40 Yrs Ago Today - Aaron Breaks Babe Ruth's HR Record

[Hitmen77]

#715 was hit 40 years ago today in Atlanta:

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/...html?hpt=hp_c2

[Lemon44]

From 1957 through 1973, Aaron averaged 38 home runs each year.

This in an era dominated by starting pitching.

If you take away the 755 HR, Aaron totaled 3016 base hits.

He averaged one K per 10 plate appearances. Adam Dunn is 1 per 3.5.

Henry Aaron is 6 feet tall, and his playing weight was 180 pounds.

[LITTLE NELL]

Not taking anything away from Henry but it took Aaron 4000 more at bats for him to break the Babe's record.
Besides that I'm still ticked off at him for not giving me his autograph in 1958 on the the way to the team bus outside Wrigley.

[PalehosePlanet]

One of my earliest memories as a kid getting into baseball. In the pre-cable and internet era, the nightly local news and This Week in Baseball is where we saw this homer over and over again.

When I was a kid all the old timers used to talk about Hammering Hank in reverential terms. I used to love listening the stories.

He's still the homerun king in my book.

[HomeFish]

Originally Posted by LITTLE NELL

Not taking anything away from Henry but it took Aaron 4000 more at bats for him to break the Babe's record.
Besides that I'm still ticked off at him for not giving me his autograph in 1958 on the the way to the team bus outside Wrigley.

This is quite possibly the first negative thing I've heard about Hank Aaron.

[thomas35forever]

Still the home run king for me until someone else hits 756.

[happydude]

Originally Posted by PalehosePlanet

One of my earliest memories as a kid getting into baseball. In the pre-cable and internet era, the nightly local news and This Week in Baseball is where we saw this homer over and over again.

When I was a kid all the old timers used to talk about Hammering Hank in reverential terms. I used to love listening the stories.

He's still the homerun king in my book.

Originally Posted by thomas35forever

Still the home run king for me until someone else hits 756.

Agreed. Although I consider myself a Barry Bonds fan and believe he belongs in the HOF I'll never acknowledge him as the home run king. Like PalehosePlanet I became consciously aware of the sport at the tail end of Hank's career but he was definitely my first sports idol followed closely by Muhammad Ali and Johnny Bench.

Hank used to use those super strong wrists of his to hit those low lasers; nothing flashy I guess but the year in, year out excellence was incredible.

I frankly don't believe he gets enough attention; Frank Robinson, either. Mays and Mantle seemed to possess the “sexier" games I suppose.

[TheVulture]

Originally Posted by HomeFish

This is quite possibly the first negative thing I've heard about Hank Aaron.

You obviously don't follow the Drudge Report.

[SI1020]

Originally Posted by TheVulture

You obviously don't follow the Drudge Report.

That one went over my head and I do read a lot of news and blogs on the web. As for the so called criticism of Aaron it was mentioned from time to time in 1973-74 that Aaron had considerably more at bats than Ruth. Just as Jim Brown was disdainful of Franco Harris when he was getting close to his all time rushing record. Brown considered that Franco had many more carries and felt that he was too quick to go out of bounds to avoid giving and receiving punishment. Even the father of Barry Sanders was quoted as saying Jim Brown was the best runner he ever saw. People will always defend the heroes of their own eras. Being very careful not to take this into forbidden territory I think Henry Aaron was the most productive HR hitter ever (can't abide roids) but not necessarily the greatest home run hitter ever. In any case, the vast majority of fans in that era were pulling for Henry to break the record. Including yours truly of course.