Remembering Hammerin' Hank

When Hank Aaron drove an Al Dowling pitch into the left-field bullpen of Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium on April 8, 1974, he took possession of what many consider the most important record in sports. His 715th home run was one more than the career mark Babe Ruth established 39 years earlier. Aaron hit 40 more before retiring in 1976. Now, as Barry Bonds closes in on Aaron's record of 755, we find our thoughts turning more and more to the former Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves slugger. Share your favorite Aaron memories below, and we'll publish a sampling of the best comments in an upcoming edition of the Times. Please leave your full name and hometown for publication purposes.

(Photo: Aaron holds up the ball he hit for home run No. 715. AP photo. Click to enlarge.)

Comments

[Roy Adams]

I was a patient at All Children's Hospital having had some minor surgery on the day Aaron broke the record. I remember waking up from the anesthesia to hear the news on the TV. Those who were with me in the hospital room said I sat up and said "Far-out!" when I heard the annoucement. Ironically, I now work at All Children's Hospital and will be here when Bonds breaks Aaron's record..How cool is that??

[A. R. Neal]

I was a law student at Emory University at the time. A fellow student said he had a couple of tickets for the Braves game that evening. We had great seats behind first base. The crowd was estatic in the 5th inning when Aaron hit #715. By the 7th inning, the stands were virtually empty.

[Rob Davidson]

My favorite moment was anytime Hank Aaron did not use steroids to hit home runs, unlike the piece of garbage in 2nd place on the all-time list who was a steroid user.

[Lee Surrett]

I remember Hank Aaron when he played for Jacksonville, in the minor leagues. I was eleven or twelve years of age when my uncle took me to a game. My family was visiting my aunt and uncle who lived there. I think he played center field then.

[Jason]

Hank Aaron is 10 times the ballplayer Barry Bonds could ever dream of being.

[Tim]

I met Hank Aaron at a resturant I was managing in the 70's.. He was an absolute
JERK !! First impressions last a lifetime...

[Jeff]

Hank Aaron was a real athlete. A skinny guy knocking the ball out of the park. Today's players look like Hercules, pumped up on drugs. Bonds tests positive for drugs every other day but denies using any. Hank was a hero.

[Gary Marbry]

I was 13 during the 1973 season in which Aaron really chased down Babe's record prior to breaking it in 1974. From my bedroom in North Carolina, I listened to nearly every night game and would provide my dad with excited updates when Hank would hit one. To this day, I can recite Milo Hamilton's call word for word ("He's sittin' on 714"), which drives my wife and kids crazy whenever they show replays now.

My dad took me to Atlanta in 1974 for my first major league game and I got to see Aaron hit number 740.

My mom was suffering from some awful health problems at that time (they would eventually take her from us in 1977) and Hank Aaron's chase of the record provided my dad and I some welcome distraction from those worries. It was also something that kept this teenager and his dad close during "those awkward years". Baseball still keeps us close to this day. As a matter of fact, it's now a big part of what keeps me close with my two nearly grown sons.

"Move over Babe, here comes Henry..."

[John Turnkey]

Best case scenario this All Star break--Fire Joe Madden and hire Joe Girardi.