Baseball legend Hank Aaron passes away at 86

Atlanta Braves and baseball icon Hank Aaron passed away at the age of 86 on Friday morning.

One of the greatest players to grace a baseball diamond passed away on Friday morning. Atlanta Braves legend Hank Aaron was 86-years-old.

Without question, Aaron was the greatest player in Braves franchise history. He was a 25-time MLB All-Star, the 1957 NL MVP and World Series champion when the franchise was located in Milwaukee. His 755 career home runs were the most in baseball before Barry Bonds broke his record in 2007. Aaron’s 715th home run in 1974 remains one of baseball’s iconic moments.

Hank Aaron’s baseball legacy is undeniable and never will be forgotten

Aaron grew up in the Jim Crow south. The Mobile native spent nearly all of his professional career with the Braves organization. From 1954 to 1974, he was a staple in Braves uniform. He returned to Milwaukee to play for the AL’s Milwaukee Brewers from 1975 to 1976 before retiring. Aaron was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982 in the first ballot. He was an icon.

Aaron was a prominent figure in the golden age of baseball. He was of the first generation of black players who starred in the league. Known for his power from the right side of the plate and his grace in all aspects of life, you could not have asked for a better ambassador to the game of baseball than Hammerin’ Hank. He is the latest Braves legend to pass away this winter.

His former Atlanta teammate Phil Niekro passed away shortly after Christmas. Aaron’s passing was not even a week removed from fellow Hall of Famer and legendary Braves broadcaster Don Sutton’s. We are talking about three of the game’s greatest players all passing away merely weeks apart. What an absolutely devastating time for any of the fine folks that make up Braves Country.

Long live the Home Run King!