Hank Aaron was the first African American man to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He earned this title from holding the Major League Baseball all-time home run record with 755 home runs- a record which he would keep for 33 years. Overall, the baseball star overcame all odds even in the face of discrimination and ridicule from his fans and league authorities. Aaron was known for his amazing consistency: he showed up for practise everyday and was always very diligent. Aaron was so committed to the sport of baseball that he even sacrificed better statistics for his own health. This particular character trait is what helped him achieve so much throughout his life. He also wasn’t one to fold under media or fan pressure which made him very professional and helped him stay focused on his goal. …show more content…
He would hit 24 or more home runs in a season every year from 1955 to 1973. He was one of four players to have at least 17 seasons with 150 or more hits. He got as far as gaining 1st with 2,297 RBIs, 1st with 6,856 total base hits and 1st to reach 1,477 extra base hits. He got 2nd place with 12,364 at-bats and 3rd place with 3,771 hits as well as 3rd with 3,298 games played. His biggest achievement in his carrier came when he earned 1st place title with 755 home runs, edging out Babe Ruth. At the time Aaron was playing baseball, discrimination was still a big issue. On the 9th of July in 2002, Aaron received the Medal of Freedom Award from President George W. Bush to honour the his achievements in the face of poverty and racism. Aaron was first to reach a lot of achievements, and being African American made it even more exceptional. From 1954 to 1976 he achieved 20 or more home runs hit in 20 seasons. Also at this time (1954 to 1976) he reached 30 or more home runs hit in 15 seasons. These two feats have still never been