Longtime MLB home run king Hank Aaron passed away Friday at the age of 86, according to CBS in Atlanta. Aaron’s daughter gave a confirmation and reported his death to WSB-TV.
On April 8, 1974, Aaron broke MLB’s all-time home run record with No, 715, surpassing Babe Ruth, the Yankee legend. As he was struggling to crack the mark, Aaron overcame death threats.
Aaron finished with 755 home runs, a mark that Barry Bonds finally passed under the stain of PED use. Many still consider Aaron the real home run leader of the sport.
Aaron was well-known as one of the sport’s true gentlemen, admired by peers and fans for the way he handled himself when shattering the most revered record in baseball.
“Aaron told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2006, “I don’t think too many people have had a chance to get to know me over the years, and that was something that was my own doing, because I’m basically kind of a loner, a guy who kept to himself. “A lot of people thought they knew me, but they didn’t know me, really.
They claim to know me, but I am travelling alone. I do just about all by myself. I have partners, but there aren’t many mates I have. I only wanted to be remembered as someone who was just trying to be fair to people.
In 1982, Aaron, born in Alabama, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In the history of the sport, his 2,297 RBIs are still the most.
