Hank Aaron Memorial Service Held Today in Atlanta

By Adam Roberts – 1/26/2021

Four days after Hammerin’ Hank Aaron’s death in Atlanta, the man who fought against intense racial bias on his way to overtaking Babe Ruth’s seemingly immortal at the time 714 home runs is being memorialized in The Big Peach.

A memorial service for late baseball legend Hank Aaron is set for this afternoon at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves. Although the event is closed to the public, it is expected to be broadcast on several television outlets like the MLB Network. A private funeral service is slated for tomorrow afternoon at Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta.

Doctors determined yesterday that Aaron passed away from natural causes Friday at the age of 86. He had recently received a COVID-19 vaccine, but doctors ruled neither the vaccine nor the virus had any relation to his passing.

Aaron played at the professional level for the Indianapolis Clowns in the Negro Leagues and the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers in MLB, racking up 760 home runs between the two leagues. While his 755 dingers at the MLB level were eventually surpassed by Barry Bonds, Aaron still holds major league records for runs batted in (2,297), total bases (6,856), extra-base hits (1,477), and career all-star appearances (25). He was inducted into Cooperstown in 1982.