Hank Aaron National League MVP

Lore & Background

Aaron was born and raised in and around Mobile, Alabama, one of eight children. He appeared briefly in the Negro American League and in minor league baseball before starting his major league career. By his final MLB season, Aaron was the last former Negro league baseball player on a major league roster. During his time in Major League Baseball, and especially during his run for the home run record, Aaron and his family endured extensive racist threats. His experiences fueled his activism during the civil rights movement.

In Their Own Story

The lights hummed over County Stadium on a crisp September evening in 1957. Hank Aaron stepped into the batter's box, the weight of the season resting lightly on his shoulders despite the pressure. The crowd roared as he dug his cleats into the dirt, gripping the wooden bat with familiar ease. He didn't need to say anything; his swing spoke for itself. Every hit that day was a testament to the skill that would soon earn him the league's highest individual honor.

Reader's Guide

Aaron was an NL All-Star for 20 seasons and an AL All-Star for one season, and he holds the record for the most All-Star selections (25), while sharing the record for most All-Star Games played (24) with Willie Mays and Stan Musial. Aaron was a three-time Gold Glove winner. He broke the long-standing MLB record for career home runs held by Babe Ruth and remained the career leader for 33 years, until Barry Bonds surpassed his famous total of 755 in 2007. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973 and is one of only two players (the other being Alex Rodriguez) to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least 15 times.

Did You Know?

• The 1957 Braves won the World Series in October 1957, while the NL MVP award was announced in November 1957, so the World Series occurred before the MVP award.