Hank aaron biography summary graphic organizer

(1934-2021)

Who Was Hank Aaron?

Born into humble circumstances in Mobile, Alabama, Hank Aaron ascended the ranks of the Negro Leagues to become a Major League Baseball icon.

The appearance money of $30,000, which was nearly as much as his baseball contract called for, convinced Aaron that he should "swing for the fences" a little more, noting that "they don't have a television show called Singles Derby."

In 1961, Aaron became part of a foursome that became the first to hit back-to-back-to-back-to-back homers.

He spent hours alone, sequestered under constant security in separate hotels from his teammates; they came to him with take-out dinners, companionship, and encouragement.

Still, teammates were in awe of Aaron's powers of concentration — of being able to set all of the off-field threats aside and tend to business. Some wrote to congratulate him, but many others were appalled that a Black man should break baseball's most sacred record.

Aaron, a first-timer on the trip into town, was not on it.

The shortest route back to camp was to walk straight through the woods, then negotiate a fence surrounding the camp.

Post-Playing Career

After retiring as a player, Aaron moved into the Atlanta Braves front office as executive vice president, where he became a leading spokesman for minority hiring in baseball.

That would occur back at the Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta. It wasn't a long stay, but the talented teenager left his mark by hitting .366 and leading his club to victory in the league's 1952 World Series. The results were dramatic — Aaron won the National League MVP on the basis of a .322 batting average, 44 home runs, and a career-high 132 RBIs.

"I move over now," said Aaron, "and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historic achievement."

Hank Aaron Stadium

In April 1997, baseball returned to the city of Mobile, Alabama, when the minor league Mobile Baybears squared off against the Birmingham Barons at Hank Aaron Stadium.

In addition to his MVP in '57, Aaron finshed a strong third in the voting another six times.

All the fame and notoriety was not earned without a stiff price, however.

Early Years

Although Hank was born in the midst of the Depression in 1934, in Mobile, Alabama, his all-around athletic skills were evident at an early age.

"I noticed that they never had a show called 'Singles Derby,'" he once explained.

He was right, of course, and over the next decade and a half, the always-fit Aaron banged out 30 to 40 home runs on an annual basis. He would realize his dream in 1974.

Vitriol and Derision

During "The Chase" after Ruth's record, which began in earnest in 1972, Aaron was exposed a deluge of vile racial hate mail.

Barry Bonds surpassed that mark on August 7, 2007, when he hit his 756th dinger at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California.

Aaron was not at the ballpark that night, prompting speculation that he would not acknowledge the accomplishments of Bonds, who had been accused of cheating through performance-enhancement drugs.

Following a successful first year in which he won the Northern League's Rookie of the Year Award while batting .326, Aaron was sent with Felix Mantilla and Horace Garner to the Jacksonville (Florida) Tars of the South Atlantic (Sally) League to help break the color barrier that still existed south of the Mason-Dixon line, long after Jackie Robinson had made his Major League debut in 1947.

Aaron completed an outstanding year, notwithstanding threats and racial epithets thrown his way.

He did not disappoint, earning Northern League Rookie of the Year honors in 1952. On Monday night, April 8, 1974, against the Dodgers before a National TV audience, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Hank stroked a 1-0 Al Downing pitch over the left field fence for his 715th career homer and baseball history was made.

Aaron finished 1974 with just 20 home runs and after the season was traded to the American League's Milwaukee Brewers, enabling him to finish his career in the city he had helped bring many baseball memories.

However, the former home run king soon appeared on the scoreboard to extend his congratulations via a videotaped message. He played two more years, wrapping up his stellar career after the 1976 season. The wear and tear that playing defense, especially that long run out to right field and back to the dugout every inning, had exacted its toll on his 40-year-old body.

One baseball pundit said, "Aaron led the league in everything except hotel accommodations."

One dark incident occurred in 1953, when Aaron was attending a skills camp in the swamps of Waycross, Georgia. As a prelude of things to come, Aaron hit a home run in his first spring training start.

Early Major League Success

Although Aaron went 0-for-5 in his Major League debut, teammate and future Hall-of-Famer Eddie Mathews hit two home runs — the first two of an eventual record 863 home runs they would hit as teammates.

Death

Aaron passed away on January 22, 2021.

• Name: Aaron Henry
• Birth Year: 1934
• Birth date: February 5, 1934
• Birth State: Alabama
• Birth City: Mobile
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Baseball legend Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's hallowed mark of 714 home runs and finished his career with numerous big league records.
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Aquarius
• Schools
• Central High School
• Josephine Allen Institute
• Death Year: 2021
• Death date: January 22, 2021
• Death State: Georgia
• Death City: Atlanta
• Death Country: United States

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• Article Title: Hank Aaron Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/hank-aaron
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: May 5, 2021
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

• On the field, Blacks have been able to be super giants.

  1958 saw the Braves once again win the pennant, but despite another fine World Series performance by Aaron (he batted .333), Milwaukee fell to the Yankees in a seventh and deciding game.

  By this time Hank was posting, season after season, the consistent great numbers that were to become his trademark.