Like many Georgia natives born in the '60s, Trisha Yearwood's childhood memories include evenings spent watching Hank Aaron and the Atlanta Braves.
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After one of Major League Baseball's all-time greats died on Jan. 22 at age 86, Yearwood posted memories on social media about both Aaron's historic home run tally and time spent with family.
Our dad, Jack never missed watching an @Braves game. We were raised on baseball. I was 9 years old when Hammerin? Hank hit 715 in Atlanta, surpassing Babe Ruth?s home-run record, and I remember cheering loudly https://t.co/iIddV2k3Rv pic.twitter.com/sYeOpO4oeZ
— Trisha Yearwood (@trishayearwood) January 22, 2021
"Our dad, Jack never missed watching an Atlanta Braves game," Yearwood wrote. "We were raised on baseball. I was 9 years old when Hammerin' Hank hit 715 in Atlanta, surpassing Babe Ruth's home-run record, and I remember cheering loudly with my family, watching that historical moment on tv (thank you Ted Turner and TBS!). When I was invited to sing the National Anthem in game 4 of the World Series in 2007, I took my young nephews with me and we all got to meet Hank. I became that 9 year old kid again, and Mr. Aaron couldn't have been more gracious. Thank you for the memories, Hank. RIP and say hi to my dad."
Yearwood's self-titled debut album shook up the country music charts in 1991, the same year the Braves began its own run of '90s dominance with a World Series appearance. The Braves' lone world championship in Atlanta (the franchise won titles in Boston and Milwaukee) came in 1995, the same year that Yearwood and Aaron Neville performed "I Fall to Pieces" at the Grammys.
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She went on to marry Garth Brooks, a Nashville recording artist with spring training experience with MLB teams the Padres, Mets, Royals and Pirates.
Aaron is best known for surpassing Babe Ruth as baseball's home run king (Barry Bonds broke Aaron's record of 755 home runs in 2007). Other records set by the 25-time All-Star remain out of reach: career RBIs (2,297), extra base hits (1,477) and total bases (6,856).
The Associated Press reports that Aaron died in his sleep. No cause of death has been given.
