MLB Pays Tribute to Hank Aaron with Spectacular Recreation of his 715th Home Run
In an emotional tribute, Major League Baseball (MLB) honored the memory of the legendary Hank Aaron, a Hall of Fame member, during the All-Star Game on Tuesday night. The celebration, held at Truist Park, included an impressive recreation of his historic home run number 715, using projection technology and pyrotechnics. After the sixth inning ended, the stadium lights dimmed and fans turned on their cell phone flashlights. The scene from April 8, 1974, at the old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, was projected onto the infield and shown on the video screen.National League players prepared for the game with practice jerseys bearing Aaron’s number 44 on the back. A year ago, MLB commemorated the 50th anniversary of Aaron’s home run with the announcement of a new statue at the Baseball Hall of Fame and a commemorative stamp from the United States Postal Service. Commissioner Rob Manfred also participated in the tribute to Aaron in Atlanta, joining the Braves to announce the donation of $100,000 for a scholarship at Tuskegee University, a historically black university in Aaron’s home state of Alabama. Manfred highlighted the Henry Louis Aaron Fund, created by the Braves after Aaron’s death in 2021, and the Chasing the Dream Foundation, founded by Aaron and his wife. These initiatives seek to open paths for minorities in baseball and promote educational opportunities. Aaron hit 755 home runs between 1954 and 1976, a record that stood until Barry Bonds reached 762 in 2007, during the steroid era in baseball. Aaron was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1982. He was a 25-time All-Star and set a record with 2,297 RBIs. He still holds the records for 1,477 extra-base hits and 6,856 total bases.Aaron’s widow, Billye Aaron, stood and waved as the applause from the crowd, made up of 41,702 spectators, intensified.
Billye Aaron
