On January 22, 2021, the world lost one of the greatest baseball players and pioneers of the sport. At the age of 86, Henry Louis Aaron passed away in Atlanta, GA. Let’s take a closer look at the man and the legend.
- He started his career at 17 years old as a shortstop for $200/month.
- Both the Boston Braves and the New York Giants tried to sign Aaron. He chose the Braves for an extra $50 per month. Had he chosen the Giants, he would have played alongside another legend, Willie Mays.
- He was an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.
- He holds the record for most All-Star game appearances.
- On April 8, 1974, Aaron beat Babe Ruth’s homerun record by hitting his 715th homerun.
- On the road to beating Ruth’s record, Aaron received multiple death threats due to him being a black man. When he finally broke the record in Atlanta, the standing ovation he received by the 53K in attendance was symbolic for him overcoming so many obstacles and so much hate on his way to the mark.
- Aaron ended up having management jobs with the Atlanta Braves after his career was over. He also started a chain of car dealerships where an autographed baseball would be supplied with every car sold.
- In 1982, Aaron was abducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame having received nearly 98% of the votes on the ballot.
- Aaron converted to Catholicism in 1959.
- After his death, a petition emerged in Atlanta to rename the Braves “The Hammers” after Aaron’s nickname of Hank “The Hammer” Aaron or “Hammerin’ Hank.”
- 80’s rapper MC Hammer as attributed his namesake to being inspired by Hank Aaron.