The manner of death was listed as natural causes. [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. He was 86. 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. That year, he also played in his last and 24th All-Star Game (25th All-Star Game selection[47]); he lined out to Dave Concepcin as a pinch-hitter in the second inning. He's sittin' on 714. On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruths legendary record of 714 homers. [137], Aaron dedicated the new exhibit "Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream" at the Baseball Hall of Fame on April 25, 2009. Actually, the Buddhist tradition that celebrates his birthday on April 8 originally placed his birth in the 11th read more, On April 8, 1944, Russian forces led by Marshal Fyodor Tolbukhin attack the German army in an attempt to win back Crimea, in the southern Ukraine, occupied by the Axis power. Babe Ruth ended his career with 2,873 hits after 22 seasons. He also enjoyed cooking and fishing. There's a drive into left-center field. )[149] Also in Atlanta, the Forrest Hill Academy was renamed the Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy in April 2021. [140], In 2011, the President of Princeton University Shirley M. Tilghman awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree to Aaron. 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). [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. 2 all-time, died January 22. [94], Sablica also encouraged him to "attend Mass every Sunday" during Spring Training, to which he responded with the racist realities of the day: "[In Bradenton], they won't let me go to Mass. [11] Aaron did his part by hitting .393 with three homers and seven RBIs. Aaron helped lead the Clowns to victory in the 1952 Negro League World Series. [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. Formally entitled a read more. on April 8th, 1974 he hit his 715th home run, which broke the then record of 714 held by Babe Ruth. [15] Aaron attended Central High School[b] as a freshman and a sophomore. [25] Aaron received an outpouring of public support in response to the bigotry. Playing in the infield, Aaron continued to develop as a ballplayer and made the Northern League's All-Star team. Sports Illustrated commemorates Hank Aaron's record-setting home run in 1974 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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. That same year, baseball fans named Aaron to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. [105], Upon Aaron's death, the sports world expressed their condolences to him. That record would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds . [61] The threats extended to those providing positive press coverage of Aaron. The location of where Hank Aaron's record 755th home run landed has been monumented in Milwaukee. In the joy of the moment, the months of threats and insults were forgotten. During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. Aaron eventually scored 2,174 runs, the exact same number as Ruth. [23] On June 12, 1952, Aaron signed with Braves' scout Dewey Griggs. [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. With his second wife, he had one child, Ceci. He added 22 more in 1975 and 1976, finally calling it a career with 755 career home runs. [48] He batted .322, placing third, and led the league in home runs and runs batted in. 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! Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. 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. It is a great accomplishment that required skill, longevity, and determination. Aaron led the league in runs (115), hits (208), doubles (36), RBIs (125), total bases (338), and batting average (.362). "[23] On March 13, 1954, Milwaukee Braves left fielder Bobby Thomson fractured his ankle while sliding into second base during a spring training game. He was also named The Sporting News NL Player of the Year. [28] A teammate later said, "the man ate pork chops three meals a day, two for breakfast". Aaron's record was . [3] Aaron's ability as a hitter can be illustrated by his still having over 3,000 hits even without counting any of his home runs. After the game, Aaron said his only fear was that he might not live to see the 1974 season. 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". 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? Hank Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. 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. Rankings of Negro League players should consider that Negro League data is not complete. His teammates are at home plate. [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]. [71] Aaron commented after the game that it was his last time as a player in Atlanta as his contract had expired. [136], In 2002, Aaron was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. He then changed his number to 44, which would turn out to look like a "lucky number" for the slugger. Aaron was known to frequently read Thomas Kempis' 15th-century book The Imitation of Christ, which he kept in his locker. home run record and Gerrit Cole broke the Yankees' single-season strikeouts record. As an adopted son of Atlanta, Mr. Aaron was part of the fabric that helped place Atlanta on the world stage. Home run number seven-hundred fourteen (714) tied Babe Ruth and seven-hundred fifteen (715) made Hank Aaron the all-time home . This made him one of the first minorities in Major League Baseball upper-level management. 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. Like most high schools, they did not have organized baseball, so he played outfield and third base for the Mobile Black Bears, a semipro team. 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). It's 715! "[143][144], In January 2016, Aaron received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette from Akihito, the Emperor of Japan. Aaron grew up in a poor family. 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. [141][142], In November 2015, Aaron was one of the five inaugural recipients of the Portrait of a Nation Prize, an award granted by the National Portrait Gallery in recognition of "exemplary achievements in the fields of civil rights, business, entertainment, science, and sports. 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. Braves announcer Milo Hamilton, calling the game on WSB radio, described the scene as Aaron broke the record: Henry Aaron, in the second inning walked and scored. He again finished third in National League MVP voting. [11] Helped by Aaron's performance, the Braves won the league championship that year. MLB, give him back his home run record. They had five children: Gary, Lary, Dorinda, Gaile, and Hank Jr. 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. The life and death of Hank Aaron (1934-2021) The Atlanta. On May 10, 1967, he hit an inside-the-park home run against Jim Bunning in Philadelphia. During the next several years, Aaron had some of his best games and best seasons as a major league player. A young Craig Sager actually interviewed Aaron between third and home for a television station, WXLT (now WWSB-Channel 40) in Sarasota. Aaron's legacy has and will always be. Politicians also paid tribute to him. [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. The cars were later recovered.[98]. A 6-foot, 180-pounder, Aaron broke Babe Ruth's hallowed home run mark on April 8, 1974, slugging his record 715th off . Aaron showed awesome skill when, unaided by pharmaceuticals, he broke Babe Ruths seemingly unbreakable record. [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. On April 8, he banged out his record 715th home run off Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers.. Baseball's all-time home run king, Hank Aaron did more than hit home runs. [74] Playing in the American League would allow Aaron to serve as a designated hitter rather than play in the field. 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. 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. 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]. But he was more than just a religious friend of mine, he was a friend because he talked as if he was not a priest sometimes." That whole period, I lived like a guy in a fishbowl, swimming from side to side with nowhere to go, watching everybody watch me. His RBI total remains the big league standard for career runs batted in. Statistic Description: Home Runs Hit/Allowed. [146][147], The Elite Development Invitational, a youth baseball tournament organized by the Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association to increase diversity in the sport, was renamed the Hank Aaron Invitational for the 2019 season. 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. [115], At Game 3 of the 2021 World Series in Truist Park, a pregame ceremony was held honoring Aaron where his son Hank Aaron Jr. threw out a ceremonial first pitch. He is one of only four players to have at least 17 seasons with 150 or more hits. Pujols . 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. The Braves opened the season on the road in Cincinnati with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron, the Baseball Hall of Famer who broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run record in the face of racism and went on to become a revered ambassador to the game, has died. It was the only inside-the-park home run of his career. Aaron sold all but the Toyota dealership in McDonough in 2007. This is wrong. To many baseball fans, it won't matter, Hank Aaron is the home run . After touching home plate he was carried off the field by his teammates. Aaron, known as hard working and quiet, was the last Negro league player to also compete in the Major Leagues. He died on January 22, 2021, at age 86. [36], In 1954, Aaron attended spring training with the major league club. 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. [35] In 1958, Aaron's wife noted that during the off-season he liked "to sit and watch those shooting westerns". He later cited his anti-abortion and anti-homosexual views as motivation for the bombings. 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 Judge broke the A.L. [11] He broke his habit of hitting cross-handed and adopted the standard hitting technique. [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. "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 . 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. 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. His average was .319, .007 behind the leader. [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. While he considered retirement, he said that he was willing to return to baseball for another year. Hank Aaron Timeline. He led the Braves to another pennant, but this time they lost a seven-game World Series to the Yankees. Aaron was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982, and now works in the front office for the Atlanta Braves. [23] During this time, he picked up the nickname "pork chops" because it "was the only thing I knew to order off the menu". Obituary: Hank Aaron, baseball great who became voice for civil rights, dies at 86 Photos: The life and . Although he batted cross-handed (as a right-handed hitter, with his left hand above his right), Aaron established himself as a power hitter. 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. "[34], That same year, Aaron met his future wife, Barbara Lucas. This one has been a long time in the making. Former Braves minor league player and sportswriter Pat Jordan said, "Aaron gave [Geraghty] much of the credit for his own swift rise to stardom. 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. It should have been the most enjoyable time in my life, and instead it was hell. Milwaukee went on to win the World Series against the New York Yankees, the defending champions, 4 games to 3. All Rights Reserved. [11] During his minor league experience, he was very homesick and faced constant racism, but his brother, Herbert Jr., told him not to give up the opportunity. 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) . [92] A friendship with a Roman Catholic priest later helped lead to Hank and his wife's conversion. Postal Service for receiving more mail (930,000 pieces) than any person excluding politicians.
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