Hank Aaron

Date of Birth: February 5, 1934

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: January 22, 2021

Biography

Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron, widely known as “Hammerin’ Hank,” was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL). Born on February 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama, Aaron’s career spanned from 1954 to 1976. He is best known for breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record on April 8, 1974, when he hit his 715th home run. Aaron’s record stood until 2007 when it was broken by Barry Bonds. Aaron’s impressive career statistics include 3,771 hits, 2,297 RBIs, and 755 home runs. After retiring from baseball, Aaron became an executive with the Atlanta Braves and was an advocate for civil rights and philanthropy. He passed away on January 22, 2021.

5 Interesting Facts about Hank Aaron

1. Hank Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

2. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002 from President George W. Bush.

3. Aaron played in 25 All-Star Games, the most in MLB history.

4. He holds the MLB record for most career RBIs (2,297), extra-base hits (1,477), and total bases (6,856).

5. Aaron faced significant racial hatred and death threats, especially during his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Hank Aaron

1. “I never wanted them to forget Babe Ruth. I just wanted them to remember Henry Aaron.”

2. “Failure is a part of success. There is no such thing as a bed of roses all your life.”

3. “It took me seventeen years to get three thousand hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golf course.”

4. “In playing ball, and in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.”

5. “The way I see it, you have to be willing to give 100 percent. If you don’t, someone else will.”