Aaron suffered from arthritis and had a partial hip replacement after a fall in 2014. Coincidentally, Snoopy was only one home run short of tying the record (and finished the season as such when Charlie Brown got picked off during Snoopy's last at-bat), and as it turned out, Aaron finished the 1973 season one home run short of Ruth. Aaron reportedly received 930,000 pieces of mail in 1973 the year before he broke Ruths record with enough including threats that the FBI got involved to protect him and his family. [35] In 1958, Aaron hit .326, with 30 home runs and 95 RBIs. Aaron owned Hank Aaron BMW of south Atlanta in Union City, Georgia, where he included an autographed baseball with every car sold. In April 1997, a new baseball facility for the AA Mobile Bay Bears constructed in Aaron's hometown of Mobile, Alabama was named Hank Aaron Stadium. Rankings of Negro League players should consider that Negro League data is not complete. [4] By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. MLB, give him back his home run record. 756 to Break Aaron's Record", "Midsummer Classics: Celebrating MLB's All-Star Game", "Hank Aaron praises Barry Bonds for home run record", "Craig Sager's backstory more colorful than his clothes", "Police recover both of Hank Aaron's stolen cars after Atlanta home burglarized", "Milo Hamilton made Hank Aaron's homer itself star of No. His RBI total remains the big league standard for career runs batted in. And listen to this crowd![69]. "[45], Aaron hit .314 with 27 home runs and 106 RBIs, in 1955. Aaron's first marriage was to Barbara Lucas in 1953. While he considered retirement, he said that he was willing to return to baseball for another year. I was a prisoner in my own apartment. [75] He was acquired by the Milwaukee Brewers for Dave May thirty-one days later on November 2. Braves' public relations director Don Davidson, observing Aaron's quiet, reserved nature, began referring to him publicly as "Hank" in order to suggest more accessibility. The 20 home runs Aaron hit in 1974 were the third-most ever by a player 40 or older. [38] In the same game, Eddie Mathews hit two home runs, the first of a record 863 home runs the pair would hit as teammates. He had 100+ RBIs in a season 15 times, including a record of 13 in a row. [19] After this, Aaron returned to school to finish his secondary education, attending the Josephine Allen Institute, a private high school in Alabama. Pujols . The life and death of Hank Aaron (1934-2021) The Atlanta. She curbed the power of Britains labor read more, On April 8, 1935, Congress votes to approve the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a central part of President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal. Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron, the Baseball Hall of Famer who broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run record in the face of racism and went on to become a revered ambassador to the game, has died. Former Braves minor league player and sportswriter Pat Jordan said, "Aaron gave [Geraghty] much of the credit for his own swift rise to stardom. That's the only thing that kept Willie Mays and me from being teammates fifty dollars.[24]. A seven-time NL MVP, the 43-year-old Bonds hit his 22nd home run of the year. He was with the Braves from 1954 to 1974first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta, when the franchise moved in 1966and closed it out with two seasons back in Milwaukee for the Brewers. Sports Illustrated pointedly summarized the racist vitriol that Aaron was forced to endure: Is this to be the year in which Aaron, at the age of thirty-nine, takes a moon walk above one of the most hallowed individual records in American sport? Henry Aaron Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com Henry Aaron Name Note: commonly referred to as Hank Aaron Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman Bats: Right Throws: Right 6-0 , 180lb (183cm, 81kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame MVP 25x All-Star 1957 World Series 3x Gold Glove On December 15, 1957, his wife Barbara gave birth to twins. Where Hank Aaron does stand out is in the total number of hits. But he was more than just a religious friend of mine, he was a friend because he talked as if he was not a priest sometimes." [18] Aaron was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. In 1957, Aaron won his only NL MVP Award,[11] as he had his first brush with the triple crown. However, some observers looked back on Aaron's personal history, pointing out that he had downplayed his own breaking of Babe Ruth's all-time record and suggesting Aaron was simply treating Bonds in a similar fashion. Swinging. [129] Later that year, he ranked fifth on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players,[130] and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. [141][142], In November 2015, Aaron was one of the five inaugural recipients of the Portrait of a Nation Prize, an award granted by the National Portrait Gallery in recognition of "exemplary achievements in the fields of civil rights, business, entertainment, science, and sports. Henry Aaron, the slugger known as "Hammerin' Hank" who broke broke Babe Ruth's career home run mark and remains No. He could run, too: He retired with 240 career steals and was only the third player,. [79][80] Over the course of his record-breaking 23-year career, Aaron had a batting average of .305 and 163 hits a season, while averaging just over 32 home runs and 99 RBIs a year. Listen to HISTORY This Week Podcast: More Than a Home Run. Hank. [126], He was honored before the third game of 2021 World Series. 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After the game, Aaron said his only fear was that he might not live to see the 1974 season. Aaronhung up his cleats in 1976 with 755 career home runsa record that stood until 2007, when it was broken by controversial slugger Barry Bonds(Bonds admitted to using steroids in 2011). I was just a man doing something that God had given me the power to do, and I was living like an outcast in my own country. But for Aaron, the journey to 715 home runs was much more complex. [41], At this point, Aaron was known to family and friends primarily as "Henry". All that hatred left a deep scar on me. Hank Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. In the fourth inning, Aaron hit home run number 715 off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing. His closest competition is Hank Aaron who "only" hit home runs in every possible ballpark during nine seasons! Aaron was the first player to reach both Hall-worthy batting thresholds of 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. Of a time his team was in Washington, D.C. Aaron recalled: We had breakfast while we were waiting for the rain to stop, and I can still envision sitting with the Clowns in a restaurant behind Griffith Stadium and hearing them break all the plates in the kitchen after we finished eating. If you break Babe Ruth's record, it'll be a disgrace!" In 1955 Central High School and Dunbar Jr. High School switched locations; Central High closed in 1970 following desegregation. Bonds is the all-time home run leader: He hit those 762 balls over the fence, a majority of them unenhanced by chemists, all of them a testament to his skill, strength and determination. Throughout the past century, the home run has held a special place in baseball and I have been privileged to hold this record for 33 of those years. He is one of only four players to have at least 17 seasons with 150 or more hits. 715 call", "Stuart Ranks Next to Foxx; Sox' 2nd Best Righty Slugger", "This Day in Black Sports History: February 5, 1934", "Hank Aaron explains how he is a fan of the Browns", "Hank Aaron Reunites with Valdosta Man who Followed him onto Field", "Ted Turner, Hank Aaron influenced each other as well as Georgia", "Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame Members by Year", Play-by-Play Audio of Aaron's 715th Home Run, Major League Baseball Player of the Month, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hank_Aaron&oldid=1141128927, October 3,1976,for theMilwaukee Brewers, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 14:06. [33] The Braves' manager, Ben Geraghty, tried his best to help Aaron on and off the field. [140], In 2011, the President of Princeton University Shirley M. Tilghman awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree to Aaron. The alternative high school had been named after Nathan Bedford Forrest, a general in the Confederate Army and the Ku Klux Klan's first Grand Wizard. "He taught me what life was all about. Aaron broke Ruths record on April 8, 1974 at Atlantas Fulton County Stadium against Al Downing and the Dodgers. On April 15, Aaron collected his first major league hit, a double off Cardinals' pitcher Vic Raschi. [106][107] Fans paid tribute to Aaron by placing flowers in front of the home run wall where he hit his 715th home run at the former site of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and in front of his statue at Truist Park.[108]. In 1986, Hank Aaron made a guest appearance in "Just Another Fox in the Crowd", episode 30 of Crazy Like a Fox. However, as Aaron was an African American who had received death threats and racist hate mail during his pursuit of one of baseballs most distinguished records, the achievement was bittersweet. Baseball's all-time home run king, Hank Aaron did more than hit home runs. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973 and is one of only two players to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times.[1]. Aaron received thousands of letters every week during the summer of 1973, including hate mail; the Braves ended up hiring a secretary to help him sort through it. On board is astronaut Ellen Ochoa, soon to become the first Hispanic woman in space. [11] He won the league's Most Valuable Player Award,[11][18] and had such a dominant year that one sportswriter was prompted to say, "Henry Aaron led the league in everything except hotel accommodations. CBS 46 and FOX 5 Atlanta were among those that first reported Aaron's death Friday. A young Craig Sager actually interviewed Aaron between third and home for a television station, WXLT (now WWSB-Channel 40) in Sarasota. He broke the long-standing MLB record for home runs held by Babe Ruth and remained the career leader for 33 years. Aaron played the vast majority of his MLB games in right field, though he appeared at several other infield and outfield positions. Aaron was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1982, and now works in the front office for the Atlanta Braves. [11] Aaron did his part by hitting .393 with three homers and seven RBIs. [11] On September 23, 1957, in Milwaukee, Aaron hit a two-run walk-off home run against the St. Louis Cardinals, clinching the pennant for the Braves. ", "Sporting News' 100 Greatest Baseball Players", "Aaron to throw out first pitch at All-Star Game", "President Bush Announces the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom", "About Carson Park: Eau Claire, Wisconsin", "Aaron receives honorary degree from Princeton", "Portrait of Nation Prize Winner: Hank Aaron", "National Portrait Gallery Honors Aretha Franklin, Carolina Herrera, Hank Aaron", "Hank Aaron presented with Order of the Rising Sun", "Hank Aaron throws out 1st pitch at SunTrust Park", "MLB renames developmental program after Hank Aaron", "Georgia Tech football to retire Hank Aaron's number 44 for 2021 season", "Hank Aaron replaces Confederate general in school name", "National Recording Registry Inducts Music from Alicia Keys, Ricky Martin, Journey and More in 2022", "Sports stars of Alabama: Where are they now? Hank Greenberg, 1938 Tigers: 58; Jimmie Foxx, 1932 Athletics: 58; . He had received many death threats . [150], In 2022, a recording of the WSB broadcast of the April 8, 1974, BravesDodgers game in which Aaron hit his 715th home run was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry. Playing off the intense interest in their perceived rivalry, Aaron and Bonds made a television commercial that aired during Super Bowl XLI, shortly before the start of the 2007 baseball season, in which Aaron jokingly tried to persuade Bonds to retire before breaking the record. Entdecke Hank Aaron and the Home Run That Changed America Paperback Tom St in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! The moment is still frozen in time: Hank Aaron rounding the bases after hitting his record 715th home run when, suddenly, two young fans ran up from behind to pat him on the shoulder. [94], Sablica also encouraged him to "attend Mass every Sunday" during Spring Training, to which he responded with the racist realities of the day: "[In Bradenton], they won't let me go to Mass. The nickname quickly gained currency, but "Henry" continued to be cited frequently in the media, both sometimes appearing in the same article, and Aaron would answer to either one. [d] On July 31, 1969, Aaron hit his 537th home run, passing Mickey Mantle's total; this moved Aaron into third place on the career home run list, after Willie Mays and Babe Ruth. The Dodgers responded in the third by starting with three straight hits: Steve Garvey singled, Bill Russell doubled, and then Downing drove a single into center field, plating Garvey and sending Russell to third. [39] Aaron hit his first major league home run on April 23, also off Raschi. [11] Helped by Aaron's performance, the Braves won the league championship that year. This made him one of the first minorities in Major League Baseball upper-level management. Apart from Aaron's status as the real King of the Dinger, Hammerin' Hank still holds two records that aren't likely to be broken anytime soon. The Hall of Famer holds a host of records, from the most runs batted in (2,297), the most seasons as an all-star (21) to the most home runs ever (755) . [50] In 1968, Aaron was the first Atlanta Braves player to hit his 500th career home run, and in 1970, he was the first Atlanta Brave to reach 3,000 career hits. [131], In June 2000 Tufts University awarded Aaron an honorary Doctor of Public Service. [15] Aaron attended Central High School[b] as a freshman and a sophomore. Here's the pitch by Downing. On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hits his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruths legendary record of 714 homers. On April 4, Opening Day, a 39-year-old Aaron sent the very first pitch he saw over the wall,. On May 17, Aaron collected his 3,000th hit, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds, the team against which he played in his first major-league game. Aaron singled, doubled, and hit a home run in the game. [35], Aaron spent the winter of 1953 playing in Puerto Rico. [49], In 1963, Aaron nearly won the triple crown. Aaron would finish the season in Atlanta, go back to Milwaukee for two seasons as the Brewers' DH and end his career with 755 home runs. It was the first major award to be introduced in more than thirty years and had the distinction of being the first award named after a player who was still alive. He later cited his anti-abortion and anti-homosexual views as motivation for the bombings. It's gone! Additionally, Aaron owned a chain of 30 restaurants around the country. It should have been the most enjoyable time in my life, and instead it was hell. Four days earlier, in Cincinnati, he had homered in his first at-bat of the season to tie Ruth at 714. [136], In 2002, Aaron was honored with the "Lombardi Award of Excellence" from the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation. The total base record is remarkable in context: at the time of his retirement, he had travelled over 12 miles farther on the base paths than any other player in MLB history. Similarly, the point where Aaron's 715th homer landed, upon breaking Ruth's career record in 1974, is marked in the Turner Field parking lot. Hank Aaron, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, died Friday at age 86. This is wrong. Aaron's pursuit of Ruth's ultimate home run record was one of the top sports stories of the 1970s and generated intense media coverage. [42], Considerably later in his career, Aaron coined "Stone-fingers", which would prove a popular handle for one of baseball's more colorful characters, the famously distance-hitting but defensively challenged first baseman Dick Stuart,[43] reportedly "delight[ing]" even its recipient. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Ken Severson If dogs had eaten off those plates, they'd have washed them. It's 715! When the stadium was instead named Turner Field (after Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner), a section of Capitol Avenue running past the stadium was renamed Hank Aaron Drive. [37] On April 13, Aaron made his major league debut and was hitless in five at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds' left-hander Joe Nuxhall. The next day, he made history back home. We've received your submission. Bonds surpassed Aaron in 2007 with his 756th home run. He had finished 1973 with 713 career home runs, one shy of the all-time record set by Babe Ruth. Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms released the following statement on his death: Derek, our family and I join the nation in sending heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Billye Aaron, the beautiful wife of Henry Hank Aaron for nearly 50 years, and the entire family. Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's home run record eleven years ago By Jordan Shusterman August 7, 2018 On August 7, 2007, Barry Bonds punctuated his gradual, if inevitable climb to the top of the all-time home run list with an iconic blast to center field at AT&T Park for career home run No. Until then, Aaron had hit most pitches to left field or center field, but after working with Owen, Aaron was able to hit the ball more effectively all over the field. On April 27, 1971, Aaron hit his 600th career home run, the third major league player ever to do so. [133], On January 8, 2001, Aaron was presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Bill Clinton. He and his wife first became interested in the faith after the birth of their first child, whom they baptized immediately. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, and is the only player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times. As an adopted son of Atlanta, Mr. Aaron was part of the fabric that helped place Atlanta on the world stage. With 755 career home runs, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record by more than 40 home runs. [151] In May of the same year, Tulane University gave Aaron a posthumous honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, the first posthumous honorary degree ever awarded by the university. [94][96], Aaron was a long-time fan of the Cleveland Browns, having attended many games in disguise in their "Dawg Pound" seating section.[97]. His teammates are at home plate. )[149] Also in Atlanta, the Forrest Hill Academy was renamed the Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy in April 2021. He had been given six months to live in December of 1984 but defied expectations and lived for five more years, during which time his story helped educate the read more, On April 8, 1993, the space shuttle Discovery lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center. On July 13, Aaron hit a home run in the All-Star Game (played at Detroit's Tiger Stadium) for the first time. Although he batted cross-handed (as a right-handed hitter, with his left hand above his right), Aaron established himself as a power hitter. While cannons were fired in celebration, two college students [67] sprinted onto the field and jogged alongside Aaron for part of his circuit around the bases, temporarily startling him. [55] As the year came to a close, Aaron broke Stan Musial's major-league record for total bases (6,134),[56] the record he was the most proud of since it reflected his overall performance as a hitter and team player. I didnt read most of them, but I wanted to have them as reminders, Aaron later wrote in his autobiography I Had a Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story.. While the world knew him as Hammering Hank Aaron because of his incredible, record-setting baseball career, he was a cornerstone of our village, graciously and freely joining Mrs. Aaron in giving their presence and resources toward making our city a better place. [19], On November 20, 1951, baseball scout Ed Scott signed Aaron to a contract on behalf of the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League, where he played for three months.[21]. Hank Aaron, who endured racist threats with stoic dignity during his pursuit of Babe Ruth but went on to break the career home run record in the pre-steroids era, died early Friday. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. He finished with 755 overall before retiring after the 1976 season. Getty Images Aaron reportedly received 930,000 pieces of mail in 1973 the year before he broke Ruth's record with enough including threats that the. And for the first time in a long time, that poker face of Aarons shows the tremendous strain and relief of what it must have been like to live with for the past several months.. That same year, baseball fans named Aaron to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. [74] Playing in the American League would allow Aaron to serve as a designated hitter rather than play in the field. To many baseball fans, it won't matter, Hank Aaron is the home run . His debut generates a buzz throughout the sports world. Henry Aaron is coming around third. [88] Aaron also owned Mini, Land Rover, Toyota, Hyundai, and Honda dealerships throughout Georgia, as part of the Hank Aaron Automotive Group. Aaron attended the dedication. Google Barry Bonds before and after and tell us thats all moms cooking. He hit home run number 713 on September 29, 1973, and with one day remaining in the season, many expected him to tie the record. Aaron was on the Board of Selectors of Jefferson Awards for Public Service. [2] Aaron is also third all-time for career hits (3,771) and fifth in runs scored (2,174). "He's going to swing and he'll go after almost anything," Maglie said of the Braves' slugger. Nearly 28 years earlier, the read more, Pirates had not captured a ship sailing under the American flag since the 1820s until April 8, 2009, when the MV Maersk Alabama was hijacked off the coast of Somalia. [26], The Braves purchased Aaron's contract from the Clowns for $10,000,[27] which GM John Quinn thought was a steal, as he stated that he felt that Aaron was a $100,000 property. What a marvelous moment for baseball, what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the country and the world, Scully said. [3] Aaron's ability as a hitter can be illustrated by his still having over 3,000 hits even without counting any of his home runs. [11] During his minor league experience, he was very homesick and faced constant racism, but his brother, Herbert Jr., told him not to give up the opportunity. [102][103][104], His funeral was held on January 27, followed by his burial at South-View Cemetery. Braves management wanted him to break the record in Atlanta and was therefore going to have Aaron sit out the first three games of the season. ATLANTA It's one of the most iconic sports photos of all time: Hammerin' Hank Aaron running the bases after hitting the record-breaking 715th home run at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. I always felt like once I put the uniform on and once I got on the playing field, that I could separate the two an evil letter I got the day before or even 20 minutes before that I could also concentrate on what I had to do as far as trying to watch a fastball, somebody throwing the ball 90 mph, rather than worrying about a letter somebody sent., The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, On this day in history, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner among first members of National Baseball Hall of Fame, The fabled list of Yankees captains Aaron Judge joined, All of Aaron Judges home runs this season, Judges 60th blast sparks comeback as he ties Babe Ruth, now one shy of Roger Maris. [76] Minor league right-handed pitcher Roger Alexander was sent to the Braves to complete the transaction at the Winter Meetings one month later on December 2. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. [23] As a result of his standout play with the Indianapolis Clowns, Aaron received two offers from MLB teams via telegram, one from the New York Giants and the other from the Boston Braves. [81] Aaron was then named the Braves' vice president and director of player development. Mickey Owen, the team's manager, helped Aaron with his batting stance. He led the league with 44 home runs and 130 RBIs and finished third in batting average. Aaron would hit 44 home runs in four different seasons,[40] and he hit his record-breaking 715th career home run off Dodgers pitcher Al Downing, who coincidentally also wore number 44. [64] Babe Ruth's widow, Claire Hodgson, denounced the racism and declared that her husband would have enthusiastically cheered Aaron's attempt at the record. In November 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, Governor Roosevelt of New York was elected the 32nd president of the United read more, Jomo Kenyatta, leader of the Kenyan independence movement, is convicted by Kenyas British rulers of leading the extremist Mau Mau in their violence against white settlers and the colonial government. Serving from 1979 to 1990, Thatcher was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century. [53], In 1970, Aaron reached two more career milestones. After touching home plate he was carried off the field by his teammates. He led the Braves to another pennant, but this time they lost a seven-game World Series to the Yankees. [118], In 1982, Aaron was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility. The high-profile incident drew worldwide attention to the problem of piracy, commonly believed to be a thing of read more, On April 8, 1990, 18-year-old Ryan White dies of pneumonia, due to having contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion. [60], He was the recipient of death threats and a large assortment of hate mail during the 19731974 offseason from people who did not want to see Aaron break Ruth's nearly sacrosanct home run record. "[31] Aaron's time with the Braves did not come without problems. Henry Louis Aaron Jr., born in Mobile, Alabama, on February 5, 1934, made his Major League debut in 1954 with the Milwaukee Braves, just seven years after Jackie Robinson broke baseballs color barrier and became the first African American to play in the majors. On May 1, 1975, Aaron broke baseball's all-time RBI record, previously held by Ruth with 2,213. Although he was on the roster of its farm club, Milwaukee manager Charley Grimm later stated, "From the start, he did so well I knew we were going to have to carry him. The moment became an iconic one, with the indelible image of Hank Aaron rounding the bases, being joined by two fans between second and third, and then mobbed by his teammates and family at home plate, after breaking Babe Ruths home run record in 1974. 0:00. [146][147], The Elite Development Invitational, a youth baseball tournament organized by the Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association to increase diversity in the sport, was renamed the Hank Aaron Invitational for the 2019 season. As a result, in 1949, at the age of 15, Aaron had his first tryout with an MLB franchise, the Brooklyn Dodgers; however, he did not make the team. Former home run record-holder and Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron is awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities during commencement for the class of 2011 at Princeton University, in Princeton . Hank Aaron wore this jersey when he hit his 715th home run on April 8, 1974. Every home run Hank Aaron hit over the course of his big league career appears below in chronological order, along with the date of the home run, his age at the time he homered, the pitcher who surrendered the home run, the inning (Inn), his batting order position (BOP) in the lineup, and where he was playing that day (Pos). MLB forced them to make him play and Aaron hit a home run in his first at bat in Cincinnati, but saved 715 for a few games later. It is expected the Gwinnett County professional teams, the AAA Gwinnett Stripers (2021 season) and AA Atlanta Gladiators (202122 season), will also be involved in temporarily retiring Aaron's 44. [8] In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on its list of the "100 Greatest Baseball Players". That record would stand until 2007 when Barry Bonds .