On this day 52 years ago-4/8/1974-Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time career home run record of 714. Aaron, a Black man, faced racist comments and death threats as he approached Ruth’s record and after breaking it.

Image: Associated Press.

April 08, 2026 - 12:05 UTC

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Aaron wrote in his autobiography that the hostility motivated him to work harder and that he felt he was part of a larger struggle for equality, inspired by figures like Martin Luther King.

It was ugly. I once read he channeled all the anger into his bat.
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I remember hoping he’d break the record. I wasn’t a huge baseball fan but still was interested in him.
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“Faced racist comments and death threats” doesn’t do what Hank Aaron endured full justice. A substantial portion of America felt that this record belonged to the white man and were not shy about expressing that sentiment in the worst possible way. But Hank Aaron took care of business anyway.
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