Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's career record in 2007. He finished the season, and perhaps his career, with 762 lifetime home runs, seven more than Aaron's 755. Bonds hasn't yet announced his retirement, but almost one month into the 2008 season, no one has hired him to play. His contract with the San Francisco Giants expired after the 2007 season. The Giants declined to bring him back, even after fourteen years with the club. Ken Griffey, Jr. has the most career home runs among active players with 597. At 38 years old, he is considered a long shot to break Bonds' record. In his three most recent seasons, Griffey has average 31 homers per campaign. To break Bonds' record, he would need to continue at this pace for more than six seasons to exceed 762. Given Griffey's injury-prone nature in the second half of his career, such an extended career beyond 40 years old seems very unlikely. More likely is "Junior" finishing with about 650 homers, perhaps getting past Willie Mays' figure of 660 to climb to fourth on the all-time list behind Bonds, Aaron and Babe Ruth. The active player with the best chance of besting Bonds' career home run record appears to be Yankee third baseman Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who will turn 33 in July 2008, has 522 career home runs, and needs another 241 (assuming Bonds is through) to become the all-time career recordholder. In his 12 full seasons, Rodriguez has averaged 42 home runs per year. Six such years would add 252 homers to his total of 518 to start 2008, giving him 770 home runs at the end of the 2013 season, during which he would turn 38 years old. Even if Rodriguez doesn't continue to homer at his career pace for the next six years, the prospect of him playing 3 or 4 more years after age 38, as many sluggers do, including Aaron and Bonds, makes it likely that Rodriguez will finish his career as the HR recordholder, barring a career-ending injury.
Home run #715, to pass Babe Ruth, was hit off Al Downing who was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His final home run, #755 was off Dick Drago of the California Angels.
As of now, the records state that Barry Bonds broke Aaron's career home run record.
Breaking Babe Ruth's home run record would have to be at the top.
Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record for career home runs. Ruth hit 714 career homers, Aaron broke that record and went on to record 745 career home runs before retiring in 1975.
Hank Aaron
Hank Aarons
None. No governor was on the field and at home plate when Aaron broke Ruth's career home run record.
None. No governor was on the field and at home plate when Aaron broke Ruth's career home run record.
Jimmy Carter
April 8, 1974
Hank Aaron is the person who broke Babe Ruth's record. Hank had hit 755 home runs in his career, while Babe Ruth had only hit 714 home runs in his career.
1974 is when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's home run record with his 715th home run.
Hank Aaron was 40 years, 63 days old when he broke Babe Ruth's MLB career home run record.