The Hank Aaron Award is given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players selected as the top hitter in each league, as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. It was introduced in 1999 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hank Aaron's surpassing of Babe Ruth's career home run mark of 714 home runs. The award was the first major award to be introduced by Major League Baseball in 19 years.
Hall of Fame inductee Hank Aaron, namesake of the award
Kris Bryant (far left) and David Ortiz (far right) pose with Hank Aaron (center left) and Rob Manfred (center right) after receiving the 2016 awards
Alex Rodriguez won the award four times.
Barry Bonds won the award three times.
Henry "Hank" Louis Aaron, nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. Considered one of the greatest baseball players in history, he spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL). At the time of his retirement, Aaron held most of the game's key career power-hitting records. He broke the long-standing MLB record for career home runs held by Babe Ruth and remained the career leader for 33 years, until Barry Bonds surpassed his famous total of 755 in 2007. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973 and is one of only two players to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times.
Aaron with the Atlanta Braves in 1974
Away jersey worn by Aaron during the 1968 or 1969 MLB season
The Braves' jersey Hank Aaron wore when he broke Babe Ruth's career home run record in 1974
The fence at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium over which Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run still exists.