Hank Aaron, one of baseball's all-time great home run hitters, has died. 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 led the Braves to another pennant, but this time they lost a seven-game World Series to the Yankees. He's sittin' on 714. [53], In 1970, Aaron reached two more career milestones. He was 86. 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. Vin Scully calls Hank Aaron's historic 715th home run - YouTube On May 10, 1967, he hit an inside-the-park home run against Jim Bunning in Philadelphia. It is as of yet the only pennant-clinching walk-off home run in major league history in a non-playoff regular-season game. 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. The Braves were able to speak to the draft board, making the case that Aaron could be the player to integrate the Southern Association the following season with the Atlanta Crackers. Research is still ongoing and we'll continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. A young Craig Sager actually interviewed Aaron between third and home for a television station, WXLT (now WWSB-Channel 40) in Sarasota. Even if the five Negro League home runs do get added eventually, Aaron would still be two short of Barry Bonds's 762 homers. 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. In 1955 Central High School and Dunbar Jr. High School switched locations; Central High closed in 1970 following desegregation. [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. 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. 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. On April 15, Aaron collected his first major league hit, a double off Cardinals' pitcher Vic Raschi. Is Hank Aaron the True Home Run King? - The Sports Bank 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. When Aaron traveled around Jacksonville, Florida, and the surrounding areas, he was often separated from his team because of Jim Crow laws. Years later, Aaron remembered: I had the Giants' contract in my hand. 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. Robinson, who also bats second, homers in his first at-bat in Cleveland's 5-3 win. 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. An advocate of nonviolence and conservatism, he pleaded innocent in the highly read more, On April 8, Buddhists celebrate the commemoration of the birth of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, thought to have lived in India from 563 B.C. [28] A teammate later said, "the man ate pork chops three meals a day, two for breakfast". Aaron's achievements didn't end when his career did, though. As Aaron hammered closer to Ruth's 714 home runs, he . Henry Aaron hits home run No. 715 | Baseball Hall of Fame 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. It is a great accomplishment that required skill, longevity, and determination. He didnt know what he was taking, he testified, and thought it was all natural. He was 86 The night they met, Lucas decided to attend the Braves' game. The game was also broadcast nationally on NBC. [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. 756. Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. His RBI total remains the big league standard for career runs batted in. Hank Aaron - Wikipedia [48], After the 1976 season, Aaron rejoined the Braves as an executive. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Listen to HISTORY This Week Podcast: More Than a Home Run. What ever happened to the 2 men running with Hank Aaron in the iconic With his second wife, he had one child, Ceci. A 6-foot, 180-pounder, Aaron broke Babe Ruth's hallowed home run mark on April 8, 1974, slugging his record 715th off . Hank Aaron home run video | 11alive.com In 1957, with characteristically little fanfare, Aaron, who primarily played right field, was named the National Leagues Most Valuable Player as the Milwaukee Braves won the pennant. While he was born in a section of Mobile referred to as "Down the Bay", he spent most of his youth in Toulminville. 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. Mickey Owen, the team's manager, helped Aaron with his batting stance. 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. 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. The Braves opened the season on the road in Cincinnati with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. ", "There was a big catch holding on to No. 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. Hank Aaron, who hit 755 career home runs in the baseball's . Aaron broke Ruths record on April 8, 1974 at Atlantas Fulton County Stadium against Al Downing and the Dodgers. )[149] Also in Atlanta, the Forrest Hill Academy was renamed the Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy in April 2021. We've received your submission. 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). 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. During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. Additionally, Aaron owned a chain of 30 restaurants around the country. 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, legendary baseball Hall of Famer who broke Babe Ruth's home Aaron suffered from arthritis and had a partial hip replacement after a fall in 2014. Although Hammerin Hank specialized in home runs, he was also an extremely dependable batter, and by the end of his career he held baseballs career record for most runs batted in: 2,297. It's 715! 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. But two other men were enshrined in history with him - Clifford Courtenay and Britt Gaston. Aaron spent his 23-year big league career with two organizations. [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. Thanks for contacting us. That whole period, I lived like a guy in a fishbowl, swimming from side to side with nowhere to go, watching everybody watch me. Aaron eventually scored 2,174 runs, the exact same number as Ruth. In 1988, Aaron was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. 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. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Aaron was 34 years, five months, and nine days old. A seven-time NL MVP, the 43-year-old Bonds hit his 22nd home run of the year. Single-Season Leaders & Records for Home Runs Aaron had not played well at second base, but Owen noted that Aaron could catch fly balls and throw them well from the outfield to the infield. [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. He finished with 755 overall before retiring after the 1976 season. 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. 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). Hank Aaron's home run record chase scarred by racism - New York Post 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. Milwaukee went on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees, the defending champions, 4 games to 3. [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". [127], On February 5, 1999, at his 65th birthday celebration, Major League Baseball announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award. While he considered retirement, he said that he was willing to return to baseball for another year. CBS 46 and FOX 5 Atlanta were among those that first reported Aaron's death Friday. His debut generates a buzz throughout the sports world. Aaron begins 1974 season by tying The Babe - Home | Baseball Hall of Fame Aaron's record was .