Braves legend and National Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron died peacefully in his sleep Friday, the organization announced. He was 86.
Aaron was beloved on and off the baseball field, and treasured for more than being baseball’s home run king. His passing is part of a rough month for the Braves organization, which also saw Hall of Fame pitchers Phil Niekro and Don Sutton, a longtime Atlanta broadcaster, pass away.
kAm“(6 2C6 23D@=FE6=J 56G2DE2E65 3J E96 A2DD:?8 @7 @FC 36=@G65 w2?<[” qC2G6D 492:C>2? %6CCJ |4vF:C< D2:5] “w6 H2D 2 3624@? 7@C @FC @C82?:K2E:@? 7:CDE 2D 2 A=2J6C[ E96? H:E9 A=2J6C 56G6=@A>6?E 2?5 2=H2JD H:E9 @FC 4@>>F?:EJ 677@CED] w:D :?4C65:3=6 E2=6?E 2?5 C6D@=G6 96=A65 9:> 249:6G6 E96 9:896DE 244@>A=:D9>6?ED[ J6E 96 ?6G6C =@DE 9:D 9F>3=6 ?2EFC6] w6?CJ {@F:D p2C@? H2D?’E ;FDE @FC :4@?[ 3FE @?6 24C@DD |2;@C {628F6 q2D632== 2?5 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5]k^Am
kAm“w:D DF446DD @? E96 5:2>@?5 H2D >2E4965 @?=J 3J 9:D 3FD:?6DD 244@>A=:D9>6?ED @77 E96 7:6=5 2?5 42AA65 3J 9:D 6IEC2@C5:?2CJ A9:=2?E9C@A:4 677@CED] (6 2C6 962CE3C@<6? 2?5 E9:?<:?8 @7 9:D H:76 q:==J6 2?5 E96:C 49:=5C6? v2:=6[ w2?< yC][ {2CJ[ s@C:?52 2?5 r64: 2?5 9:D 8C2?549:=5C6?]”k^Am
kAm~? pAC:= g[ `hfc[ p2C@? AC@5F465 9:D >@DE H:56=J C64@8?:K65 762E[ 3C62<:?8 q236 #FE9’D D66>:?8=J F?E@F4923=6 9@>6 CF? C64@C5 H:E9 E96 f`dE9 @7 9:D 42C66C] w6 C624965 E96 9@>6 CF? >2C< :? E96 7246 @7 C24:D> E92E :?4=F565 92E6 >2:= 2?5 562E9 E9C62ED 7C@> E9@D6 H9@ 5:5?’E H2?E 2 q=24< >2? E@ 3C62< #FE9’D >2C<]k^Am
kAmp2C@?’D fdd 42C66C 9@>6 CF?D DE@@5 2D E96 C64@C5 q2CCJ q@?5D[ :? 2 4@?EC@G6CD:2= 6C2 @7 A6C7@C>2?46\6?92?4:?8 5CF8D[ 7:?:D965 H:E9 fea]k^Am
kAms6DA:E6 36:?8 <?@H? 2D E96 9@>6 CF? <:?8[ p2C@? H2D @?6 @7 AC@ 32D632==’D E@A 9:EE6CD] tG6? H:E9@FE 9:D fdd 9@>6 CF?D[ 96 DE:== 925 b[_`e 9:ED] w6 C6>2:?D 32D632==’D 2==\E:>6 =6256C :? #qxD Wa[ahfX 2?5 E@E2= 32D6D We[gdeX]k^Am
kAmw:D 32EE:?8 2G6C286 H2D @G6C E96 ]b__ >2C< `c E:>6D[ 96 925 >@C6 E92? b_ 9@>6 CF?D :? `d D62D@?D 2?5 E@AA65 E96 h_\#qx >2C< `e E:>6D] w6 H@? E9C66 v@=5 v=@G6 pH2C5D 2D 2? @FE7:6=56C 2?5 H2D D6=64E65 2D 2? |{q p==\$E2C 2? 2DE@?:D9:?8 ad E:>6D] x? `hf_[ 96 3642>6 E96 7:CDE A=2J6C E@ E@A b[___ 9:ED 2?5 d__ 9@>6 CF?D[ 2?5 :? `hga 96 H2D A:4<65 7@C E96 q2D632== w2== @7 u2>6]k^Am
kAmp2C@? 8C6H 7C@> 9F>3=6 368:??:?8D @? E96 D2?5=@E 7:6=5D @7 |@3:=6[ p=2][ @C:8:?2==J 563FE:?8 H:E9 E96 x?5:2?2A@=:D r=@H?D @7 E96 }68C@ {628F6D] w6 H2D 7:CDE D4@FE65 3J s6H6J vC:88D @7 E96 |:=H2F<66 qC2G6D 5FC:?8 2 r=@H?D ECJ@FE] %96 qC2G6D 6G6?EF2==J 362E @FE E96 v:2?ED 7@C p2C@?’D D6CG:46D]k^Am
kAmx? `hda[ 96 H2D 2DD:8?65 E@ E96 t2F r=2:C6[ (:D4][ E62> @7 E96 }@CE96C? {628F6] w6 H2D E96 F?2?:>@FD 49@:46 7@C E96 }@CE96C? {628F6’D #@@<:6 @7 E96 *62C H9:=6 @?=J A=2J:?8 :? gf 82>6D W]bbe[ h w#[ e` #qxD[ ``e 9:ED 2?5 gh CF?DX] x? `hdb 96 H2D AC@>@E65 E@ E96 y24<D@?G:==6 %2CD[ H96C6 96 3642>6 E96 7:CDE p7C:42?\p>6C:42? A=2J6C :? E96 $@FE9 pE=2?E:4 {628F6] p2C@? H@? E96 32EE:?8 E:E=6 W]beaX 2?5 =65 E96 =628F6 :? #qx W`adX[ CF?D W``dX[ 9:ED Wa_gX 2?5 7:?:D965 D64@?5 :? 9@>6 CF?D WaaX 2?5 62C?65 E96 =628F6’D |'! 2H2C5]k^Am
kAmw6 3682? 9:D |2;@C {628F6 42C66C :? `hdc H96? 2 DAC:?8 EC2:?:?8 :?;FCJ 7@C465 q@33J %9@>AD@? @FE @7 E96 qC2G6D’ =:?6FA] p2C@? 9:E 9:D 7:CDE 9@>6 CF? @? pAC:= ab[ `hdc]k^Am
kAmp7E6C C6E:C:?8 :? `hfe[ p2C@? H@C<65 :? E96 qC2G6D 7C@?E @77:46 7@C 564256D] w6 >@DE C646?E=J H2D 2 $6?:@C ':46 !C6D:56?E[ 2 C@=6 96 96=5 D:?46 s64] `hgh] x? E96 7:CDE `b J62CD @7 9:D 7C@?E @77:46 E6?FC6 96 H2D E96 4=F3’D ':46 !C6D:56?E 2?5 s:C64E@C @7 !=2J6C s6G6=@A>6?E] x? E92E A@D:E:@?[ 96 @G6CD2H E96 56G6=@A>6?E @7 >2?J A=2J6CD :?DECF>6?E2= :? E96 qC2G6D’ `hga }]{] (6DE s:G:D:@? 492>A:@?D9:A[ :?4=F5:?8 EH@\E:>6 |'! s2=6 |FCA9J]k^Am
kAmp=@?8 H:E9 9:D 244@>A=:D9>6?ED @? E96 7:6=5[ p2C@? 2=D@ 82G6 324< E@ D@4:6EJ] x? `hhd[ 9:D r92D:?8 E96 sC62> u@F?52E:@? H2D 6DE23=:D965 H:E9 E96 8@2= @7 96=A:?8 49:=5C6? 36EH66? E96 286D @7 ?:?6 2?5 `a C62=:K6 E96:C 5C62>D] %96 7@F?52E:@? 92D AC@G:565 8C2?ED E@ >@C6 E92? fdd 49:=5C6?[ @C ‘sC62> r92D6CD[’ :? D:I 4:E:6D 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ[ 6?23=:?8 E96> E@ D66< 25G2?465 DEF5J :? >FD:4[ 2CE[ HC:E:?8[ 52?46 2?5 DA@CED]k^Am
kAm%9C@F89 E96 86?6C@FD DFAA@CE @7 |2;@C {628F6 q2D632==[ E96 7@F?52E:@? EC2?D:E:@?65 :?E@ E96 w2?< p2C@? r92D:?8 E96 sC62> “cc u@C6G6C” AC@8C2>[ 9@?@C:?8 p2C@?’D C6E:C65 qC2G6D ;6CD6J ?F>36C] %96 AC@8C2> 2??F2==J AC@G:56D 7:?2?4:2= 2DD:DE2?46 E@ cc J@F?8 A6@A=6 H:E9 =:>:E65 @AA@CEF?:E:6D D@ E96J 42? 7FCE96C 56G6=@A E96:C E2=6?ED 2?5 AFCDF6 E96:C 5C62>D[ 6I4=FD:G6=J 2E q@JD 2?5 v:C=D r=F3D 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am
kAmx? a_`_[ E96 w2?< p2C@? r92D:?8 E96 sC62> u@FC\E@\u@FC $49@=2CD9:A AC@8C2> H2D 4C62E65[ 6?5@H:?8 7@FC\J62C D49@=2CD9:AD 7@C E96 36?67:E @7 56D6CG:?8 DEF56?ED H9@ 92G6 49@D6? E@ AFCDF6 E96:C 5C62>D 3J 2EE6?5:?8 4@==686]k^Am
kAmp2C@?’D 244@>A=:D9>6?ED 2D 2 A=2J6C[ :? 255:E:@? E@ 9:D 9F>2?:E2C:2?:D>[ H6C6 C64@8?:K65 :? `hhh H:E9 E96 :?EC@5F4E:@? @7 |2;@C {628F6 q2D632==’D w2?< p2C@? pH2C5] %96 2H2C5 :D AC6D6?E65 2??F2==J E@ E96 36DE 9:EE6C :? E96 }2E:@?2= 2?5 p>6C:42? {628F6D] %96 2??@F?46>6?E H2D >256 2E p2C@?’D edE9 3:CE952J 46=63C2E:@? :? pE=2?E2 H:E9 !C6D:56?E q:== r=:?E@? :? 2EE6?52?46[ 2?5 :E 4@:?4:565 H:E9 E96 adE9 2??:G6CD2CJ @7 p2C@? 9:EE:?8 9:D f`dE9 9@>6 CF? E@ 3C62< q236 #FE9’D 2==\E:>6 C64@C5]k^Am
kAmx? u63CF2CJ a__b[ p2C@? C646:G65 E96 7:CDE y24<:6 #@3:?D@? {:76E:>6 p49:6G6>6?E {6824J pH2C5 7C@> E96 }68C@ {628F6D q2D632== |FD6F>[ 9@?@C:?8 9:D “42C66C 6I46==6?46 :? E96 7246 @7 25G6CD:EJ]” %96 96C@:D> E96 |@3:=6[ p=2] ?2E:G6 5:DA=2J65 E9C@F89@FE 9:D 42C66C =65 3@I:?8 :4@? 2?5 A9:=2?E9C@A:DE |F92>>25 p=: E@ 42== 9:> E96 “E96 @?=J >2? x :5@=:K6 >@C6 E92? >JD6=7]”k^Am
kAm“(6 2C6 962CE3C@<6? 2?5 D2556?65 3J E9:D >@C?:?8’D A2DD:?8 @7 32D632== =686?5[ EC2:=3=2K6C 2?5 :4@?[ w6?CJ ‘w2?<’ p2C@?[” pE=2?E2 u2=4@?D @H?6C pCE9FC q=2?< D2:5] “w6 ?@E @?=J >256 2 8C62E :>A24E @? E96 5:2>@?5[ 3FE :? D@4:6EJ 2D H6== H:E9 9:D 42C:?8 2?5 86?F:?6 DA:C:E[ 2=H2JD E2<:?8 E96 E:>6 E@ 36 2 7C:6?5 E@ 2==] pD 2? @C:8:?2= >6>36C @7 E96 u2=4@?D q@2C5 @7 s:C64E@CD[ 96 D6CG65 2D 2 >6?E@C E@ D@ >2?J @7 @FC A=2J6CD E9C@F89@FE E96 J62CD[ AC@G:5:?8 2 D@FC46 @7 <?@H=6586 2?5 DFAA@CE @? H92E :E E2<6D E@ 3F:=5 2 H:??:?8 4F=EFC6 H9:=6 2=H2JD 5:DA=2J:?8 2 8C62E 562= @7 9F>:=:EJ] (6 =@G65 w2?< 2?5 9:D H:76[ q:==J6[ 2?5 H6 2C6 ECF=J D2556?65 3J 9:D A2DD:?8] |2J 96 C6DE :? A6246]”k^Am
Recommended for you
Instacart shares findings and highlights from its 2024 food and grocery trends report. Click for more.7 key food trends for 2025 forecasted by Instacart purchasing data
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Please log in, or sign up for a new, free account to read or post comments.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.