Hank Aaron will always hold a special place in Major League Baseball history, whether it be as one of the most feared power hitters in the league or as a consistently great player at the plate and in the field. In 23 seasons in the MLB Aaron became the all-time RBI leader (2,297) and ranks second in home runs (755)—though many still claim him as the home run leader— all while maintaining a .305 average with a .928 OPS.
Aaron was the definition of consistency and has become one of the most underrated players in MLB history. Although he is underrated, his legacy will live on by his play on the field and by his deserved spot in Cooperstown.
Aaron added to that legacy 50 years ago today when he became the ninth player in MLB history to reach the 3,000-hit threshold. 3,000 hits were just the next milestone that Aaron accomplished in his amazing career, two years earlier Aaron had joined the 500 HR club. Even if Aaron didn’t accomplish 3,000 hits, he was going to be a sure-fire Hall of Famer.
However, Aaron did not just make his mark on the field with his greatness, in 1976 Aaron received the 60th annual NAACP Spingarn medal for his actions on and off the field. This came two years after Aaron passed Babe Ruth to become the all-time HR leader. This was not a feat that was very well received with a certain part of the population.
Prior to him passing Ruth, Aaron received hate mail and death threat from people who did not want to see him pass Ruth. However, Aaron never outwardly showed the hate getting to him, and on April 8, 1974 Aaron hit his 715th HR.
Even with all the hate mail he received Aaron never kept his mouth shut when speaking about inequality, he still spoke out against the league’s lack of ownership and management opportunities for minorities, an early pioneer for this type of action in sports. After his playing career was over Aaron moved into the Braves front office as an executive vice president.
20 years after his Hall of Fame induction in 1982 Aaron was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his philanthropy and humanitarian endeavors. Three years later the NAACP awarded him the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award.
While Aaron was known as someone who constantly stood up for Civil Rights during his playing time, he was better known in the sports world for his excellence on the diamond.
There was nothing that Aaron could not do on the field, but at the plate he excelled and in 1970 Aaron joined the elite 3,000 hit club and the even more exclusive 3,000 hit and 500 HR club.
Entering the 1970 season Aaron was only 44 hits shy of 3,000 and entering a double header against Cincinnati Aaron he had a chance to get his 3,000th hit. In the second game of the double header Aaron recorded an infield single off of Wayne Simpson for his historic accomplishment.
The hit was not flashy, but you could say that the hit somewhat resembled his career, Aaron was never flashy on the field, but he was always consistent.
On that day Aaron became the ninth member of the 3,000-hit club and became the first member of the 3,000 hit and 500 HR club. Shortly after Aaron started that club Willie Mays joined the 3,000/500 club and it stayed that way for a while. That is still one of the most exclusive clubs in all of baseball, only six members are part of that club, Aaron, Mays, Murray, Palmeiro, Rodriguez (A-Rod) and the most recent addition of Pujols.
Aaron will always be looked at as one of the best MLB players of all-time and on this day we look back and remember his career on the 50th anniversary of his 3,000th hit.