Hank Aaron - 715th Home Run - three different calls

Hank Aaron - 715th Home Run - three different calls

April 8th will be the 40th (gasp) anniversary of Aaron's 715th dinger. One reader sent me this e-mail:

"I was looking through an old SI today as the 40th anniversary of Aaron's #715 approaches. I'm sure you remember the basics, but here's a little extra:

Hank finished 1973 with 713 home runs, one short of the Babe. The first three games of the Braves' 1974 season were on the road. Aaron hit #714 on opening day in Cincinnati on his first swing of the season. The Braves then announced that they were going to bench Hank for the remaining two games on the road so he would hit 715 in front of the Atlanta fans. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn objected, but the Braves defied him and benched Hank for the Saturday game. On Saturday night, the Commissioner promised serious consequences if Hank did not play on Sunday, and the Braves relented. Hank played, but to no one's surprise struck out twice and grounded out in his three at-bats.

Hank would, of course, hit #715 on Monday night against the Dodgers in Atlanta. Bowie Kuhn was curiously attending a game in Cleveland.

Average fans will remember that Al Downing was the pitcher. Astute fans know that Atlanta Reliever Tom House recovered the ball in the bullpen. But who was the Dodger player who was in left field who chased the ball to the fence, and tried to climb the fence to retrieve the ball until he saw that he could not beat Tom House to it?

Bill Buckner.

He just can't get to that ball when he needs to."