Aaron Hank

HANK AARON

They called him the Hammer. Hank Aaron is the greatest home run hitter in Major League history, one of the most complete players of his era, and among the greatest of all time. Although best known as the player who broke Babe Ruth's career home run record, Hank Aaron was more than just a slugger: he was a real American hero who broke down racial barriers to pursue his dream.

Originally playing for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League, Aaron was the last player from the Negro Leagues to reach the Majors.

Playing in the desegregated major leagues in 1954 at age 20 with the Milwaukee Braves, Aaron was an immediate impact player, hitting .280 his rookie season and .314 as a sophomore.

He won the batting title with a .328 average in 1956 and was named National League MVP in 1957, leading the league in home runs and runs batted in (RBIs.). Aaron enjoyed a twenty three-year Major League Baseball career during which he rewrote the game's hitting record book. He holds more Major League batting records than any other player in history, including most home runs (lifetime 755) and most RBIs (lifetime 2,297). He became the first big leaguer to total 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. Aaron was elected the Hall of Fame in 1982.