Henry “Hank” Aaron

Henry “Hank” Aaron (1934–2021) was a professional baseball player who surpassed batting records set by the greatest hitters in the game, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Stan Musial. Aaron played twenty-three seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1954–1976. He spent twenty-one seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League and two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League. At the time of his retirement, Aaron held most of the game’s key career power-hitting records. He is best known for breaking the long-standing MLB record for career home runs held by Babe Ruth and remained the career leader for thirty-three years, with a total of 755 home runs in 2007. 

Nicknamed “Hammer,” he hit twenty-four or more home runs every season from 1955 through 1973 and is one of only two players (the other being Alex Rodriguez) to hit thirty or more home runs in at least fifteen seasons. Aaron holds the MLB record for the most career runs batted in (RBIs) (2,297), extra base hits (1,477), and total bases (6,856). He is also third all-time for career hits (3,771) and fifth in runs scored (2,174). Aaron was an NL All-Star for twenty seasons, an AL All-Star for one season, and a three-time Gold Glove winner. 

Born in Mobile, Alabama, Aaron began his baseball career in the Negro American League and in the minor leagues before joining Major League Baseball. By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro League player on a major league roster. In 1957, having led his team to victory in the World Series, he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. On April 8, 1974, in Atlanta, Aaron hit his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s record, which had stood since 1935. Aaron faced intense racism and received numerous death threats as he approached the record. After retiring as a player following the 1976 season, he rejoined the Braves as an executive. He later worked as the corporate vice president of community relations for Turner Broadcasting System and as a member of the company’s board of directors. He was also vice president of business development for The Airport Network. 

Aaron’s autobiography, I Had A Hammer, co-written with Lonnie Wheeler, was published in 1990 and was a finalist for the Casey Award. In 1994, Aaron and his wife established the Chasing the Dream Foundation, which awards the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Scholarship to members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. His other honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002, the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal in 1976, and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette from Akihito, the Emperor of Japan, in 2016. Major League Baseball created the Hank Aaron Award in 1999 to recognize the best overall offensive performer in the American and National Leagues. In 2024, the U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp in his honor.