Hank Aaron death: MLB legend shockingly passes away weeks after taking COVID-19 vaccine

Atalanta Braves legend Henry Louis 'Hank' Aaron breathed his last on Friday, January 22, 2021. Regarded as one of the finest baseball players of all-time, Aaron had eclipsed Babe Ruth as baseball’s home run king, hitting 755 homers and holding the most celebrated record in sports for more than 30 years. He died at the age of 86. 

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Hank Aaron cause of death: How did Hank Aaron die?

In a Hank Aaron death official statement, Atlanta Braves revealed that their legend had passed away in his sleep. No details on Hank Aaron health or his cause of death were disclosed. A little over two weeks before his death, the Hall of Famer had got vaccinated against COVID-19 in Georgia hoping to send a message to Black Americans that the shots are safe.

Aaron, at the time, had told Associated Press that he had no qualms in getting vaccinated and was proud of himself for doing so. Many have alleged that his death could be triggered by the vaccine dosage, but there have been no confirmed reports of the same. Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. called his friendship with Aaron "one of the greatest honors of my life" while paying his respects to the Braves legend. 

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Hank Aaron death: MLB legend's career at a glance 

Hank Aaron played the majority of his MLB career for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves, etching his name in the record books in what was a stellar career. In a time when racism was at the forefront of baseball, Aaron made a name for himself, after being inspired by Jackie Robinson as a young kid. Aaron's incredible power-hitting achievement came in the face of hate and death threats when he eclipsed Babe Ruth's home run record, from people who did not want a Black man to claim such an important record. Aaron ended with 755 home runs before retiring in 1976.

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The Braves legend held the record for more than 30 years, with San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds surpassed Aaron’s home run record in August 2007 and went on to hit 762 homers. However, Bonds' record was maligned by suspicions that he had used performance-enhancing drugs in what came to be known as baseball’s steroid era. Post retirement, the Braves legend was elected to Cooperstown on the first ballot in 1982 with 97.8 percent of the vote, at the time the second-highest percentage (behind only Ty Cobb) in history.

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(Image Courtesy: AP)