The life and death of Hank Aaron (1934-2021) The Atlanta. 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. [11] He broke his habit of hitting cross-handed and adopted the standard hitting technique. [11] While on the Bears, Aaron earned $3 per game ($30 today), which was a dollar more than he got while on the Athletics. He started play as a 6ft (180cm), 180lb (82kg) shortstop,[22] and earned $200 per month. I was a prisoner in my own apartment. 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 Where Hank Aaron does stand out is in the total number of hits. [11] The 1952 season proved to be very beneficial for Aaron. The Braves opened the season on the road in Cincinnati with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. 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) . Whats that you say? His closest competition is Hank Aaron who "only" hit home runs in every possible ballpark during nine seasons! I didnt read most of them, but I wanted to have them as reminders, Aaron later wrote in his autobiography I Had a Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story.. [98] In July 2013, media reported that his home was burglarized with jewelry and two BMW vehicles having been stolen. [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. [125] Georgia State University acquired Turner Field and has since rebuilt it as Center Parc Stadium, in 2017, and university officials plan to build a new baseball park on the former AtlantaFulton County Stadium site, incorporating the left field wall where Aaron hit his record-breaking home run. He also enjoyed cooking and fishing. Milwaukee went on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees, the defending champions, 4 games to 3. [11] In addition, Aaron hit for a .336 batting average. 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. Bonds broke Mark McGwire's single-season record by hitting 73 in 2001 and while he's no longer such a force,. 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. Aaron played the vast majority of his MLB games in right field, though he appeared at several other infield and outfield positions. I had nowhere to go except home and to the ballpark, home and to the ballpark. [71] Aaron commented after the game that it was his last time as a player in Atlanta as his contract had expired. His average was .319, .007 behind the leader. 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. Thanks for contacting us. 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. 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. The Atlanta Braves great, who smashed Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, died Jan. 22. By the time Aaron retired, he and his brother held the record for most career home runs by a pair of siblings (768). At the end of the 1969 season, Aaron again finished third in the MVP voting. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! [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. [74] Playing in the American League would allow Aaron to serve as a designated hitter rather than play in the field. [136], In 2002, Aaron was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. There's a new home run champion of all time, and it's Henry Aaron! Hank Aaron, who hit 755 career home runs in the baseball's . My hope today, as it was on that April evening in 1974, is that the achievement of this record will inspire others to chase their own dreams.[87]. [112][113] He also received tributes from former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. [88] Aaron also owned Mini, Land Rover, Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda dealerships throughout Georgia, as part of the Hank Aaron Automotive Group. Aaron's first marriage was to Barbara Lucas in 1953. And listen to this crowd![69]. He was named to the NL All-Star roster for the first time; it was the first of a record 21 All-Star selections and first of a record 25 All-Star Game appearances. 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. [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. In 1955 Central High School and Dunbar Jr. High School switched locations; Central High closed in 1970 following desegregation. ATLANTA It's one of the most iconic sports photos of all time: Hammerin' Hank Aaron running the bases after hitting the record-breaking 715th home run at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. 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 Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL). Hank Aaron, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, died Friday at age 86. Instead of congratulations, Aaron received mounds of vile, racist and threatening hate mail which helped to ultimately make Aaron a bitter man. Im proud of the home run record, but I dont talk about it because it brings back too many unpleasant memories.. [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. Two score and seven years ago, the great Hank Aaron delivered one of the most iconic moments American sports and baseball history. [65] As the 1974 season began, Aaron's pursuit of the record caused a small controversy. [8] In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on its list of the "100 Greatest Baseball Players". [75] He was acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers for Dave May thirty-one days later on November 2. [100] He and several other African American public figures, including activist Joe Beasley, Andrew Young, and Louis Sullivan, did so to demonstrate the safety of the vaccine and encourage other black Americans to do the same. 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. 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. Of a time his team was in Washington, D.C. Aaron recalled: We had breakfast while we were waiting for the rain to stop, and I can still envision sitting with the Clowns in a restaurant behind Griffith Stadium and hearing them break all the plates in the kitchen after we finished eating. Aaron's legacy has and will always be. The game was also broadcast nationally on NBC. Sports Illustrated commemorates Hank Aaron's record-setting home run in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. [37] On April 13, Aaron made his major league debut and was hitless in five at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds' left-hander Joe Nuxhall. [10], Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama, to Herbert Aaron Sr. and Estella (Pritchett) Aaron. He led the league with 44 home runs and 130 RBIs and finished third in batting average. 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. Entdecke Hank Aaron and the Home Run That Changed America Paperback Tom St in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! [58], Aaron himself downplayed the "chase" to surpass Babe Ruth, while baseball enthusiasts and the national media grew increasingly excited as he closed in on the 714 career home runs record. 0:00. ", "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 was 86 on April 8th, 1974 he hit his 715th home run, which broke the then record of 714 held by Babe Ruth. 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. Additionally, Aaron owned a chain of 30 restaurants around the country. He had been given six months to live in December of 1984 but defied expectations and lived for five more years, during which time his story helped educate the read more, On April 8, 1993, the space shuttle Discovery lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center. 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. As Aaron hammered closer to Ruth's 714 home runs, he . The nickname quickly gained currency, but "Henry" continued to be cited frequently in the media, both sometimes appearing in the same article, and Aaron would answer to either one. Former Braves minor league player and sportswriter Pat Jordan said, "Aaron gave [Geraghty] much of the credit for his own swift rise to stardom. [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. On July 13, Aaron hit a home run in the All-Star Game (played at Detroit's Tiger Stadium) for the first time. While he considered retirement, he said that he was willing to return to baseball for another year. [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. The fireworks are going. She curbed the power of Britains labor read more, On April 8, 1935, Congress votes to approve the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a central part of President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal. [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. 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? [129] Later that year, he ranked fifth on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players,[130] and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Hank Aaron hits home run No. Henry Aaron, the slugger known as "Hammerin' Hank" who broke broke Babe Ruth's career home run mark and remains No. After the game, Aaron said his only fear was that he might not live to see the 1974 season. [11][12] He had seven siblings. They were students, just 17 at the time. They also painted 44 in the midfield at Truist Park. He was 86 years old. Hank Aaron's Accomplishments. [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. [9] In 1982, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. In 1974, after tying Ruth on Opening Day in Cincinnati, Ohio, Aaron came home with his team. But Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn ruled that he had to play two games in the first series. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973 and is one of only two players to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times.[1]. [150], In 2022, a recording of the WSB broadcast of the April 8, 1974, BravesDodgers game in which Aaron hit his 715th home run was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season. Aaron would finish the season in Atlanta, go back to Milwaukee for two seasons as the Brewers' DH and end his career with 755 home runs. The location of where Hank Aaron's record 755th home run landed has been monumented in Milwaukee. 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. 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. [23] On June 12, 1952, Aaron signed with Braves' scout Dewey Griggs. Aaron attended the dedication. 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. 714. [100][101], Aaron died in his sleep in his Atlanta residence on January 22, 2021 at the age of 86. This is a considerable loss for the entire city of Atlanta. 762 (Bonds' final homer . Aaron has the second most home runs ever? Hank Aaron. [140], In 2011, the President of Princeton University Shirley M. Tilghman awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree to Aaron. 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. He played two out of three and tied Babe Ruth's record on April 4, 1974, in his very first at-bat on his first swing of the seasonoff Reds pitcher Jack Billingham, but did not hit another home run in the series.[66]. Aaron was born and raised in and around Mobile, Alabama. [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. 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). [52] Aaron was, at the time, the second-youngest player to reach the milestone. 755", "Bonds Hits No. [106][107] Fans paid tribute to Aaron by placing flowers in front of the home run wall where he hit his 715th home run at the former site of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and in front of his statue at Truist Park.[108]. That whole period, I lived like a guy in a fishbowl, swimming from side to side with nowhere to go, watching everybody watch me. He again finished third in National League MVP voting. 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. [55] As the year came to a close, Aaron broke Stan Musial's major-league record for total bases (6,134),[56] the record he was the most proud of since it reflected his overall performance as a hitter and team player. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. [133], On January 8, 2001, Aaron was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton. [89], Despite being publicly and professionally known as "Hank," Aaron preferred to go by his given name, "Henry. He appeared briefly in the Negro American League and in minor league baseball before starting his major league career. 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. [63], At the end of the 1973 season, Aaron received a plaque from the U.S. [57] Aaron finished the season with 673 career home runs. [11] Over the next 122 games, Aaron batted .280 with 13 homers before he suffered a fractured ankle on September 5. [118], In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. 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. Hank Aaron, who faced down racism as he eclipsed Babe Ruth as baseball's home run king, hitting 755 homers and holding the most celebrated record in sports for more than 30 years, has. 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. [35] In 1958, Aaron's wife noted that during the off-season he liked "to sit and watch those shooting westerns". All that hatred left a deep scar on me. He divorced Barbara in 1971 and married Billye Suber Williams on November 13, 1973. [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. "[23] On March 13, 1954, Milwaukee Braves left fielder Bobby Thomson fractured his ankle while sliding into second base during a spring training game. Aaron finished third in the MVP race and he received his first of three Gold Glove Awards. The book's title is a play on his nickname, "The Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", and the title of the folk song "If I Had a Hammer". [119], Aaron was awarded the Spingarn Medal in 1976, from the NAACP. "He's going to swing and he'll go after almost anything," Maglie said of the Braves' slugger. 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. In November 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, Governor Roosevelt of New York was elected the 32nd president of the United read more, Jomo Kenyatta, leader of the Kenyan independence movement, is convicted by Kenyas British rulers of leading the extremist Mau Mau in their violence against white settlers and the colonial government. The cars were later recovered.[98]. Hoping to lift the country out of the crippling Great Depression, Congress allowed the president to use the funds at his discretion. Aaron spent his 23-year big league career with two organizations. He then changed his number to 44, which would turn out to look like a "lucky number" for the slugger. [148], Atlanta-area sports teams planned to honor Aaron during the 2021 seasons. During the strike-shortened season of 1972, Aaron tied and then surpassed Willie Mays for second place on the career home run list. [31] On January 21, 2007, Major League Baseball announced the sale of the Atlanta Braves. 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. Free shipping for many products! During the next several years, Aaron had some of his best games and best seasons as a major league player. During his rookie year, his other well-known nicknames, "Hammerin' Hank" (by teammates) and "Bad Henry" (by opposing pitchers) are reported to have arisen. 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. There is also a statue of him as an 18-year-old shortstop outside Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where he played his first season in the Braves' minor league system. "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. Hank Aaron Home Runs By Season | StatMuse Hank Aaron went yard 13 times in his rookie season in 1954. Baseball legend Hank Aaron, who broke Babe Ruth's career home run record, has died, the Atlanta Braves announced Friday. 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. In 1957, Aaron won his only NL MVP Award,[11] as he had his first brush with the triple crown. 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. 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 . Four days earlier, in Cincinnati, he had homered in his first at-bat of the season to tie Ruth at 714. [35] Two days later, one of the children died. 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. To many baseball fans, it won't matter, Hank Aaron is the home run . MLB, give him back his home run record. Postal Service for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians. He won the NL's Most Valuable Player award in 1957 and has a lifetime batting average of .305. 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. A 6-foot, 180-pounder, Aaron broke Babe Ruth's hallowed home run mark on April 8, 1974, slugging his record 715th off . He and his wife first became interested in the faith after the birth of their first child, whom they baptized immediately. [4] By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. 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. [61] The threats extended to those providing positive press coverage of Aaron. While preparing the massive coverage of the home run record, he quietly had an obituary written, afraid that Aaron might be murdered.[62]. [30], In 1953, the Braves promoted him to the Jacksonville Braves, their Class-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League. 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. But for Aaron, the journey to 715 home runs was much more complex. "[31] Aaron's time with the Braves did not come without problems. [126], He was honored before the third game of 2021 World Series. 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. Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, who battled racial prejudice and hatred on his way to breaking the major leagues' career home run record, has died at the age of 86, the Atlanta . Aaron led the league in runs (115), hits (208), doubles (36), RBIs (125), total bases (338), and batting average (.362). 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. At the time of his retirement, Aaron held most of the game's key career power-hitting records. [35] In 1958, Aaron hit .326, with 30 home runs and 95 RBIs. 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. It's gone! 756. A seven-time NL MVP, the 43-year-old Bonds hit his 22nd home run of the year. home run record and Gerrit Cole broke the Yankees' single-season strikeouts record. 02-05-1934 | Aaron is born on a Monday in Mobile, Alabama. 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. [83] Aaron founded the Hank Aaron Rookie League program.[84]. 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 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 . 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 night they met, Lucas decided to attend the Braves' game. [76] Minor league right-handed pitcher Roger Alexander was sent to the Braves to complete the transaction at the Winter Meetings one month later on December 2. Hank Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. Judge is now just one dinger shy of the AL home run record, set at 61 by fellow Yankee Roger Maris back in 1961. . Aaron was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982, and now works in the front office for the Atlanta Braves. [35], Aaron spent the winter of 1953 playing in Puerto Rico. 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. The Braves legend, who died Friday at the age of 86, made history while receiving death threats and hate mail on the way to surpassing Ruth in the record books late in his Hall of Fame career, which spanned from 1954-1976. I resented it, and I still resent it. Aaron was on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service. 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.