In the 1970s, Hank Aaron was baseball’s most celebrated icon. According to Baseball Hall of Fame, boxing legend Muhammad Ali said he idolized Aaron more than himself.
Aaron made it a point to excel on the field, despite racial slurs and death threats designed to limit his ability. He was thrust into stardom when he surpassed Babe Ruth’s baseball record of 714 home runs to become the new home run king in the 70s.
According to The New York Times, he hit 755 home runs, a record that stood for over 30 years. On April 8, 1974, the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium hosted a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He got a lot of hate mail and death threats about why a black man should get ahead of a white baseball legend. Over time, Aaron triumphed and inspired many generations. According to Britannica, he crushed the records set by other great hitters such as Ty Cobb and Stan Musial during his 23 seasons in the major leagues from 1954 to 1976.
Aaron’s professional career began in 1952. He played shortstop for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League for a short time. He was transferred to the National League’s Boston Braves, where he played with the minor league teams.
Aaron’s big break came in 1954, when he was an outfielder for the Braves. In 1956, he won his first league title in the batting championship. He had a.328 scoring average. His team won the World Series in 1957, and he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.