Home run number seven-hundred fourteen (714) tied Babe Ruth and seven-hundred fifteen (715) made Hank Aaron the all-time home . [44], Sal Maglie recommended throwing low curveballs to Aaron. [123] In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Aaron on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans. "[31] Aaron's time with the Braves did not come without problems. After his retirement, Aaron held front office roles with the Atlanta Braves, including the senior vice president. 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. [145], On April 14, 2017, Aaron threw out the first pitch at SunTrust Park (now called Truist Park) at 83 years old. 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. )[149] Also in Atlanta, the Forrest Hill Academy was renamed the Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy in April 2021. Aaron lived in the Atlanta area. CBS 46 and FOX 5 Atlanta were among those that first reported Aaron's death Friday. While with the Clowns he experienced racism. [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]. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Hank Aaron and the Home Run Record - University Of Northern Iowa Postal Service for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians. [112][113] He also received tributes from former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Hank Aaron Breaks Babe Ruth's Home Run Record - HISTORY Single-Season Leaders & Records for Home Runs 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. He could run, too: He retired with 240 career steals and was only the third player,. Robinson, who also bats second, homers in his first at-bat in Cleveland's 5-3 win. [133], On January 8, 2001, Aaron was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton. [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. Im proud of the home run record, but I dont talk about it because it brings back too many unpleasant memories.. 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. 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. He was 86. During his junior year, Aaron joined the Prichard Athletics, an independent Negro league team,[20] followed by the Mobile Black Bears, another independent Negro league team. A few weeks later, his three home runs in the World Series helped his team triumph over the heavily favored New York Yankees. 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 . With his second wife, he had one child, Ceci. "[90][91], Aaron was Catholic, having converted in 1959 with his family. 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. Aaron attended the dedication. Hank Aaron Home Runs By Season | StatMuse Well, to believe that you have to accept that Barry Bonds, with 762, didnt cheat to get there. Aaron was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982, and now works in the front office for the Atlanta Braves. 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. And listen to this crowd![69]. Hank. He signed a two-year contract with the Brewers for $240,000 per year. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. Baseball Almanac - Hank Aaron Home Run Logs HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Politicians also paid tribute to him. Aaron was 34 years, five months, and nine days old. Barry Bonds Breaks Home Run Record - CBS News [25], The Howe Sports Bureau credits Aaron with a .366 batting average in 26 official Negro league games, with five home runs, 33 runs batted in (RBIs), 41 hits, and nine stolen bases. [30], In 1953, the Braves promoted him to the Jacksonville Braves, their Class-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League. Here's the pitch by Downing. Hank Aaron, Baseball Hall of Famer and former home run king, dies - CNN 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. Research is still ongoing and we'll continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. [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. [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. Eric Robert Rudolph was born read more. [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. 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. Aaron begins 1974 season by tying The Babe - Home | Baseball Hall of Fame [68] As the fans cheered wildly, Aaron's parents ran onto the field as well. Hank Aaron, Home Run King Who Defied Racism, Dies at 86 - New York Times 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. 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. [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. The manner of death was listed as natural causes. On April 8, he banged out his record 715th home run off Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers.. [35], Aaron spent the winter of 1953 playing in Puerto Rico. [77] The trade re-united Aaron with former teammate Del Crandall, who was now managing the Brewers. [151] In May of the same year, Tulane University gave Aaron a posthumous honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, the first posthumous honorary degree ever awarded by the university. Hank Aaron Significant Home Runs. [11] Aaron did his part by hitting .393 with three homers and seven RBIs. 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. The cars were later recovered.[98]. All Rights Reserved. [9] In 1982, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. That record would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds . Bonds surpassed Aaron in 2007 with his 756th home run. 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. [14] His boyhood idol was baseball star Jackie Robinson. He started play as a 6ft (180cm), 180lb (82kg) shortstop,[22] and earned $200 per month. If you break Babe Ruth's record, it'll be a disgrace!" 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's Greatness, by the Numbers - The Ringer Aaron sold all but the Toyota dealership in McDonough in 2007. Every home run Hank Aaron hit over the course of his big league career appears below in chronological order, along with the date of the home run, his age at the time he homered, the pitcher who surrendered the home run, the inning (Inn), his batting order position (BOP) in the lineup, and where he was playing that day (Pos). [11] He broke his habit of hitting cross-handed and adopted the standard hitting technique. Two score and seven years ago, the great Hank Aaron delivered one of the most iconic moments American sports and baseball history. "A grand jury, a tell-all book and a congressional committee have combined to form a major-league needle puncturing baseball's public image" , reported Chris Jenkins of USA Today in 'Players Admit Steroids Changed Baseball' (USA Today, 03/15/2005) Between February 17, 2005 and March 9, 2005 five-hundred . [36], The stint in Puerto Rico also allowed Aaron to avoid being drafted into military service. The fireworks are going. And Aaron showed grace and humility when he congratulated Bonds for beating his mark, though it was clear to everyone that it was tainted. The Braves opened the season on the road in Cincinnati with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. Hank Aaron, who hit 755 career home runs in the baseball's . [41], At this point, Aaron was known to family and friends primarily as "Henry". [11] Although he appeared in just 87 games, he scored 89 runs, had 116 hits, nine home runs, and 61 RBIs. Babe Ruth ended his career with 2,873 hits after 22 seasons.