Monday marks the 50-year anniversary of Hank Aaron's historic home run that broke Babe Ruth's long-standing record, and the Atlanta Braves are commemorating the milestone with a sense of reverence, and remembrance. Aaron's defiance in the face of racism and threats as he chased Ruth's record is a testament to his character and determination, which continues to inspire generations.
As FOX 5 Atlanta reports, despite receiving hate mail, Aaron pressed on to hit his 715th home run on April 8, 1974. Tom House, the former teammate who caught the ball, recalls the emotional moment when he delivered the ball to Aaron – "You could see both of them with tears in their eyes," House said of Aaron and his mother at the home plate, pointing to the palpable combination of joy and relief encapsulating the scene.
Fellow Braves legend and on-deck hitter at the time of the historic hit, Dusty Baker, described Aaron as a protective figure in his life, "We always felt the need to protect him, always felt that need," Baker said, according to AP News. Bob Hope, the Braves' media relations director at the time, shared that Aaron's determination was unshakable, even when the FBI warned of credible threats against his life.
Atlanta is remembering Aaron through various commemorations, including a new exhibit at the Atlanta History Center and a ceremonial preview at Truist Park's monument garden where Aaron's bat and the record-breaking ball will be displayed. The historic artifact, while typically housed at the Baseball Hall of Fame, will make a rare public appearance to honor "Hammerin' Hank."
Despite the Braves' and Major League Baseball's efforts to promote diversity through initiatives like the Hank Aaron Invitational – the sport continues to see a decline in the number of Black players. "For me, just having somebody that looked like me that could be that successful and do the things he’s done, the road he paved for players like me, that’s pretty huge," Michael Harris II, a Braves outfielder and Hank Aaron Invitational alumnus, told FOX 5 Atlanta. The representation of African American players in the league dropped to 6.2% in 2023, the lowest since records began in 1991, despite the recent increase in African American first-round draft picks.
