This month, fifty years ago, Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron hit his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s previous record and “cementing Aaron’s place in baseball history.” To acknowledge this athletic milestone and its anniversary, a new exhibit at Atlanta History Center explores and illuminates “Aaron’s inspiring life and career.”
The exhibit titled “More Than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron,” opened at Atlanta History Center on April 9, a day after the actual 50th anniversary of that historic home run. The exhibit will remain on view through September 2025. The event will feature “artifacts and images from the Aaron family, the Atlanta Braves, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and other sources.” The exhibit provides insights into “the early life, professional career, and cultural impact of Hank Aaron.” See 6 ½ minute video created by Good Day Atlanta acknowledging the extraordinary talents and character of Henry “Hank” Aaron.
Background information on Hank Aaron discloses that he was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1934, began playing baseball when the sport was segregated, and played in the Negro American League. Playing in the minor leagues “eventually led him to the Milwaukee Braves, where Aaron made his major league debut in 1954.” As jubilantly reported, “two decades later, Aaron made history when he hit the 715th home run of his career.
Los Angeles announcer Vin Scully, delivering the call on the historic shot, enthused: “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 elaborated: “A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol.”
Aaron, known for being #44, remained active in and around Atlanta until he passed away in January 2021, at 86 years old. “More Than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron” is included with the price of admission to Atlanta History Center, located at 130 West Paces Ferry Road Northwest in Atlanta. See here for costs and visiting times.
