Aaron had started his professional baseball career with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League in 1951. Aaron experienced the effects of racism during that time and throughout his career. He endured, though, to became a hero to many people.
Breaking Babe Ruth’s Home Run Record
While playing for the Atlanta Braves late in his career, Aaron received a large amount of racist hate mail. The mail came in response to his approach to Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record of 714 home runs.
Aaron ended the 1973 season with 713 home runs. On the cusp of the record, he endured various death threats in the off-season. Many others, though, voiced their support for The Hammer.
Aaron persevered. He hit home run number 714 on April 4, 1974 in his first at-bat in the 1974 season. That home run came in Cincinnati off Reds pitcher Jack Billingham.
Then, back in Atlanta on April 8, 1974, the 40-year-old Aaron came to bat against Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Al Downing. This video shows what happened next.
After Breaking the Record
After his famous home run in 1974, Aaron continued to play baseball. He continued to follow the motto that helped him through tough times: “Always keep swinging.”
And, on May 1, 1975, now a Milwaukee Brewer, Aaron broke baseball’s all-time RBI record. Babe Ruth had held that record too.
On July 20, 1976, Aaron hit his 755th and final home run. Aaron’s record stood until Barry Bonds broke it on August 7, 2007. Despite the controversy about Bonds’s alleged used of steroids, Aaron graciously appeared on the JumboTron in the San Francisco Giants stadium to congratulate Bonds.
Since his playing days, Aaron has worked as an executive with the Atlanta Braves, run his own business, and helped others through his charitable work. In 1990, he published his excellent autobiography, I Had a Hammer, which I listened to as an audio book years ago. Aaron passed away on January 22, 2021.
In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. His election came with one of the highest vote percentages ever. But by then, he had long been enshrined in our hearts.
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It’s hard for me to imagine not loving Hank Aaron, a favorite of both me and Mike. There is a possibility that we would have named a son Henry Aaron, though I don’t know if we would have called him Hank.
He’s a good favorite to have. Muhammad Ali once said that Aaron was “The only man I idolize more than myself.” Thanks for the comment!