it won't matter, Hank Aaron is the home run . 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. While with the Clowns he experienced racism. 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.. On April 8, he banged out his record 715th home run off Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers.. 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. 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. Judge is now just one dinger shy of the AL home run record, set at 61 by fellow Yankee Roger Maris back in 1961. . In 1935, Babe Ruth hit his final and 714th home run, a record that would stand for 39 years. [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. Aaron lived in the Atlanta area.
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