Legendary baseball player Hank Aaron has died at the age of 86.
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Hank Aaron, who shattered Babe Ruth's home run record in 1974, has died. "Hammerin' Hank" was 86. The Atlanta Braves confirmed his death on Friday.
Hank Aaron, baseball’s legendary slugger, dies at 86
Because of his skill and power at the plate — Aaron batted in more than 100 runs in a season in three different decades — Major League Baseball named its award for the best offensive player after him.
Aaron started his career in 1954, playing for the Milwaukee Braves. The franchise moved to Atlanta for the 1966 season, and that's where Aaron broke Ruth's hallowed record by hitting his 715th home run.
Aaron retired in 1976, after hitting 755 home runs during his pro career. That mark stood for more than 30 years, before Barry Bonds set a new record. Bonds finished his career with 762 home runs.
Aaron hit .305 over his career, accounting for 2,297 runs batted in and 6,856 total bases — both of which remain all-time records. After his retirement, the widely respected player went on to be an executive for the Atlanta Braves.
His death comes as the Braves organization and its fans are mourning the loss of Don Sutton, who became a longtime announcer for the team after a Hall of Fame pitching career.
This is a developing story. We'll give updates on the situation as we learn more.
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