russell martin beat hank aaron's home run record.
who beat hank aaron's home run record?
russell martin
his autobiography, "i had a hammer" was published in 1990. the book's title is a play on his nickname, "the hammer" or "hammerin' hank," and the title of the folk song "if i had a hammer." aaron now owns hank aaron bmw of south atlanta in union city, georgia, where he gives an autographed baseball with every car sold. aaron also owns mini, land rover, toyota, hyundai and honda dealerships throughout georgia, as part of the hank aaron automotive group. aaron sold all but the toyota dealership in mcdonough in 2007. additionally, aaron owns a chain of 30 restaurants around the country. during the 2006 season, san francisco giants slugger barry bonds passed babe ruth and moved into second place on the all-time home run list, attracting growing media coverage as he drew closer to aaron's record. playing off the intense interest in their perceived rivalry, aaron and bonds made a television commercial that aired during super bowl xli, shortly before the start of the 2007 baseball season, in which aaron jokingly tried to persuade bonds to retire before breaking the record. as bonds began to close in on the record during the 2007 season, aaron let it be known that, although he recognized bonds' achievements, he would not be present when bonds broke the record. there was considerable speculation that this was a snubbing of bonds based on the widespread belief that bonds had used performance-enhancing drugs and steroids to aid his achievement. however, some observers looked back on aaron's personal history, pointing out that he had downplayed his own breaking of babe ruth's all-time record and suggesting that aaron was simply treating bonds in a similar fashion. in a later interview with atlanta sportscasting personality chris dimino, aaron made it clear that his reluctance to attend any celebration of a new home run record was based upon his personal conviction that baseball is not about breaking records, but simply playing to the best of one's potential. after bonds hit his record-breaking 756th home run on august 7, 2007, aaron made a surprise appearance on the jumbotron video screen at at&t park in san francisco to congratulate bonds on his accomplishment:
hank aaron
oh became friends with hank aaron, his contemporary in major league baseball. the two squared off in a home run derby before an exhibition game at korakuen stadium on 2 november 1974, after aaron eclipsed babe ruth's home run record. by that time, oh was running away with the japanese home run record, having become the first japanese baseball player to hit 600 career home runs that year. aaron won, 10-9.
sadaharu oh