Aaron’s home run record lasted for over 31 years, until Barry Bonds broke it in August of 2007.  After breaking the record, Bonds would go on to hit only six more home runs in his career, setting the new record at 762.

Alex Rodriguez currently sits at 598 career home runs and is one week away from his 35th birthday.  If A-Rod can stay healthy and keep up the production that we are used to seeing from him, he will have a legitimate chance of breaking Barry Bonds’ all-time home run mark.

Here is a clip of Barry Bonds tying Aaron’s record.

Notable Birthdays

Peter Forsberg, NHL – Born July 20^TH 1973 (age 38) in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden

Ray Allen, NBA – Born July 20^TH 1975 (age 36) in Merced, California

Pavel Datsyuk, NHL – Born July 20^TH 1978 (age 33) in Sverdlovsk, Soviet Union

Aaron hit his 713th home run on the second last day of the 1973 season, forcing him to wait all winter for his chance to tie, and break, the record.  During this time, he would receive numerous death threats as well as large amounts of hate mail from people who did not want to see a black man break Babe Ruth’s iconic record.  Unfortunately for them, “Hammerin’ Hank” would break the record in the first week of the next season, hitting No. 715 off of Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Al Downing.

In 2007, Barry Bonds hit career home run No. 756 to become baseball’s all-time home run king.  However, Bonds’ 762 career home runs will always have an asterisk beside them, while Aaron’s will not.

Here is a clip of Aaron’s 715th home run.

Notable Birthdays

John Havlicek, NBA – Born April 8th 1940 (age 71) in Martins Ferry, Ohio

Alex Gonzalez, MLB – Born April 8th 1973 (age 38) in Miami, Florida

Felix Hernandez, MLB – Born April 8th 1986 (age 25) in Valencia, Venezuela

Total Pro Sports – Tonight will mark the 25 year anniversary of the MLB All-Star Game (unless you want to be stingy and exclude the 1988 event, which was canceled due to rain).  The fans in St. Louis will be jacked to see hometown hero Albert Pujols taking part in his third derby, as will many others who believe that he is one of the greatest power hitters of all time.  At 351 home runs currently at the age of 29, Pujos still has a long way to go before catching the likes of Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth.

Whether or not he gets there is up for debate at the moment, but if I had a special time machine (I’m still working on it), and could bring the ten best home run hitters of all time into a stadium for a one night event, Pujos would make my cut.

That’s where we will kick off this top ten list of best home run hitters of all time:

10. Albert Pujols - He has been in the event before, but has never had raised the trophy in the end.  That isn’t going to stop us from including him on this list.  This guy can swing a bat, and with the way he is hitting home runs these days, the name Albert Pujols may become one that is forever etched in baseball history.

9.  Josh Hamilton – I know some of you may be asking yourselves, “Is this guy serious?”  Yes I am!  Did you happen to miss what he did last year at the derby?  If you did and still aren’t impressed, then maybe you just don’t like to see dingers.  Hamilton’s round of 28, and 13 in a row, were unheard of.  He made the final summer classic at Yankee Stadium even more memorable.

8.  Alex Rodriguez – Not the biggest fan of this guy, but someone with as many home runs (570) at that age (33) has to make this list.  Even is he has been getting a little assistance every now and then.

7.  Sammy Sosa – Here is another guy I despise (and unfortunately he is not the last), but he has incredible numbers (60- career homers) and has won a derby before.  That came in 2000 when he put on a strong display of 26 total homers.

6. Frank Robinson – He never had the opportunity to play in one of these events, but Robinson was definitely home run derby material.  With 586 career home runs, there is not reason not to invite him.

5. Willie Mays – Fourth on the all-time home runs list with 660, Mays was another big hitter who missed out on the derby.  His 52 in 1965 is especially impressive.

4.  Barry Bonds – The final foe on the list.  I’d rather not include the guy, but how can I do such a thing.  Tops in single season (73) and career (762), Bonds was one of the most entertaining ever when it came to putting on air shows.

3.  Ken Griffey Jr. – His swing may be the sweetest to ever play the game, but the real key here is timing.  If I was to use my time machine to nab Griffey, it would be mid to late ’90s Griffey.  Those were the days.

2.  Hank Aaron – The career home runs leader, Hank was no stranger to the long ball.  Some will say he was the best at getting the ball out of the park, and with 755 career dingers, how can you argue?

1. Babe Ruth – If there were home run derbies back in his days, people would still be talking about it to this very day.  The whole competition would likely have been renamed after him.  The trophy would be a giant trophy shaped as his head.  The Babe is my pick to win this Derby of all time greats.