Hank Aaron Passes Babe Ruth

On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run off Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, passing Babe Ruth to become Major League Baseball's all-time home run leader. Aaron had entered the season one home run behind Ruth's total of 714 and tied the record on Opening Day before breaking it four days later in Atlanta's home opener.

Aaron pursued the record while receiving a steady stream of hate mail and death threats from people angered that a Black player was about to surpass a white icon of the game. He later said the pressure of that period, rather than the home run itself, was what he remembered most about the chase.

Aaron finished his career in 1976 with 755 home runs, a total that stood as the record for 33 years until Barry Bonds passed it in 2007. Aaron was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982 and remained closely involved with baseball, including with the Atlanta Braves organization, until his death in 2021.