Hall of Famer and longtime home run king Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron died Friday morning, his daughter confirmed to WSB-TV in Atlanta. The Atlanta Braves legend was 86.
Aaron, a 25-time All-Star, played in MLB from 1954-76 almost entirely with the Braves organization first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta. In 1957 he led the organization to their first World Series pennant since 1914. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
He passed Babe Ruth’s on the all-time home run leaderboard in 1974 with his 715th shot. He finished his career with 755. It stood for decades until Barry Bonds passed him and set the mark at 762.
The slugger is still the game’s all-time leader in RBI (2,297) and total bases (6,856). He ranks third in career hits (3,771). The outfielder won three Gold Gloves as well as the National League batting titles in 1956 and 1959, the 1957 NL MVP award and the 1970 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for character.
Aaron, who was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1934, overcame racism in the deep south and received death threats while pursuing Babe Ruth’s record. He remained a role model up until his death. He joined civil rights leaders earlier in getting the COVID-19 vaccine earlier this moth to show Black Americans getting vaccinated is safe.
