It was April 8, 1974, when Hank Aaron flicked his wrists and sent the ball sailing over the left-field wall.
It was something he had done hundreds of times before, but this one was special. It was the 715th home run of his career, and it had broken the most-hallowed of all baseball records, a record held by the legendary Babe Ruth, a record that had stood for 39 years.
It was a mark some thought would never be broken, having been unchallenged for so long. Before Aaron, only one player had even managed to give it a serious run, and that player — Willie Mays — finally ran out of gas with 660 homers in 1973.
Aaron would go on to add 40 more home runs to his record, retiring in 1976 with 755. An amazing example of consistency and longevity, Aaron had to average 33 home runs a season over his 23-year career to set the record. If not hopelessly out of reach, his record certainly seemed secure.
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