[88] Aaron also owned Mini, Land Rover, Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda dealerships throughout Georgia, as part of the Hank Aaron Automotive Group. With his second wife, he had one child, Ceci. He was also named The Sporting News NL Player of the Year. He didnt know what he was taking, he testified, and thought it was all natural. Considered one of the greatest baseball players in history, he spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL). But it was Hammerin' Hank's sweet home run swing for which he was best known. Aaron went 0 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts in Atlanta's 5-3 win over the Reds on April 7. After his retirement, Aaron held front office roles with the Atlanta Braves, including the senior vice president. Formally entitled a read more. On April 8, 1989, California Angels rookie pitcher Jim Abbott, who was born without a right hand, makes his Major League Baseball debut in a 7-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners. Aaron, known as hard working and quiet, was the last Negro league player to also compete in the Major Leagues. He signed a two-year contract with the Brewers for $240,000 per year. 02-05-1934 | Aaron is born on a Monday in Mobile, Alabama. Listen to HISTORY This Week Podcast: More Than a Home Run. Aaron spent his 23-year big league career with two organizations. It was the only inside-the-park home run of his career. At the end of the 1969 season, Aaron again finished third in the MVP voting. The board appears to have been convinced, as Aaron was not drafted. Aaron has the second most home runs ever? What Happened to the 2 Fans From Hank Aaron's 715th Home Run? Aaron eventually scored 2,174 runs, the exact same number as Ruth. Rankings of Negro League players should consider that Negro League data is not complete. [11] He broke his habit of hitting cross-handed and adopted the standard hitting technique. He and his wife first became interested in the faith after the birth of their first child, whom they baptized immediately. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Ken Severson [150], In 2022, a recording of the WSB broadcast of the April 8, 1974, BravesDodgers game in which Aaron hit his 715th home run was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. The Atlanta Braves great, who smashed Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, died Jan. 22. Remembering the Day Hank Aaron Broke Babe Ruth's Home Run Record He also enjoyed cooking and fishing. While cannons were fired in celebration, two college students [67] sprinted onto the field and jogged alongside Aaron for part of his circuit around the bases, temporarily startling him. Aaron would finish the season in Atlanta, go back to Milwaukee for two seasons as the Brewers' DH and end his career with 755 home runs. ", "Sporting News' 100 Greatest Baseball Players", "Aaron to throw out first pitch at All-Star Game", "President Bush Announces the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom", "About Carson Park: Eau Claire, Wisconsin", "Aaron receives honorary degree from Princeton", "Portrait of Nation Prize Winner: Hank Aaron", "National Portrait Gallery Honors Aretha Franklin, Carolina Herrera, Hank Aaron", "Hank Aaron presented with Order of the Rising Sun", "Hank Aaron throws out 1st pitch at SunTrust Park", "MLB renames developmental program after Hank Aaron", "Georgia Tech football to retire Hank Aaron's number 44 for 2021 season", "Hank Aaron replaces Confederate general in school name", "National Recording Registry Inducts Music from Alicia Keys, Ricky Martin, Journey and More in 2022", "Sports stars of Alabama: Where are they now?