Hank Aaron Joins Babe Ruth in the 700 Home Run Club

On July 21, 1973, Hank Aaron hit a two-run home run off Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Ken Brett in the third inning at Atlanta Stadium, becoming the second player in major league history to reach 700 career home runs. Only Babe Ruth, who finished with 714, had reached that number before him.

Aaron drove a 1-1 fastball over the left-field fence, and the game stopped briefly as the crowd of 27,179 rose to acknowledge the moment. The Braves lost the game 8-4, but Aaron's milestone overshadowed the final score. At 39 years old, he was closing in on Ruth's all-time record and playing with a quiet determination that had defined his entire career.

Aaron had reached the majors in 1954 as a 20-year-old outfielder with the Milwaukee Braves, making his debut just seven years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier. He hit 13 home runs as a rookie, 27 in his second season, and then 44 in 1957, the year he won the National League Most Valuable Player award and led Milwaukee to a World Series championship over the New York Yankees.

Unlike Ruth, who hit mammoth blasts and played with theatrical flair, Aaron accumulated his home runs through relentless consistency. He never hit more than 47 in a single season, but he hit 30 or more fifteen times and 40 or more eight times. His quick wrists and compact swing generated surprising power from a lean 6-foot, 180-pound frame.

The 700th home run put Aaron 14 behind Ruth's record with roughly two months left in the 1973 season. He would finish the year with 713, leaving him one short of the mark. He broke the record the following April, hitting number 715 off Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 8, 1974.

Ken Brett, the pitcher who surrendered number 700, was a well-traveled left-hander and the older brother of future Hall of Famer George Brett. He would go on to play for ten different teams in a 14-year career, but his place in history was sealed on a July afternoon in Atlanta when Aaron sent his fastball into the seats.