HankAaron Honorary Degree Princeton 2011
www.princeton.edu…'Henry Aaron, Doctor of Humanities….Henry "Hank" Aaron is one of the most accomplished baseball players in American history and is currently senior vice president of the Atlanta Braves. As a player entering Major League Baseball soon after its integration in 1954, he confronted racism with quiet dignity, and as an executive he has fought discrimination in hiring practices. Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth to become the all-time home-run king in 1974, and with his 755 total home runs he held the title until 2007. Over a 23-year career, he also set records for games played, at bats, total bases, extra-base hits and runs batted in. Aaron was the first player to reach 500 home runs and 3,000 hits. A .305 lifetime batter who finished with 3,771 hits, he was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1957, won three Gold Gloves for his defensive play in right field and was named to 25 All-Star teams. 

Before retiring in 1976, Aaron played for the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers, after stints in the Negro American League and the minor leagues. He won a World Series championship with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957. After he finished his playing career, his uniform number, 44, was retired in Milwaukee and Atlanta. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, and in 1999, the same year Aaron was named to the All-Century Team, Major League Baseball established the Hank Aaron Award for the best regular season offensive performance. Aaron received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002'.

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