Aaron's pursuit of Ruth's ultimate home run record was one of the top sports stories of the 1970s and generated intense media coverage. Even as a kid, the irony of it hit me: here we were in the capital in the land of freedom and equality, and they had to destroy the plates that had touched the forks that had been in the mouths of black men. 06-14-1952 | Aaron is signed by Boston Braves as a slick fielding second baseman and wins the Northern . [33] The Braves' manager, Ben Geraghty, tried his best to help Aaron on and off the field. [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]. They were students, just 17 at the time. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron And for the first time in a long time, that poker face in Aaron shows the tremendous strain and relief of what it must have been like to live with for the past several months. [18] Aaron was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. Hank Aaron's most notable achievement was breaking the career home run record set by Babe Ruth. [127], On February 5, 1999, at his 65th birthday celebration, Major League Baseball announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award. Aaron lived in the Atlanta area. 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. [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. [49], In 1963, Aaron nearly won the triple crown. [100][101], Aaron died in his sleep in his Atlanta residence on January 22, 2021 at the age of 86. On April 15, Aaron collected his first major league hit, a double off Cardinals' pitcher Vic Raschi. Hank Aaron was a tremendous ambassador for baseball, and we can think of one way baseball can honor him in death. [89], Despite being publicly and professionally known as "Hank," Aaron preferred to go by his given name, "Henry. "[23] On March 13, 1954, Milwaukee Braves left fielder Bobby Thomson fractured his ankle while sliding into second base during a spring training game. 44 for Pete Maravich. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1974 Hank Aaron Record Home Run #715 Framed Newspaper Print at the best online prices at eBay! 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? Postal Service for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians. 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. 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). [5] His experiences fueled his activism during the civil rights movement.[6]. A crowd of 53,775 people, the largest in the. 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. [d] On July 31, 1969, Aaron hit his 537th home run, passing Mickey Mantle's total; this moved Aaron into third place on the career home run list, after Willie Mays and Babe Ruth. [46][47] In 1956, Aaron hit .328 and captured the first of two NL batting titles. It's 715! [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". [8] In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on its list of the "100 Greatest Baseball Players". During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. The manner of death was listed as natural causes. That ball is gonna be-eee Outta here! Hank Aaron Stats. He had 100+ RBIs in a season 15 times, including a record of 13 in a row. 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. 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. Aaron Judge broke the A.L. He then changed his number to 44, which would turn out to look like a "lucky number" for the slugger. [2] Aaron is also third all-time for career hits (3,771) and fifth in runs scored (2,174). On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruths legendary record of 714 homers. Judge is now just one dinger shy of the AL home run record, set at 61 by fellow Yankee Roger Maris back in 1961. . [11][12] He had seven siblings. 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. [36], The stint in Puerto Rico also allowed Aaron to avoid being drafted into military service. 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. [7] He was an NL All-Star for 20 seasons and an AL All-Star for one season, and he holds the record for the most All-Star selections (25),[a] while sharing the record for most All-Star Games played (24) with Willie Mays and Stan Musial. It was presented during the university's unified commencement ceremony and was accepted on his behalf by his widow Billye. [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. [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. Lewis Grizzard, then-executive sports editor of The Atlanta Journal, reported receiving numerous phone calls calling journalists "nigger lovers" for covering Aaron's chase. [134] He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, from President George W. Bush in June 2002. Aaron was on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service. [54] Aaron established the record for most seasons with thirty or more home runs in the National League. The Braves opened the season on the road in Cincinnati with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. In 1935, Babe Ruth hit his final and 714th home run, a record that would stand for 39 years. Aaron grew up in a poor family. "[45], Aaron hit .314 with 27 home runs and 106 RBIs, in 1955. 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. 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. Note that seasons prior to 1876 are not included in single-season marks, but are included in career marks. 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. [131], In June 2000 Tufts University awarded Aaron an honorary Doctor of Public Service. harvnb error: no target: CITEREFBraunsteinWolpin2006 (, Last edited on 23 February 2023, at 14:06, List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders, List of Major League Baseball batting champions, List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders, List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders, List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders, List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders, List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders, List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders, List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders, List of Major League Baseball doubles records, List of Major League Baseball home run records, List of Major League Baseball individual streaks, List of Major League Baseball runs batted in records, "For single seasons, From 1876 to 2008, (requiring HR30), sorted by greatest Seasons matching criteria", "For single seasons, From 1876 to 2008, (requiring H150), sorted by greatest Seasons matching criteria", "Hank Aaron's searing words on the racism he faced should never be forgotten", "Hank Aaron: Baseball icon and civil rights activist dies aged 86", Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation 2013, "Dunbar Creative And Performing Arts Magnet School", "This date in Braves history: Hank Aaron's only inside-the-park homer", "Vin Scully's Call of Hank Aaron's 715th Home Run", "Aaron Gets Reception, Mets Get Trounced, 81", "The Braves Trade Henry Aaron to the Brewers", "July 15, 1975: In Milwaukee, NL wins fourth straight All-Star Game", "Game Over for Liberty's Purchase of Braves from Time Warner", "Braves' Sale Approved by Baseball Owners", "Charles Schwab Super Bowl XXXVI ad feat. 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. 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. 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. He was 86. 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. As an adopted son of Atlanta, Mr. Aaron was part of the fabric that helped place Atlanta on the world stage. This All-Star Game, like the first one he played in 1955, was before a home crowd at Milwaukee County Stadium. If you break Babe Ruth's record, it'll be a disgrace!" Active in the civil rights movement, the priest encouraged Aaron to be more publicly vocal about causes he believed in. 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. Additionally, Aaron owned a chain of 30 restaurants around the country. I always felt like once I put the uniform on and once I got on the playing field, that I could separate the two an evil letter I got the day before or even 20 minutes before that I could also concentrate on what I had to do as far as trying to watch a fastball, somebody throwing the ball 90 mph, rather than worrying about a letter somebody sent., The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, On this day in history, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner among first members of National Baseball Hall of Fame, The fabled list of Yankees captains Aaron Judge joined, All of Aaron Judges home runs this season, Judges 60th blast sparks comeback as he ties Babe Ruth, now one shy of Roger Maris. Aaron singled, doubled, and hit a home run in the game. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. During the next several years, Aaron had some of his best games and best seasons as a major league player. 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 sold all but the Toyota dealership in McDonough in 2007. The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens werent close in what could be final Hall of Fame chance, If the Yankees lose Aaron Judge, heres how it could happen, Dusty Baker: No debate over true home run king, Aaron Judge hits 62nd home run to break Roger Maris record. 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. In 1974, after tying Ruth on Opening Day in Cincinnati, Ohio, Aaron came home with his team. Aaron was the first player to reach both Hall-worthy batting thresholds of 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. Hank. [83] Aaron founded the Hank Aaron Rookie League program.[84]. The location of where Hank Aaron's record 755th home run landed has been monumented in Milwaukee. [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. 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. [35] In 1958, Aaron hit .326, with 30 home runs and 95 RBIs. [118], In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. 02-05-1934 | Aaron is born on a Monday in Mobile, Alabama. Aaron was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982, and now works in the front office for the Atlanta Braves. He was one of the first African Americans to play in the league. In 1957, Aaron won his only NL MVP Award,[11] as he had his first brush with the triple crown. 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. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. 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). Where Hank Aaron does stand out is in the total number of hits. The night they met, Lucas decided to attend the Braves' game. He played right field for the Milwaukee Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers. Aaron's record was . [11] Although he appeared in just 87 games, he scored 89 runs, had 116 hits, nine home runs, and 61 RBIs. Hank Aaron Timeline. 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 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, who hit 755 career home runs in the baseball's . Actor: MacGyver. 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. 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. His RBI total remains the big league standard for career runs batted in. The cars were later recovered.[98]. [35], Aaron spent the winter of 1953 playing in Puerto Rico. 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. "[31] Aaron's time with the Braves did not come without problems. 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. [78], Aaron hit his 755th and final home run on July 20, 1976, at Milwaukee County Stadium off Dick Drago of the California Angels, which stood as the MLB career home run record for 31 years until it was broken in 2007 by Barry Bonds. In 1955 Central High School and Dunbar Jr. High School switched locations; Central High closed in 1970 following desegregation. On July 13, Aaron hit a home run in the All-Star Game (played at Detroit's Tiger Stadium) for the first time. 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. 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. "[90][91], Aaron was Catholic, having converted in 1959 with his family. But the Braves offered fifty dollars a month more. "And he'll hit almost anything, so you have to be careful. "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. I resented it, and I still resent it. 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. At the time of his retirement, Aaron held most of the game's key career power-hitting records. [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. The award was created to honor Vince Lombardi's legacy and is awarded annually to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the coach. Robinson, who also bats second, homers in his first at-bat in Cleveland's 5-3 win. 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. ", "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?
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