Henry Louis Aaron
14 min read
Reading time
2,793
Words
Published
35
Film credits
11
Awards
Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record on April 8, 1974, hitting his 715th home run. He played 23 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers, finishing with 755 home runs and a .305 batting average. Aaron won the NL MVP in 1957 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
Names, aliases, and relatives of Hank Aaron — birth name, kin, and personal ties.
Hank Aaron by the numbers — life, work, and family.
Hank Aaron — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.
Hank Aaron achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout in the Mobile Boy Scouts. He was born on February 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama, to Estella and Herbert Aaron. He began his professional baseball career playing for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues before signing with the Milwaukee Braves and playing for their minor league team in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, one of the first black players there.
Aaron made his major league debut on April 13, 1954, with the Milwaukee Braves. He won the National League MVP in 1957, leading the Braves to a World Series championship. Over the next two decades, he led the league in home runs four times and won two batting titles. On April 8, 1974, he hit his 715th home run off Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers, breaking Babe Ruth’s record. He finished his career with 755 home runs, a mark that stood for decades. He also ranks third all-time in hits with 3,771. He spent 21 seasons with the Braves franchise Milwaukee and Atlanta and finished his career with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1975–1976.
Aaron married Barbara Lucas on October 6, 1953; they had three children before divorcing in February 1971. On November 12, 1973, he married Billye Aaron, who remained his wife until his death. His younger brother Tommie Aaron also played in the major leagues. During the 1973–74 off-season, he received over 10,000 letters, mostly hate mail and death threats, while approaching Ruth’s record. He later noted that supportive fan mail from all over far outnumbered the negative letters after he went public.
Aaron’s legacy extends beyond his 755 home runs. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, his first year of eligibility. In 2002, President George W. Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He also received the Spingarn Medal, the Presidential Citizens Medal, and the Order of the Rising Sun. His number 44 was retired by both the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. He worked in the Braves’ front office after his playing career, staying connected to the game. Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record with grace under immense pressure.
The complete filmography of Hank Aaron — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.
Every award, honor, and recognition received by Hank Aaron — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.
A wall of memorable lines from Hank Aaron — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.
It Took Me 17 Years to Get 3000 Hits in Baseball. I Did It in One Afternoon on the Golf Course.
You Can Only Milk a Cow so Long, and Then You’re Left Holding the Pail.
I Have Always Felt That Although Someone May Defeat Me, and I Strike Out in a Ball Game, the Pitcher on the Particular Day Was the Best Player. but I Know When I See Him Again, I’m Going to Be Ready for His Curve Ball. Failure Is a Part of Success.
I Never Doubted My Ability, but When You Hear All Your Life You’re Inferior, It Makes You Wonder If the Other Guys Have Something You’ve Never Seen Before. If They Do, I’m Still Looking for It.
I Don’t Feel Right Unless I Have a Sport to Play or at Least a Way to Work up a Sweat.
Guessing What the Pitcher Is Going to Throw Is 80% of Being a Successful Hitter. the Other 20% Is Just Execution.
I Looked for the Same Pitch My Whole Career, a Breaking Ball. All of the Time. I Never Worried About the Fastball. They Couldn’t Throw It Past Me, None of Them.
I’m Hoping Someday That Some Kid, Black or White, Will Hit More Home Runs Than Myself. Whoever It Is, I’d Be Pulling for Him.
I Never Smile When I Have a Bat in My Hands. That’s When You’ve Got to Be Serious. When I Get Out on the Field, Nothing’s a Joke to Me. I Don’t Feel Like I Should Walk Around with a Smile on My Face.
Roger Maris Lost His Hair the Season He Hit 61; I Still Have All My Hair, but When It’s Over, I’m Going Home to Mobile and Fish for a Long Time.
You Got to Play 150 Games a Year, so Pick Your Spots. You Can Miss Two Games a Month; so Pick the Days You’re Gonna Be Hurt, or You’re Gonna Rest or You’re Gonna Have a Drink or Two. the Rest of the Time, Be on That Field.
Little-known facts about Hank Aaron — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.
When Aaron finally mentioned the hate mail publicly he was receiving concerning his run for the career home run record, he was immediately flooded with supportive fan mail from all over which eventually far outnumbered the negative letters. Among his supporters was Babe Ruth’s widow, who publicly denounced Aaron’s hecklers and stated that her husband would have enthusiastically cheered on Aaron’s attempt at the record.
Atlanta Braves Career Games Played Leader 3,076.
Of the 16,000+ men who have played in the major leagues, his name is alphabetically first.
Achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout in the Mobile, Alabama Boy Scouts.
Member of 1957 World Series Champion Milwaukee Braves team. Member of 1958 National League Champion Milwaukee Braves team. Member of 1969 National League Western Division Champion Atlanta Braves team.
Besides ranking 1st on the all-time home run list with 755, he also ranks 3rd on the list of all-time hits with 3,771. He is also one of only 3 players to collect both 3,000 hits and 500 home runs in a career.
Outfielder for the National League’s Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves 1954-1974 and the American League’s Milwaukee Brewers 1975-1976. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
While Hank Aaron is proud of his home run record, he prefers to be known for his all-time record for the highest number of total bases scored, which he always regarded as a more accurate measure of his contribution to the team.
Atlanta Braves All-Time Sacrifice Flies Leader 113.
Hit a home run a grand slam to boot into the center field bleachers at New York’s Polo Grounds against the Mets on June 18, 1962, becoming only the third player ever to do so and one day after Lou Brock accomplished the same feat.
Reached his lifetime total of 755 home runs without ever hitting 50 in a single season. His highest single season total was 47 in 1971. He hit his jersey number 44 four times: in 1957, 1963, 1966, and 1969.
Inducted into the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.
He was the son of Estella Pritchett and Herbert Aaron.
Aaron was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002 by President George W. Bush.
Atlanta Braves Career At Bats Leader 11,628.
Atlanta Braves Career Runs Leader 2,107.
Atlanta Braves Career Hits Leader 3,600.
Atlanta Braves Career Doubles Leader 600.
Atlanta Braves Career Home Run Leader 733.
Atlanta Braves Career RBI Leader 2,202.
Atlanta Braves Career Total Bases Leader 6,591.
Atlanta Braves Career Slugging Percentage Leader .567.
Atlanta Braves All-Time Extra-Base Hits Leader 1,429.
Atlanta Braves All-Time Times on Base Leader 4,928.
Hit home run #400 off Bo Belinsky.
Made major league debut on 13 April 1954.
He earned $240,000 in 1976 playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for having received the most fan mail sent during his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s homerun record in 1974. Unfortunately most of the mail was negative.
His number 44 was retired by the Brewers in 1976, the same year he retired. The following year, in 1977, it was retired by the Braves.
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Hank Aaron.
Celebrities similar to Hank Aaron — same craft, ranked by reach.
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