The Atlanta Braves announced Friday morning that Hank Aaron, the legendary slugger and Hall of Famer, has died at the age of 86. CBS46 in Atlanta first reported the news.
During his 23-year career, Aaron established himself at the 1954-76 Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers as a great circle of all time.
In his career, Aaron hit .305 / .374 / .555 (155 OPS +) with 624 doubles, 755 home games, 2,297 RBIs, 2,174 runs, 3,771 hits and 240 stolen bases. He retired as the home leader of all time and held the record for decades. He is still the leader of all time in RBI and total bases. He also holds the record for most All-Star games at 25 and most seasons as All-Star at 21 (for a while, MLB held two All-Star games a year).
The 1957 NL MVP, Aaron also won three gold gloves and two batting titles while leading the league four times in the home race, four times RBI, three runs, twice, four doubles, four strokes and OPS three times. . He won the 1957 World Series with the Braves and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
The greatest moment that most remember of Aaron’s career is to surpass Babe Ruth’s 714 careers on April 8, 1974. Here’s the great Vin Scully going on:
As for these career stats, Aaron is as good as anyone. He is fourth in history in runs, third in hits, 13th in doubles, second in home games, first in RBI, 27th in runs, 24th in OPS +, first in overall base, first in off-ball hits, seventh time in base, fourth in intentional walks. He is even fourth in sacrificial flies.
There is little that can even come close to the kind of statistical skill that Aaron puts together on the field. For example, he is one of only three players with at least 2,000 runs and 2,000 RBIs (Babe Ruth and Alex Rodriguez). Try this one: his lead in the total base is 722.
Among position players, Aaron is fifth in the career war behind Barry Bonds, Ruth, Willie Mays and Ty Cobb.
“I want to extend my heartfelt and heartfelt condolences to the Aaron family on their loss today,” Bonds, the current home leader of all time, said in a statement on Instagram. “I was fortunate enough to spend time with Hank on several occasions throughout my career and have always had the deepest respect and admiration for everything he did, as well as off the field. He is an icon, a legend and a true hero to so many, who will be missed forever. ‘
Aaron’s amazing offense was not played after the regular season. In 17 post-season games, he won .362 / .405 / .710 with six home runs and 16 RBIs. The 1957 World Series title was the first for the Braves since moving from Boston to Milwaukee. During the series, Aaron won 11 for 28 with a triple and three homers. No one else on his team had more than five shots, and Aaron drove home seven of the Braves’ 22 runs. In the 1969 NLCS, the Braves were swept by the Mets in three games, but Aaron won 5 for 14 with two doubles and three homers while driving home seven of the Braves’ 15 runs.
“Hank Aaron is close to the top of everyone’s list of great players of all time,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “His monumental achievements as a player were surpassed only by his dignity and integrity as a person. Hank symbolized the very best of our game, and his overall excellence set Americans and fans around the world an example to pursue. A career shows that a person who goes to work with humility every day can make his way in history – and find a way to shine like no other. ‘
“Hank eagerly supported our efforts to celebrate the best of the match and find his next generation of stars, including the Hank Aaron Award, which recognizes offensive excellence by Major League players, and the Hank Aaron Invitational, which provides exposure to young young players. He has become a good friend of mine in recent years due to his annual visit to the World Series. The friendship is one of the greatest honors in my life. I am eternally grateful for Hank’s impact on our sport and the society it represents, and he will always occupy a special place in the history of our game.On behalf of Major League Baseball, I express my deepest condolences to Hank’s wife, Billye, their family, the Atlanta fans and Milwaukee, and the millions of fans who have earned one of the pillars of our game. ‘
Braves chairman Terry McGuirk has released the following statement:
“We were absolutely devastated by the passing of our beloved Hank. He was a beacon for our organization, first as a player, then with player development, and always with our community efforts. His incredible talent and determination helped him achieve the highest achievements. , yet he never lost his humble nature.Henri Louis Aaron was not only our icon but one across Major League Baseball and around the world.His success on the diamond is only compared to his off-field business performance and is limited by his extraordinary philanthropic efforts.
“We are sad and think of his wife Billye and their children Gaile, Hank, Jr., Lary, Dorinda and Ceci and his grandchildren.”
Aaron was born and raised in poverty in Alabama and from an early age the family is expected to make money and pick cotton. His family could not afford to buy him baseball equipment, so he learned how to hit with a broomstick and bottle caps. Coming to high school, his talent took over and at the age of 17 he was catching up with the Indianapolis Clowns from a Negro league. After the Clowns reached the Negro League World Series in 1952, Aaron received offers from the Giants and Braves. He spent 87 games in the C-League at the age of 18 (nowadays roughly equal to Class A) and then at the age of 197 in the A-League (about Double-A or Triple-A) before advancing to 20 in 1954. -year-old hit the biggest and never looked back.
He finished fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year poll in 1954. The following year he was an All-Star, finishing ninth in the MVP poll and leading the league in doubles. Two years later he won MVP and the Braves were world champions. He will not miss an All-Star Game in a season until he is 42 – his final year.
As noted, Aaron was not only one of the greatest – if not the greatest – baseball players ever. He was an exemplary man off the field and wore a modest decor after his last days. The current Astros driver, Dusty Baker, came up with the Braves in 1968 and played with the already legendary Aaron until 1974. Friday, Baker to Brian McTaggart, reporter for Astros, said, “[Aaron] was second to my father, and my father meant the world to me. ‘
In addition to all his baseball honors, Aaron was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton in 2001 by President Citizens and in 2002 by President George W. Bush. Aaron has now nominated an award for him as the Hank Aaron Award. is given the best hit in every league, every season by Major League Baseball.
“My wife, Sue, and I are terribly sad and saddened by the passing of the great Henry Aaron, a man we truly loved, and we express our condolences to his wonderful wife, Billye,” said Allan H, former commissioner of the MLB, said. “Bud” Blessed in a statement.
“Besides being one of the greatest baseball players of all time, he was a wonderful and dear person and a wonderful and dear friend. Not long ago, he and I walked the streets of Washington DC together and talked about how we were best friends for over 60 years. Then Hank said, “Who would have thought years ago that a black child from Mobile, Alabama Babe Ruth’s home record would break and a Jewish child from Milwaukee would become the commissioner ? of baseball?
“Aaron was loved by his teammates and by his fans. He was a true Hall of Famer in every way. He will be missed throughout the game, and his contributions to the game and his position in the game will never be forgotten. ”
An excerpt from Aaron’s Hall of Fame plaque contains a quote from Andrew Young’s Congressman Andrew, which reads:
“Throughout his long career, Hank Aaron has been a model of humility, dignity and quiet ability. He did not seek the worship bestowed on other national athletic heroes, but he now deserves it.”
The baseball world lost one of its truly iconic figures on Friday.