Baseball Hall Statue To Honor Hank Aaron’s Life, 50th Anniversary of 715th Home Run

By Barry Janoff

Photo: Baseball HoFUPDATED June 28, 2024: The U.S. Postal Service said its Henry "Hank" Aaron commemorative Forever stamp would be available to the public on July 31.

April 8, 2024: On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron broke one of baseball’s most historic records when he hit his 715th home run in the fourth inning against Los Angeles Dodgers Al Downing over the left-centerfield fence at Atlanta’s Fulton County Stadium to pass Babe Ruth as MLB’s all-time home run leader.

Fifty years later to the day, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum said it would “ensure that Aaron’s lifetime of heroics on and off the field is celebrated for all time.”

During today’s opening events for “More Than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron,” a new exhibit in the Atlanta History Center, National Baseball Hall of Fame chairperson Jane Forbes Clark said a Hank Aaron statue would be unveiled at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY on May 23.

The bronze representation of Aaron will be installed on the first floor of the Hall of Fame Museum.

“The legacy of Hank Aaron has always been about so much more than just his incredible baseball achievements,” Clark said during the event.

“His philanthropic vision, his support of youth empowerment efforts and his pioneering work as an executive have opened the doors of opportunity for millions throughout the United States and around the world. We are extremely privileged to care for and preserve his entire personal collection in Cooperstown, and this statue will stand forever as a tribute to an American hero.”

As part of the 50th anniversary honors, the U.S. Postal Service said it plans to release a stamp picturing Aaron in his batting stance wearing his Atlanta Braves uniform. The date of issue and a dedication ceremony are TBD.

“Once the record was mine, I had to use it like a Louisville Slugger,” Aaron said in 2009 according to 'More Than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron.'

“I believed, and still do, that there was a reason why I was chosen to break the record. I feel it’s my task to carry on where Jackie Robinson left off, and I only know of one way to go about it. It’s the only way I’ve ever had to dealing with things like fastballs and bigotry — keep swinging at them.”

Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982 following a 23-year big league career with the Braves and Brewers, Aaron in 2010 pledged his entire personal collection to the Museum – and many artifacts are now on loan to the Atlanta History Center’s new exhibit and the Atlanta Braves.

The 715 ball itself was caught by Tom House, a relief pitcher for Aaron’s Braves, who gave it to Aaron. It is on display in the Hank Aaron Terrace in Atlanta’s Truist Park along with the bat he used to hit the homer and other memorabilia.

According to the Hall of Fame, “Made possible through a gift of Hall of Fame supporters Jane and Bob Crotty and with the guidance and support of Aaron’s widow, Billye, the  statue will debut as part of the Hall of Fame Classic celebration during Memorial Day Weekend.”

A May 25 legends game will feature more than two dozen former big leaguers at Cooperstown’s Doubleday Field.

“Henry would be as pleased and excited as I am to have his statue placed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown,” Billye Aaron said at the Atlanta event.

“His life and legacy reflected his high hopes and big dreams. Both inspired and propelled him to incredible accomplishments in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. He wanted to be an inspiration to young boys and girls everywhere. . . . My hope is that this recognition will serve as an inspiration to visitors to Cooperstown for generations to come.”

In 2009, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum dedicated “Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream,” as a third-floor exhibit that “tells the story of a player who helped knock down the walls of segregation while thrilling generations of fans with his unrelenting consistency and class.”

The exhibit features dozens of artifacts, including bats and balls from record-setting hits, his locker and the uniform shirt, pants, cap and helmet worn while he hit the record-breaking 715th homer.

A dozen Hall of Famers whose careers cover the pre-expansion era to the present day are expected to return to Cooperstown May 23-26 to celebrate the history of Black baseball and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s new exhibit, “The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball.”

Those scheduled to participate include Ken Griffey Jr., Fergie Jenkins, Fred McGriff. Eddie Murray, Jim Rice, Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield.

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