Legendary MLB Player Hank Aaron Passes Away At 86
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 04: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron speaks onstage at the The Jackie Robinson Foundation Annual Awards' Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on March 4, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Jackie Robinson Foundation)
The baseball world lost one of the most iconic players of all-time with the passing of Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron.
CBS 46 in Atlanta was the first to report the passing of Aaron earlier today. He was 86 years old and was recently in the news for getting his vaccine shot.
Aaron's incredible baseball career began in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves, where he finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting. The following year, Aaron made his first of 21 straight All-Star seasons.
Between 1957 and 1973, Aaron recorded 40 or more home runs eight times. He led the National League in home runs four times, and all of baseball in home runs with 44 in 1957.
But as Aaron improved by leaps and bounds every year, he began encroaching on one of the most revered records in all of sports: Babe Ruth's all-time home run record.
In 1973, Aaron was within striking distance of Ruth's record, which stood at 714 home runs. But he finished one home run short of claiming the record for himself.
Aaron received countless death threats heading into the 1974 season and openly admitted he was concerned he might not live to get a shot at breaking the record. But on April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron hit home run No. 715 off Dodgers pitcher Al Downing.
The legendary Vin Scully was on the call for the historic moment:
Hank Aaron finished his career with 755 home runs. His all-time record was broken in 2007 by Barry Bonds, but most baseball fans still assert that Aaron is the rightful Home Run King.
Our hearts go out to Hank Aaron's family and loved ones.
