Atlanta Braves Legend to Get Statue at National Baseball Hall of Fame

Today's a special day in the history of the Atlanta Braves franchise and there's a new way to honor one of the game's greatest players

Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

April 8th, 1974, is one of the greatest days in the history of the Braves franchise.

It was on this day that Henry "Hank" Aaron hit his 715th career home run to pass Babe Ruth on baseball's all-time home run list. While that milestone was eventually (and controversially) passed by Barry Bonds in 2007, Aaron remains MLB's all-time leader in RBIs and total bases.

50 years ago today, Hank Aaron changed the world 💙 pic.twitter.com/7bhqq7X0WQ

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 8, 2024

And today, a new honor was announced. At the opening event for the Atlanta History Center's new More Than Brave: The Life of Henry Aaron exhibit, Hall of Fame Chairman Jane Forbes Clark announced that a Hank Aaron statue would be unveiled on the first floor of the museum in Cooperstown, NY on May 23rd of this year.

Said Clark, “The legacy of Hank Aaron has always been about so much more than just his incredible baseball achievements. His philanthropic vision, his support of youth empowerment efforts and his pioneering work as an executive have opened the doors of opportunity for millions throughout the United States and around the world. We are extremely privileged to care for and preserve his entire personal collection in Cooperstown, and this statue will stand forever as a tribute to an American hero.”

Aaron was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982 after a 23-year big league career with both the Braves and Brewers, who eventually replaced the Braves in Milwaukee when the organization moved to Atlanta in 1966.

In a rare treat, the original bronze Hall of Fame plaque for Aaron traveled from the Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery to Atlanta for the ceremony, and will be displayed inside Truist Park tonight before returning to Cooperstown.

Hank Aaron’s Hall of Fame plaque has traveled to Atlanta, where his widow Billye is marking the milestone anniversary and opening of the More Than Brave exhibit at the @ATLHistCenter. pic.twitter.com/6waPEv6fd0

— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) April 8, 2024

Aaron's statue will be unveiled during the museum's Hall of Fame Classic celebration on Memorial Day Weekend, with more than two dozen former big leaguers plying in a "legends" game at Cooperstown's Doubleday Field. A new exhibit celebrating the history of Black baseball will be unveiled that weekend, called The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball.

Aaron's widow, Billye, thanked the museum for the honor. “Henry would be as pleased and excited as I am to have his statue placed at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown,” Aaron said this morning at the ceremony. “His life and legacy reflected his high hopes and big dreams. Both inspired and propelled him to incredible accomplishments in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. He wanted to be an inspiration to young boys and girls everywhere. My heartfelt thanks to Jane Forbes Clark, and the Board of Directors, for this very fitting tribute to Henry and the sport he loved so dearly. I am profoundly grateful. My hope is that this recognition will serve as an inspiration to visitors to Cooperstown for generations to come.”