Barry Bonds, Chipper Jones Pay Tribute to Hall of Famer Hank Aaron After His Death
The sports world suffered a major loss on Friday with the news of Hank Aaron's death.
Aaron, 86, played 23 seasons in MLB from 1954 to '76 and is ranked second all-time in career home runs (755) behind Barry Bonds (762). A 25-time All-Star, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
One of the most memorable moments of Aaron's career came when he hit home run No. 715 on April 8, 1974, and surpassed Babe Ruth on MLB's all-time home run list. The record stood until Aug. 7, 2007, until it was surpassed by Bonds.
Aaron holds the record for most runs batted in (2,297), extra-base hits (1,477) and total bases (6,856). He earned batting titles during the 1956 and 1959 seasons and was also a three-time gold glove winner.
Aaron spent 21 of his 23 seasons in MLB with the Braves and won his lone World Series title in 1957. The right fielder and first baseman received the MVP award that season after he recorded a league-high 118 runs, 44 home runs and 132 RBIs.
Aaron played in the Negro leagues and minor leagues before making his MLB debut in April 1954 with the Braves, then in Milwaukee, at 20 years of age. He retired at the age of 42 as a member of the Brewers.
Earlier this month, Aaron was in the news when he received the COVID-19 vaccine and encouraged other Black Americans to do the same.
Figures around MLB and the sports world took to social media to express their memories and condolences of the former home run king.
More Hank Aaron Stories From the SI Vault and SI.com:
•At 23, Hank Aaron Is Already the League's Best Right-Handed Hitter - Roy Terrell, 1957
• Henry Aaron May Be Getting Older, but He's Still Terrorizing Every Pitcher He Faces - Jack Mann, 1966
• Henry Raps One for History: Aaron Collects Hit No. 3,000 - William Leggett, 1970
• Henry Aaron Gracefully Endured the Pressure of the Chase for 715 - Ron Fimrite, 1974
• Despite Losing the Home Run Record, Hank Aaron Will Always Be "The People's King" - Tom Verducci, 2007
• Where Are They Now: The People Behind Hank Aaron's Record 715th Home Run - Stephanie Apstein, 2014
• Hank Aaron Transcended Baseball Like Few Ever Have—or Will - Tom Verducci, 2021
