Hank Aaron Breaks All-Time Home Run Record

On April 8, 1974, Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run breaking Babe Ruth's record of 714 career home runs, to become the leader in all-time home runs.

Hank Aaron coming into home plate after hitting his record breaking 715th home run.

Ruth's record stood for 39 years before Aaron was able to break it.

Aaron hit his 713 home run on the second to last day of the 1973 season, forcing him to wait an off-season to get his chance to tie and eventually break the record.

During the off-season Aaron recieved many death threats and large amounts of hate mail from people who did not want to see a black man break Ruth's iconic record.

"Hammerin" Hank would get the record though and continue hitting home runs, another 40 to be exact ending his career as the all-time home run leader in the MLB with 755 home runs.

In 2007, former Pittsburgh Pirates MVP and then San Francisco Giants MVP Barry Bonds would break Aaron's record of home runs with his 756.

Currently Bonds is still the all-time career home run leader with Aaron second and Ruth third.