1974 : Aaron sets new home run record
On this day in 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th
career home run, breaking Babe Ruth's legendary record of 714 homers.
A crowd of 53,775 people, the largest in the history of Atlanta-Fulton
County Stadium, was with Aaron that night to cheer when he hit a 4th
inning pitch off the Los Angeles Dodgers' Al Downing. However, as
Aaron was an African American who had received death threats and
racist hate mail during his pursuit of one of baseball's most
distinguished records, the achievement was bittersweet.
Henry Louis Aaron Jr., born in Mobile, Alabama, on February 5, 1934,
made his Major League debut in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves, just
eight years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier and
became the first African American to play in the majors. Aaron, known
as hard working and quiet, was the last Negro league player to also
compete in the Major Leagues.
In 1957, with characteristically little fanfare, Aaron, who primarily
played right field, was named the National League's Most Valuable
Player as the Milwaukee Braves won the pennant. A few weeks later, his
three home runs in the World Series helped his team triumph over the
heavily favored New York Yankees. Although "Hammerin' Hank"
specialized in home runs, he was also an extremely dependable batter,
and by the end of his career he held baseball's career record for most
runs batted in: 2,297.
Aaron's playing career spanned three teams and 23 years. He was with
the Milwaukee Braves from 1954 to 1965, the Atlanta Braves from 1966
to 1974 and the Milwaukee Brewers from 1975 to 1976. He hung up his
cleats in 1976 with 755 career home runs and went on to become one of
baseball's first African-American executives, with the Atlanta Braves,
and a leading spokesperson for minority hiring. Hank Aaron was
inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
history.com/tdih.do
General Interest
1974 : Aaron sets new home run record
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=4903
563 BC: Buddhists celebrate birth of Gautama Buddha
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6861
1935 : WPA established by Congress
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4901
1953 : Kenyatta jailed for Mau Mau uprising
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4902
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On this day in 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th
career home run, breaking Babe Ruth's legendary record of 714 homers.
A crowd of 53,775 people, the largest in the history of Atlanta-Fulton
County Stadium, was with Aaron that night to cheer when he hit a 4th
inning pitch off the Los Angeles Dodgers' Al Downing. However, as
Aaron was an African American who had received death threats and
racist hate mail during his pursuit of one of baseball's most
distinguished records, the achievement was bittersweet.
Henry Louis Aaron Jr., born in Mobile, Alabama, on February 5, 1934,
made his Major League debut in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves, just
eight years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier and
became the first African American to play in the majors. Aaron, known
as hard working and quiet, was the last Negro league player to also
compete in the Major Leagues.
In 1957, with characteristically little fanfare, Aaron, who primarily
played right field, was named the National League's Most Valuable
Player as the Milwaukee Braves won the pennant. A few weeks later, his
three home runs in the World Series helped his team triumph over the
heavily favored New York Yankees. Although "Hammerin' Hank"
specialized in home runs, he was also an extremely dependable batter,
and by the end of his career he held baseball's career record for most
runs batted in: 2,297.
Aaron's playing career spanned three teams and 23 years. He was with
the Milwaukee Braves from 1954 to 1965, the Atlanta Braves from 1966
to 1974 and the Milwaukee Brewers from 1975 to 1976. He hung up his
cleats in 1976 with 755 career home runs and went on to become one of
baseball's first African-American executives, with the Atlanta Braves,
and a leading spokesperson for minority hiring. Hank Aaron was
inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
history.com/tdih.do
General Interest
1974 : Aaron sets new home run record
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=4903
563 BC: Buddhists celebrate birth of Gautama Buddha
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=6861
1935 : WPA established by Congress
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4901
1953 : Kenyatta jailed for Mau Mau uprising
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4902
#########################################
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