Major League Baseball legend Hank Aaron passed away at age 86 on Friday. Hank played for the Atlanta Braves where he surpassed Babe Ruth on the all-time home run leaderboard.
The Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United decided to honor his memory in an extraordinary way by retiring Hank’s jersey No. 44 for the 2021 season.
“When you look at icons of Atlanta and the sport of baseball, Hank Aaron is undoubtedly included in that group,” said Falcons President & CEO Rich McKay said via AtlantaFalcons.com. “But he was more than an icon in sports, he was an icon off the field as well in how he carried himself and treated others. Because of that we are honored to celebrate his awe-inspiring life by retiring number 44 this season for our Atlanta Falcons. He was a true icon and yet when you encountered him, he always made you feel special. He was a great ambassador for the game of baseball, a great ambassador of the City of Atlanta and quite simply a great person.”
“To celebrate the incredible life and career of baseball legend Hank Aaron, we are proud to retire the No. 44 this season for our Atlanta United and ATL UTD 2 teams,” said Atlanta United President Darren Eales. “He was an American hero, a trailblazer and arguably Atlanta’s greatest sports icon. The impact he had on our city, our country and the sports world is immeasurable. Hank Aaron will undoubtedly live on through the countless lives he touched and through the young athletes across the globe who he has inspired.”
We and @ATLUTD will retire No. 44 for the 2021 seasons in honor of Atlanta legend Hank Aaron.
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 22, 2021
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several players paid tribute to Hank, including Falcons QB Matt Ryan.
Sad to hear about Hank Aaron’s passing. He was the gold standard for professionalism and humility. He did so much for the progression of our city and the country. RIP
— Matt Ryan (@M_Ryan02) January 22, 2021
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