Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves — page 3 — CHAPTER 1 HAMMERIN HANK

Atlanta Braves — page 4 — G rowing up in Alabama Henry Hank Aaron always found a way to play baseball even when he did not have a bat and ball He would hit bottle caps with a broomstick if he had to and he and his brothers found creative ways to make baseballs We’d make our own base balls by wrapping nylon hose around an old golf ball or just use old rags tied together or handlebar grips or tin cans crumpled up he said Hank had chores to do also but his focus was often on base ball When I look back on my life I can see that all through my childhood I was being pre pared to play baseball he said High Praise High Praise Joe Adcock who played for the Joe Adcock who played for the Joe Adcock who played for the Braves from 1953 to 1962 was al o Braves from 1953 to 1962 was also Braves from 1953 to 1962 was also a very good hitter He was quite a very good hitter He was quite impressed with Hank Aaron how impressed with Hank Aaron how www ever Trying to sneak a pitch past t ever Trying to sneak a pitch past ever Trying to sneak a pitch past Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak the sunrise past a rooster he said the sunrise past a rooster he said Hank Aaron played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves from 1954 to Hank Aaron played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves from 1954 to 1974 He was an All-Star in all but his first season with the Braves 1974 He was an All-Star in all but his first season with the Braves HAMMERIN HANK 5

Atlanta Braves — page 5 — EARLY START Henry Hank Aaron signed with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues in 1952 He was 18 years old that season He signed with the Braves later in 1952 and after a couple of seasons in the minor leagues he became a major league player in 1954 Aaron is well known for the home-run record he owned for 33 years The Alabama native was much more than a power hitter however Aaron was an All-Star in 21 straight seasons 1955 75 and won the National League NL Most Valuable Player MVP Award in 1957 He finished with a career 305 batting average and 3,771 hits He also won two batting titles He holds major league records for runs batted in 2,297 and total bases 6,856 Dur ing his career Aaron also showed his speed 240 career stolen bases and was a stellar outfielder winning three Gold Gloves 6 ATLANTA BRAVES On the night of April 8 1974 Aaron was far away from his Alabama childhood No longer the little boy hitting bottle caps Aaron was a star for the Atlanta Braves That night he walked to the plate in Atlanta-Fulton County Sta dium as a 40-year-old man with 714 career home runs That tied him with legendary Babe Ruth for the most home runs in baseball history During the fourth inning Al Downing of the Los Ange les Dodgers threw a fastball to Aaron Hammerin Hank as he was known swung hard and hit the ball over the fence for a home run It was the 715th homer of his career making him baseball’s all time home-run king I was in my own little world at the time Aaron said of rounding the bases It was like I was running in a bubble

Atlanta Braves — page 6 — Hank Aaron hits his 715th home run to break Babe Ruth’s career home run record on April 8 1974 and I could see all these people jumping up and down and wav ing their arms in slow motion I was told I had a big smile on my face as I came around third I purposely never smiled as I ran the bases after a home run but I suppose I couldn’t help it that time For Aaron who is an African American that home Surprising Power Surprising Power Surprising Power Through the 2013 season players Through the 2013 season players Through the 2013 season players had sl d 50 or more home runs had slugged 50 or more home runs had slugged 50 or more home runs in a season only 43 times Babe Ruth in a season only 43 times Babe Ruth in a season only 43 times Babe Ruth had four 50-homer seasons when had four 50-homer seasons when had four 50-homer seasons when he was playi g in the 1920s Hank he was playing in the 1920s Hank he was playing in the 1920s Hank Aaron on the other hand never had Aaron on the other hand never had Aaron on the other hand never had a 50-home-run season His career r a 50-home-run season His career high was 47 in 1971 Aaron was high was 47 in 1971 Aaron was consistent however he had eight consistent however he had eight consistent however he had eight 40-home-run seasons and seven 40-home-run seasons and seven 40-home-run seasons and seven more with at least 30 homers more with at least 30 homers more with at least 30 homers 0h HAMMERIN HANK 7

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