[100][101], Aaron died in his sleep in his Atlanta residence on January 22, 2021 at the age of 86. [148], Atlanta-area sports teams planned to honor Aaron during the 2021 seasons. 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 Home run number seven-hundred fourteen (714) tied Babe Ruth and seven-hundred fifteen (715) made Hank Aaron the all-time home . 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. 762 (Bonds' final homer . The total base record is remarkable in context: at the time of his retirement, he had travelled over 12 miles farther on the base paths than any other player in MLB history. [112][113] He also received tributes from former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 - January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. [122] The award is given annually to the baseball hitters voted the most effective in each respective league. On June 21, 1959, against the San Francisco Giants, he hit three two-run home runs. [35] In 1958, Aaron hit .326, with 30 home runs and 95 RBIs. By the end of the season, he had performed so well that the league made him the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year. [11] Helped by Aaron's performance, the Braves won the league championship that year. The last Negro League player to enter the Majors, Aaron joined the Milwaukee Braves in 1954, and moved with them to Atlanta in 1966. 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. In 1988, Aaron was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame. Aaron's achievements didn't end when his career did, though. Aaron sold all but the Toyota dealership in McDonough in 2007. Aaron grew up in a poor family. He didnt know what he was taking, he testified, and thought it was all natural. [127], On February 5, 1999, at his 65th birthday celebration, Major League Baseball announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award. Newspaper cartoonist Charles Schulz created a series of Peanuts strips printed in August 1973 in which Snoopy attempts to break the Ruth record, only to be besieged with hate mail. 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? 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. But for Aaron, the journey to 715 home runs was much more complex. 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? Hank Aaron Home Runs By Season | StatMuse Hank Aaron went yard 13 times in his rookie season in 1954. 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. That record would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds . 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. [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. 2 all-time, died January 22. 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. Two score and seven years ago, the great Hank Aaron delivered one of the most iconic moments American sports and baseball history. SCP Auctions reports that Barry Bonds' record 756th home run ball to pass Hank Aaron for first on the all-time home run list went for $752,467 in 2007, while No. "[34], That same year, Aaron met his future wife, Barbara Lucas. If dogs had eaten off those plates, they'd have washed them. After touching home plate he was carried off the field by his teammates. Milwaukee went on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees, the defending champions, 4 games to 3. He played right field for the Milwaukee Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers. [35] Two days later, one of the children died. Baseball legend Hank Aaron, who broke Babe Ruth's career home run record, has died, the Atlanta Braves announced Friday. [29], The Braves assigned Aaron to the Eau Claire Bears, the Braves' Northern League Class-C farm team. Henry Aaron is coming around third. [10], Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama, to Herbert Aaron Sr. and Estella (Pritchett) Aaron. [11] Although he appeared in just 87 games, he scored 89 runs, had 116 hits, nine home runs, and 61 RBIs. Baseball's all-time home run king, Hank Aaron did more than hit home runs. [4] By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. It's gone! 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.. The next day, he made history back home. [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. In the fourth inning, Aaron hit home run number 715 off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing. 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. Bonds broke Mark McGwire's single-season record by hitting 73 in 2001 and while he's no longer such a force,. 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. [36], In 1954, Aaron attended spring training with the major league club. On October 6, Aaron and Lucas married. Research is still ongoing and we'll continue to publish updates as more information becomes available. On April 15, Aaron collected his first major league hit, a double off Cardinals' pitcher Vic Raschi. [46][47] In 1956, Aaron hit .328 and captured the first of two NL batting titles. 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. [19] After this, Aaron returned to school to finish his secondary education, attending the Josephine Allen Institute, a private high school in Alabama. Although he batted cross-handed (as a right-handed hitter, with his left hand above his right), Aaron established himself as a power hitter. [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. 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. [42], Considerably later in his career, Aaron coined "Stone-fingers", which would prove a popular handle for one of baseball's more colorful characters, the famously distance-hitting but defensively challenged first baseman Dick Stuart,[43] reportedly "delight[ing]" even its recipient. [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. [136], In 2002, Aaron was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. [88] Aaron also owned Mini, Land Rover, Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda dealerships throughout Georgia, as part of the Hank Aaron Automotive Group. 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. 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. The location of where Hank Aaron's record 755th home run landed has been monumented in Milwaukee. While he considered retirement, he said that he was willing to return to baseball for another year. He would create his own bats and balls out of materials he found on the streets. They had five children: Gary, Lary, Dorinda, Gaile, and Hank Jr. Babe Ruth ended his career with 2,873 hits after 22 seasons. 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. 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. 44 for Pete Maravich. 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. [110][111], US President Joe Biden paid tribute to Aaron by releasing a statement calling him "an American hero". [57] Aaron finished the season with 673 career home runs. But two other men were enshrined in history with him - Clifford Courtenay and Britt Gaston. Aaron went on to play through the end of the 1976 season, finishing with 755 career home runs, 3,771 hits and 2,297 RBI. [119], Aaron was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1976, from the NAACP. [11] In addition, Aaron hit for a .336 batting average. It should have been the most enjoyable time in my life, and instead it was hell. CBS 46 and FOX 5 Atlanta were among those that first reported Aaron's death Friday. [31], In December 1980, Aaron became senior vice president and assistant to the Braves' president. He won the NL's Most Valuable Player award in 1957 and has a lifetime batting average of .305. "And he'll hit almost anything, so you have to be careful. [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. At the end of the season, Aaron, who had a prior relationship with Brewers owner Bud Selig, requested a trade to Milwaukee. [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]. Listen to HISTORY This Week Podcast: More Than a Home Run. The act was unprecedented and read more, On April 8, 1994, rock star Kurt Cobain was found dead in his home in Seattle, Washington, with fresh injection marks in both arms and a fatal wound to the head from the 20-gauge shotgun found between his knees. While preparing the massive coverage of the home run record, he quietly had an obituary written, afraid that Aaron might be murdered.[62]. [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. "[23] On March 13, 1954, Milwaukee Braves left fielder Bobby Thomson fractured his ankle while sliding into second base during a spring training game. [23] On June 12, 1952, Aaron signed with Braves' scout Dewey Griggs. He was named a 2010 Georgia Trustee by the Georgia Historical Society in recognition of accomplishments that reflect the ideals of Georgia's founders. That same year, baseball fans named Aaron to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. The 20 home runs Aaron hit in 1974 were the third-most ever by a player 40 or older. Voters have kept Bonds out of the Baseball Hall of Fame over this scandal, but somehow he retains his home-run record. 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. 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 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. Aaron's legacy has and will always be. "[143][144], In January 2016, Aaron received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette from Akihito, the Emperor of Japan. 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. 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. There's a new home run champion of all time, and it's Henry Aaron! 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. [11] While on the Bears, Aaron earned $3 per game ($30 today), which was a dollar more than he got while on the Athletics. On the Dodgers broadcast for Aarons 715th home run, Vin Scully took note of the momentous occasion both for baseball and society. Hank Aaron Significant Home Runs. [28] A teammate later said, "the man ate pork chops three meals a day, two for breakfast". On April 8, 1989, California Angels rookie pitcher Jim Abbott, who was born without a right hand, makes his Major League Baseball debut in a 7-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners. 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 . This made him one of the first minorities in Major League Baseball upper-level management. Sports Illustrated commemorates Hank Aaron's record-setting home run in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. [128] The award honors the best overall offensive performer in the American and National League. Hank Aaron and 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. [18] Aaron was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. 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. 755", "Bonds Hits No. After the game, Aaron said his only fear was that he might not live to see the 1974 season. 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? [75] He was acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers for Dave May thirty-one days later on November 2. I resented it, and I still resent it. "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 . Robinson, who also bats second, homers in his first at-bat in Cleveland's 5-3 win. Active in the civil rights movement, the priest encouraged Aaron to be more publicly vocal about causes he believed in. Aaron suffered from arthritis and had a partial hip replacement after a fall in 2014. Aaron was born and raised in and around Mobile, Alabama. 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. [36], The stint in Puerto Rico also allowed Aaron to avoid being drafted into military service. [70], On October 2, 1974, Aaron hit his 733rd home run in his last at-bat as a Braves player. Judge is now just one dinger shy of the AL home run record, set at 61 by fellow Yankee Roger Maris back in 1961. . 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. 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. [83] Aaron founded the Hank Aaron Rookie League program.[84]. Aaron finished third in the MVP race and he received his first of three Gold Glove Awards. This one has been a long time in the making. 756. 11-20-1951 | Aaron is signed by scout Ed Scott to play for the Indianapolis Clowns. All that hatred left a deep scar on me. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Statistic Description: Home Runs Hit/Allowed. 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. [44], Sal Maglie recommended throwing low curveballs to Aaron. He again finished third in National League MVP voting. 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. What a marvelous moment for baseball, what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the country and the world, Scully said. [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". . The Hall of Famer holds a host of records, from the most runs batted in (2,297), the most seasons as an. (Neil Leifer/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) Aaron hit 40 home runs in the 1973 season, bringing his career total to 713, one run short of the record. [53], In 1970, Aaron reached two more career milestones. The Atlanta Braves great, who smashed Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, died Jan. 22. [77] The trade re-united Aaron with former teammate Del Crandall, who was now managing the Brewers. 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) . This is a considerable loss for the entire city of Atlanta. Henry Aaron, the slugger known as "Hammerin' Hank" who broke broke Babe Ruth's career home run mark and remains No. 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. In a statement, the Braves said Aaron died peacefully. 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. That's the only thing that kept Willie Mays and me from being teammates fifty dollars.[24]. 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. His debut generates a buzz throughout the sports world. 1:28. [11] His family could not afford baseball equipment, so he practiced by hitting bottle caps with sticks. 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. Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. He's sittin' on 714. They were students, just 17 at the time. Aaron singled, doubled, and hit a home run in the game. Aaron was 34 years, five months, and nine days old. Here's how Duane Kuiper called the historic moment: Before Bonds, Aaron had held the record since April 8, 1974, when he hit his. Aaron owned Hank Aaron BMW of south Atlanta in Union City, Georgia, where he included an autographed baseball with every car sold. [32] The 1950s were a period of racial segregation in parts of the United States, especially the southeastern portion of the country. Aaron eventually scored 2,174 runs, the exact same number as Ruth. During the 1936 season, Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees terrorized the Cleveland Indians by slamming fourteen home runs against the club a Major League record for most home runs against the same team in a season. [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.
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