Hank Aaron’s long career combined exceptional consistency with the pressure of pursuing Babe Ruth’s home run record. His 715th home run in 1974 made a famous sporting milestone inseparable from the racist hostility surrounding it.
This selection brings together Aaron’s autobiography, Howard Bryant’s biography, George Plimpton’s One for the Record, and an illustrated account for children. Each approaches a different part of the player’s life and achievement.
| Book | Year | Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| One for the Record | 1974 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| I Had a Hammer | 1991 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| Hank Aaron | 2001 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
| The Last Hero | 2010 | Description / Buy at Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Who is Hank Aaron?
Hank Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1934. He played for the Indianapolis Clowns before joining the Braves organization and reaching Milwaukee’s major league team in 1954. He stayed with the franchise after its move to Atlanta and finished his playing career with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Aaron was the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1957, when the Milwaukee Braves won the World Series. Over successive seasons, his hitting placed Babe Ruth’s career home run record within reach. He passed it on April 8, 1974, despite threats and racist abuse during the pursuit.
He retired with 755 home runs and became a Braves executive after playing. His career also established exceptional totals in runs batted in and total bases. Aaron entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982 and died in 2021. His public work continued to address opportunity and recognition within baseball.
Does Hank Aaron have an autobiography?
Yes. I Had a Hammer, written with Lonnie Wheeler, is Aaron’s autobiography. It connects his baseball career with the racial conditions and personal experiences surrounding it. One for the Record appears below as a separate account of the home run chase.
I Had a Hammer: The Hank Aaron Story by Hank Aaron with Lonnie Wheeler
Hank Aaron recounts a life shaped by exceptional baseball achievement and racial hostility. Written with Lonnie Wheeler, the autobiography follows his beginnings in Alabama, entry into professional baseball, major league success, and pursuit of Babe Ruth’s career home run record. Aaron recalls the hatred accompanying that chase alongside the personal meaning of surpassing the record. The account continues through his later playing years and work as an executive, connecting the sporting milestones with his experiences of opportunity, inequality, and public responsibility inside baseball.
Best Hank Aaron Books
The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron by Howard Bryant
Howard Bryant examines Henry Aaron as a private man whose baseball achievements made him a prominent American symbol. Research and interviews connect his career with the racial changes and continuing inequalities of his time. The biography considers both the hostility he encountered and the opportunities created by social progress, following his commitment to equality beyond the playing field. Bryant places the famous record chase within a larger life, exploring Aaron’s relationship with recognition, responsibility, and the unfinished work associated with Jackie Robinson’s example.
One for the Record by George Plimpton
George Plimpton follows Hank Aaron’s pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record amid intense publicity and racist threats. The account centers on the chase that culminated in 1974 but also examines the thinking of the pitchers who had to face Aaron. Conversations about hitting and baseball provide a portrait of the player beyond the milestone itself. Plimpton combines a narrative of a heavily watched sporting event with attention to preparation and psychology, making the book a focused companion to longer accounts of Aaron’s life.
Best Hank Aaron Biography for Kids
Hank Aaron: Brave in Every Way by Peter Golenbock; illustrated by Paul Lee
Peter Golenbock introduces Hank Aaron through a childhood ambition to play professional baseball and the achievement that eventually carried him beyond Babe Ruth’s home run record. The picture book follows determination formed while Black players were still excluded from the major leagues and reaches the moment Aaron hit his 715th home run in April 1974. Paul Lee’s illustrations accompany the narrative. The account gives younger readers a focused introduction to the player’s goal and accomplishment, presenting his success within the barriers that made reaching it difficult.