Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron was born in Alabama in 1934. He became one of the best baseball players of all time. He played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves. People called him Hammerin' Hank because he hit the ball so hard.

Early Baseball

Hank learned to play baseball as a boy, even hitting bottle caps with sticks when he had no ball. He started his career in a league just for Black players. Soon teams in the Major Leagues saw how great he was. He joined the Milwaukee Braves in 1954.

Baseball player Hank Aaron in his team uniform in 1954.
Baseball player Hank Aaron in his team uniform in 1954. (Unknown authorUnknown author / Wikimedia Commons)

Home Run King

In 1974, Hank hit his 715th home run. This broke a famous record set by Babe Ruth. He ended his career with 755 home runs. Sadly, some people sent him mean letters because they did not want a Black player to hold the record. But Hank never gave up.

Fun Facts

  • He was an All-Star 25 times during his career.
  • He still holds the record for the most runs batted in.
  • He used to hit the ball with his wrists, not his arms.

Did You Know?

Hank Aaron held the home run record for over 30 years until Barry Bonds broke it in 2007.