Altanta Fulton County Stadium
soon fell under the voting jurisdiction of broadcasters, with fans later joining the process.
The first two winners were Manny Ramirez of the Cleveland Indians
and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs. Alex Rodriguez won the award a record four times during his years with the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.
CEDING THE HOME RUN RECORD TO BARRY BONDS
For more than three decades, Aaron held the Major League record with his 755 career home runs. Barry Bonds surpassed that mark on
August 7, 2007, when he hit his 756th dinger at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California.
Aaron was not at the ballpark that night, prompting speculation that
he would not acknowledge the accomplishments of Bonds, who had
been accused of cheating through performance-enhancement drugs. However, the former home run king soon appeared on the scoreboard to extend his congratulations via a videotaped message.
“I move over now,” said Aaron, “and offer my best wishes to Barry and his family on this historic achievement.”
HANK AARON STADIUM
In April 1997, baseball returned to the city of Mobile, Alabama, when
the minor league Mobile Baybears squared off against the Birmingham
Barons at Hank Aaron Stadium. Known locally as “The Hank,” the field honors its namesake, as well as other Mobile-born baseball players
through its location at the corner of Satchel Paige Drive and Bolling Brothers Boulevard: Paige was the first Negro League player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, while Milt and Frank Bolling also made it to the sport’s top level.
POST-PLAYING CAREER
After retiring as a player, Aaron moved into the Atlanta Braves front office as executive vice president, where he became a leading
spokesman for minority hiring in baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, and eight years later, he published his
autobiography, I Had a Hammer. In 2002, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Slowed by hip replacement surgery
in 2014, Aaron nevertheless made it to a ceremony in January 2016
in which he was awarded the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. He was honored for his close relationship with
Japanese home run king Sadaharu Oh, and for his efforts to promote the two countries’ shared love of the game.
Provided by https://www.biography.com/athlete/hank-aaron.
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FREEDOMRIDERS
60 Years
