“Hammerin'” Hank Aaron was the one-time home run king, breaking Babe Ruth’s career home run record in 1974.
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January 22, 2021 2 min read
This story originally appeared on Business Insider
Baseball legend Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron died at age 86 on Friday, according to reports.
Aaron was an icon of the sport, hitting 755 home runs over the course of his two decades in the major leagues.
He was named MLB MVP of the 1957 season and named to 21 consecutive All-Star games during his storied career.
Aaron is responsible for one of the greatest moments in the history of baseball. On April 8, 1974, Aaron took Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing deep over the center-left wall for the 715th home run of his career, breaking Babe Ruth’s record to become the home run king of baseball.
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As he rounded the bases, Aaron shook hands with the Dodgers playing the infield and was joined by two fans eager to congratulate him on his accomplishment.
“What a marvelous moment for baseball,” said commentator Vin Scully calling the game. “What a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia. What a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the deep South for breaking the record of an all-time baseball idol.”
[embedded content]Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. While Barry Bonds would eventually surpass his home run mark, Aaron will be known forever as the Home Run King.