February 5, 1934

Baseball superstar Hank Aaron was born in Mobile. A right fielder, Aaron played 21 seasons of Major League Baseball — 19 for the Braves organization in Milwaukee and Atlanta. Aaron was first drafted in 1954, was selected to his first of 25 All-Star Games in 1955 (there were two All-Star games in some years), and became the National League’s most valuable player in 1957 as he led the Braves to his only World Series championship. Despite also winning three Gold Glove awards, Aaron is best remembered for breaking Babe Ruth’s career homerun record of 714 by slamming 755 of his own, a record that stood for 33 years.

Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Hall of Famer Hank Aaron is honored on the 40th anniversary of his 715th homer prior to the game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets at Turner Field on April 8, 2014 in Atlanta. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Hank Aaron’s Hall of Fame plaque, 2004. (Wikimedia Commons, Alkivar)

For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.