April 8, 1974: Hank Aaron hammers historic 715th home run to break Babe Michael Sablica, with helping him grow as a person in the 1950s. 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 eventually scored 2,174 runs, the exact same number as Ruth. Hank Aaron Home Runs | Baseball Almanac Hank Aaron hits his 714th home run, tying Babe Ruth for the home-run record [138] Statues of Aaron stand outside the front entrance of both Turner Field and American Family Field. 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? But for Aaron, the journey to 715 home runs was much more complex. He is one of only four players to have at least 17 seasons with 150 or more hits. 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. 2 all-time, died January 22. 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. While with the Clowns he experienced racism. Hank Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. 44 for Pete Maravich. "He's going to swing and he'll go after almost anything," Maglie said of the Braves' slugger. [81] Aaron was then named the Braves' vice president and director of player development. That ball is gonna be-eee Outta here! 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. Baseball's 'Hammerin' Hank' Aaron, who held career home run record [32] The 1950s were a period of racial segregation in parts of the United States, especially the southeastern portion of the country. That same year, MLB introduced the Hank Aaron Award to recognize the top offensive players in each league. Home run - Wikipedia Aaron went 0 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts in Atlanta's 5-3 win over the Reds on April 7. Hank Aaron's Accomplishments. He could run, too: He retired with 240 career steals and was only the third player,. They had five children: Gary, Lary, Dorinda, Gaile, and Hank Jr. It's 715! 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. Aaron Judge sets AL home run record: Yankees slugger hits No. 62 to top Aaron owned Hank Aaron BMW of south Atlanta in Union City, Georgia, where he included an autographed baseball with every car sold. 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. [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. [131], In June 2000 Tufts University awarded Aaron an honorary Doctor of Public Service. In 1957, Aaron won his only NL MVP Award,[11] as he had his first brush with the triple crown. It's gone! Whats that you say? [11] Aaron did his part by hitting .393 with three homers and seven RBIs. During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. Well, to believe that you have to accept that Barry Bonds, with 762, didnt cheat to get there. Remembering the Day Hank Aaron Broke Babe Ruth's Home Run Record Bonds surpassed Aaron in 2007 with his 756th home run. Listen to HISTORY This Week Podcast: More Than a Home Run. Hank Aaron and the Home Run That Changed America Paperback Tom St 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. 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. Henry Aaron hits home run No. 715 | Baseball Hall of Fame He was 86. Aaron broke Ruths record on April 8, 1974 at Atlantas Fulton County Stadium against Al Downing and the Dodgers. [11] Helped by Aaron's performance, the Braves won the league championship that year. That same year, baseball fans named Aaron to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. [11] He broke his habit of hitting cross-handed and adopted the standard hitting technique. [152][153], MLB held two All-Star Games from 1959 through 1962. [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. [127], On February 5, 1999, at his 65th birthday celebration, Major League Baseball announced the introduction of the Hank Aaron Award. Hank Aaron obituary | Baseball | The Guardian Sports Illustrated commemorates Hank Aaron's record-setting home run in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. Should Hank Aaron's Negro League stats count? - 11Alive.com Aaron Judge and Albert Pujols are closing in on major home run records Bonds broke Mark McGwire's single-season record by hitting 73 in 2001 and while he's no longer such a force,. It was the only inside-the-park home run of his career. Serving from 1979 to 1990, Thatcher was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. Aaron helped lead the Clowns to victory in the 1952 Negro League World Series. 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. Baseball Almanac - Hank Aaron Home Run Logs Yankees outfielder growing golf profile alongside Tiger Wo 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 hit home run number 713 on September 29, 1973, and with one day remaining in the season, many expected him to tie the record. [126], He was honored before the third game of 2021 World Series. By 1969, his chances of breaking the Babe's record were in sight. A crowd of 53,775 people, the largest in the. [18] Aaron was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. And listen to this crowd![69]. [11] Tommie Aaron, one of his brothers, also went on to play Major League Baseball. [83] Aaron founded the Hank Aaron Rookie League program.[84]. By the time Aaron retired, he and his brother held the record for most career home runs by a pair of siblings (768). 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. ", "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? "He taught me what life was all about. 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. [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. 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. His closest competition is Hank Aaron who "only" hit home runs in every possible ballpark during nine seasons! "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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. In the joy of the moment, the months of threats and insults were forgotten. MLB forced them to make him play and Aaron hit a home run in his first at bat in Cincinnati, but saved 715 for a few games later. On April 8, he banged out his record 715th home run off Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers.. 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. 755", "Bonds Hits No.