ATLANTA — Monday, April 8, marks 50 years since Hank Aaron hit his historic 715th home run right here in Atlanta, breaking Babe Ruth's career record. On this day, former teammates, Braves executives and family members are remembering Aaron's unwavering strength and celebrating his accomplishments.
Watch the historic moment below:
The Braves will celebrate the 50-year anniversary of the record homer on Monday night at Truist Park at their game against the Mets. To celebrate, the first 15,000 fans through the gates will get a Hank Aaron bobblehead for tonight's game. The first pitch is at 7:20 p.m.
Dusty Baker, who was on deck when Aaron hit the homer, plans to attend, along with Tom House, the relief pitcher who caught the homer in the Braves bullpen. Baker and Hope were the only non-family pallbearers at Aaron's funeral following his death at 86 in 2021.
In addition, the Atlanta History Center will open a new exhibit, More Than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron, to the public through the Henry Louis Aaron Fund on Tuesday, celebrating Aaron. The exhibit will remain open through the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is expected to attend a preview of the exhibit on Monday.
During the exhibit's formal opening Monday, National Baseball Hall of Fame Chairman of the Board Jane Forbes Clark announced that a Hank Aaron statue will be unveiled at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on May 23. Aaron's bronze representation will be installed on the first floor of the museum.
Aaron's bat and the ball he hit for the record homer, owned by the Baseball Hall of Fame and normally not open to public viewing, will be displayed at Truist Park's monument garden on Monday.
Aaron finished his Hall of Fame career with 755 homers, a record broken by Barry Bonds in 2007.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.