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N0KFQ > TODAY 14.07.11 17:09l 59 Lines 2676 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 9953_KB0WSA
Read: GUEST
Subj: Today in History - Jul 14
Path: IZ3LSV<I0OJJ<VE3UIL<N0KFQ<KB0WSA
Sent: 110714/1441Z 9953@KB0WSA.MO.USA.NA BPQ1.0.4
Jul 14, 1968:
Hank Aaron hits 500th homer
On July 14, 1968, Atlanta Braves slugger Henry "Hank" Aaron hits
the 500th home run of his career in a 4-2 win over the San
Francisco Giants.
Henry Aaron was born February 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama. The
third of eight children, Aaron was a star football player, third
baseman and outfielder in high school, and signed with the Negro
League's Mobile Black Bears while still a teenager. He joined the
Indianapolis Clowns in 1952 at age 18 and helped them win the
Negro League World Series. The next year, his contract was sold
to the Milwaukee Braves of the National League. On April 13,
1954, Aaron became the last former Negro League player to make
his debut in the major leagues.
Aaron broke camp with the big league Braves in 1954 after a year
of thorough domination in the minor leagues. In that and many
future seasons with the Braves, Aaron shared the spotlight with
third baseman Eddie Matthews. For their careers, the two men hit
a record 863 home runs as teammates and hit home runs in the same
game 75 times. In 1957, Aaron won his only MVP award, hitting
.322 with 44 home runs and 132 RBIs. Aaron, Matthews and pitchers
Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette led the Braves to a World Series
victory that year over Manager Casey Stengel and his perennial
favorite New York Yankees. In 1958, the Braves won their second
National League pennant in a row, but lost a World Series rematch
to the Yankees.
On July 14, 1968, with 499 career home runs under his belt, Aaron
hit a three-run shot in the third inning off Giants' pitcher Mike
McCormick. Aaron was mobbed at home plate by his teammates and
presented with an award by Braves President Bill Bartholomay
honoring him as the seventh man in baseball history to hit 500
home runs.
Aaron was already 34 years old in 1968, the age at which players
of his era usually began a rapid decline. Although 1968 was a
slightly off year for the slugger--he hit .287 with 29 home runs
and 86 RBIs--Aaron was not yet slowing down. Naysayers ate their
words as they watched him hit 203 home runs between 1969 and
1973. On April 8, 1974, after a winter of hate mail containing
threats from racist fans, Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record for
career home runs when he hit his 715th off Cincinnati's Jack
Billingham. Aaron retired from baseball in 1976 with 755 home
runs. After a career of remarkable offensive consistency, Aaron
retired as the all-time leader in runs batted in, extra base hits
and total bases. He was named to the Baseball Hall of Fame in
1982.
73, K.O. n0kfq
Another old retired guy
E-mail: n0kfq@winlink.org
N0KFQ@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
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