Today In Brewer History: Happy Birthday, Hank Aaron

Normally I don't cover the same event for Today In Brewer History twice, but when it comes to arguably the greatest hitter in major league history I'll make an exception.

On this day in 1934 Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama. He was 18 and playing for the Negro League's Indianapolis Clowns when the Boston Braves signed him, and in 1954 he got his first shot in the big leagues in Milwaukee.

Aaron was not Rookie of the Year in 1954 (Wally Moon of the Cardinals took home that honor), but over the course of his career he won virtually every other award. Aaron was the 1957 NL MVP, a 21-time All Star and a three-time Gold Glover. He led the NL in home runs four times, slugging four times, RBI four times, hits twice and won a pair of batting titles.

Aaron is still Major League Baseball's all-time leader with 2297 RBI and 6856 total bases, and only Barry Bonds has more home runs. He followed the Braves to Atlanta when they left after the 1965 season, but Aaron collected his final 95 RBI, 265 total bases and 22 home runs as a member of the 1975-76 Brewers during his end-of-career return to Milwaukee.

Aaron was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982, and in 1999 Major League Baseball started giving out an award bearing his name to each league's top hitter. Prince Fielder won the award as a Brewer in 2007.

Thanks to the B-Ref Play Index for reminding me that Aaron turns 79 today. We also covered his birthday in this space last year.

Today also would have been Greenwood, Wisconsin native, UW-Madison alum and 1945 Brooklyn Dodger Cy Buker's 95th birthday.