[63], At the end of the 1973 season, Aaron received a plaque from the U.S. [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. "He taught me what life was all about. After his retirement, Aaron held front office roles with the Atlanta Braves, including the senior vice president. 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.. Aaron has the second most home runs ever? In the fourth inning, Aaron hit home run number 715 off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing. 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. By the end of the season, he had performed so well that the league made him the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year. Now the Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School, 500 St. Anthony St., Mobile. The Dodgers responded in the third by starting with three straight hits: Steve Garvey singled, Bill Russell doubled, and then Downing drove a single into center field, plating Garvey and sending Russell to third. 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. [36], The stint in Puerto Rico also allowed Aaron to avoid being drafted into military service. [23] During this time, he picked up the nickname "pork chops" because it "was the only thing I knew to order off the menu". 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. Serving from 1979 to 1990, Thatcher was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. But Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn ruled that he had to play two games in the first series. [131], In June 2000 Tufts University awarded Aaron an honorary Doctor of Public Service. . [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. [15] Aaron attended Central High School[b] as a freshman and a sophomore. [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. This is a considerable loss for the entire city of Atlanta. The last Negro League player to enter the Majors, Aaron joined the Milwaukee Braves in 1954, and moved with them to Atlanta in 1966. [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. Robinson, who also bats second, homers in his first at-bat in Cleveland's 5-3 win. 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. A seven-time NL MVP, the 43-year-old Bonds hit his 22nd home run of the year. Obituary: Hank Aaron, baseball great who became voice for civil rights, dies at 86 Photos: The life and . The Hall of Famer holds a host of records, from the most runs batted in (2,297), the most seasons as an all-star (21) to the most home runs ever (755) . [5] His experiences fueled his activism during the civil rights movement.[6]. He had finished 1973 with 713 career home runs, one shy of the all-time record set by Babe Ruth. 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. On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruths legendary record of 714 homers. The award was created to honor Vince Lombardi's legacy and is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the coach. In 1988, Aaron was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. 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. [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. Apart from Aaron's status as the real King of the Dinger, Hammerin' Hank still holds two records that aren't likely to be broken anytime soon. [11][12] He had seven siblings. 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. [11] Although he appeared in just 87 games, he scored 89 runs, had 116 hits, nine home runs, and 61 RBIs. In 1957, Aaron won his only NL MVP Award,[11] as he had his first brush with the triple crown. home run record and Gerrit Cole broke the Yankees' single-season strikeouts record. As an adopted son of Atlanta, Mr. Aaron was part of the fabric that helped place Atlanta on the world stage. I had nowhere to go except home and to the ballpark, home and to the ballpark. 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? "[31] Aaron's time with the Braves did not come without problems. 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. [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. She curbed the power of Britains labor read more, On April 8, 1935, Congress votes to approve the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a central part of President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal. Aaron's legacy has and will always be. 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. He started play as a 6ft (180cm), 180lb (82kg) shortstop,[22] and earned $200 per month. [31] He was the corporate vice president of community relations for Turner Broadcasting System, a member of the company's board of directors, and the vice president of business development for The Airport Network. The night they met, Lucas decided to attend the Braves' game. 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. Hank Greenberg, 1938 Tigers: 58; Jimmie Foxx, 1932 Athletics: 58; . Henry Aaron, the slugger known as "Hammerin' Hank" who broke broke Babe Ruth's career home run mark and remains No. [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. [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. But it was Hammerin' Hank's sweet home run swing for which he was best known. [11] In addition, Aaron hit for a .336 batting average. 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? 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. Aaron played the vast majority of his MLB games in right field, though he appeared at several other infield and outfield positions. 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. Margaret Thatcher, the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, dies in London at age 87 from a stroke on April 8, 2013. While he was born in a section of Mobile referred to as "Down the Bay", he spent most of his youth in Toulminville. 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 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. Swinging. During the strike-shortened season of 1972, Aaron tied and then surpassed Willie Mays for second place on the career home run list. The stadium's street number is 755, after Aaron's total number of home runs; the 755 street number was retained for Turner Field's replacement, Truist Park. "[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. [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. Hank Aaron was a tremendous ambassador for baseball, and we can think of one way baseball can honor him in death. Hank Aaron's most notable achievement was breaking the career home run record set by Babe Ruth. [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. "He's going to swing and he'll go after almost anything," Maglie said of the Braves' slugger. Postal Service for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians. "[143][144], In January 2016, Aaron received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette from Akihito, the Emperor of Japan. He signed a two-year contract with the Brewers for $240,000 per year. I was a prisoner in my own apartment. His closest competition is Hank Aaron who "only" hit home runs in every possible ballpark during nine seasons! In 1935, Babe Ruth hit his final and 714th home run, a record that would stand for 39 years. Aaron was the first player to reach both Hall-worthy batting thresholds of 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. Im proud of the home run record, but I dont talk about it because it brings back too many unpleasant memories.. [57] Aaron finished the season with 673 career home runs. 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. 02-05-1934 | Aaron is born on a Monday in Mobile, Alabama. If you break Babe Ruth's record, it'll be a disgrace!" [11] Over the next 122 games, Aaron batted .280 with 13 homers before he suffered a fractured ankle on September 5. Hank Aaron, Major League Baseball's former home-run king and a cornerstone of the Atlanta Braves franchise, died on Friday. 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. The next day, he made history back home. Playing in the infield, Aaron continued to develop as a ballplayer and made the Northern League's All-Star team. [2] Aaron is also third all-time for career hits (3,771) and fifth in runs scored (2,174). During his rookie year, his other well-known nicknames, "Hammerin' Hank" (by teammates) and "Bad Henry" (by opposing pitchers) are reported to have arisen. FILE- In this July 12, 2004, file photo, home run record holder Hank Aaron greets San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds before the start of the All-Star Home Run Derby in Houston. [118], In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. Bonds surpassed Aaron in 2007 with his 756th home run. [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. They had five children: Gary, Lary, Dorinda, Gaile, and Hank Jr. 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. 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. Note that seasons prior to 1876 are not included in single-season marks, but are included in career marks. 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. But two other men were enshrined in history with him - Clifford Courtenay and Britt Gaston. Baseball's all-time home run king, Hank Aaron did more than hit home runs. He was 86. He was a three-time Gold Glove winner, and in 1957, he won the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award when the Milwaukee Braves won the World Series. 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. 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. Aaron also drove in the 2,000th run of his career and hit a home run in the first All-Star game played in Atlanta. 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. He broke the long-standing MLB record for home runs held by Babe Ruth and remained the career leader for 33 years. He would create his own bats and balls out of materials he found on the streets. 06-14-1952 | Aaron is signed by Boston Braves as a slick fielding second baseman and wins the Northern . With his second wife, he had one child, Ceci. We've received your submission. He led the Braves to another pennant, but this time they lost a seven-game World Series to the Yankees. 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. 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. [127], On February 5, 1999, at his 65th birthday celebration, Major League Baseball announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award. [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. 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. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. "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. On April 4, Opening Day, a 39-year-old Aaron sent the very first pitch he saw over the wall,. [19] After this, Aaron returned to school to finish his secondary education, attending the Josephine Allen Institute, a private high school in Alabama. [35] In 1958, Aaron's wife noted that during the off-season he liked "to sit and watch those shooting westerns". [152][153], MLB held two All-Star Games from 1959 through 1962. 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]. [102][103][104], His funeral was held on January 27, followed by his burial at South-View Cemetery. 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. Even if the five Negro League home runs do get added eventually, Aaron would still be two short of Barry Bonds's 762 homers. On May 10, 1967, he hit an inside-the-park home run against Jim Bunning in Philadelphia. [46][47] In 1956, Aaron hit .328 and captured the first of two NL batting titles. 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. 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. [138] Statues of Aaron stand outside the front entrance of both Turner Field and American Family Field. 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). Aaron attended the dedication. Hank Aaron, one of baseball's all-time great home run hitters, has died. [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. On May 1, 1975, Aaron broke baseball's all-time RBI record, previously held by Ruth with 2,213. I kept feeling more and more strongly that I had to break the record not only for myself and for Jackie Robinson and for black people, but also to strike back at the vicious little people who wanted to keep me from doing it. Actor: MacGyver. But he was more than just a religious friend of mine, he was a friend because he talked as if he was not a priest sometimes." [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. During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. 0:00. Babe Ruth ended his career with 2,873 hits after 22 seasons. A few weeks later, his three home runs in the World Series helped his team triumph over the heavily favored New York Yankees. Hank Aaron Timeline. [35] Two days later, one of the children died. It's gone! 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. 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. [148], Atlanta-area sports teams planned to honor Aaron during the 2021 seasons. After finishing his remarkable career with 755 home runs, Aaron later spoke of how he was able to compartmentalize his play on the field and the vitriol he faced off of it. [53], In 1970, Aaron reached two more career milestones. This is wrong. Where Hank Aaron does stand out is in the total number of hits. 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. During the 2006 season, San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds passed Babe Ruth and moved into second place on the all-time home run list, attracting growing media coverage as he drew closer to Aaron's record. On the Dodgers broadcast for Aarons 715th home run, Vin Scully took note of the momentous occasion both for baseball and society. He keeps that mail as a reminder. He was named a 2010 Georgia Trustee by the Georgia Historical Society in recognition of accomplishments that reflect the ideals of Georgia's founders. [11] While on the Bears, Aaron earned $3 per game ($30 today), which was a dollar more than he got while on the Athletics. Politicians also 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. He was one of the first African Americans to play in the league. In his last two seasons, he was primarily a designated hitter. [11] His family could not afford baseball equipment, so he practiced by hitting bottle caps with sticks. Aaron's record was . ", "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? Henry Aaron Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com Henry Aaron Name Note: commonly referred to as Hank Aaron Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman Bats: Right Throws: Right 6-0 , 180lb (183cm, 81kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame MVP 25x All-Star 1957 World Series 3x Gold Glove [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). [39] Aaron hit his first major league home run on April 23, also off Raschi. 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 . His average was .319, .007 behind the leader. And Aaron showed grace and humility when he congratulated Bonds for beating his mark, though it was clear to everyone that it was tainted. He finished the 1973 season with 713 home runs -. Aaron was known to frequently read Thomas Kempis' 15th-century book The Imitation of Christ, which he kept in his locker. Playing off the intense interest in their perceived rivalry, Aaron and Bonds made a television commercial that aired during Super Bowl XLI, shortly before the start of the 2007 baseball season, in which Aaron jokingly tried to persuade Bonds to retire before breaking the record. By the time Aaron retired, he and his brother held the record for most career home runs by a pair of siblings (768). [86] There was considerable speculation that this was a snubbing of Bonds based on the widespread belief that Bonds had used performance-enhancing drugs and steroids to aid his achievement.