ATLANTA — Baseball fans continue to mourn the loss of baseball legend Henry "Hammerin' Hank" Aaron, the sport's one-time home run king.
The former Atlanta Brave and civil rights trailblazer died in his sleep at the age of 86.
The Hall of Famer set a wide array of records during a 23-year career spent mostly with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves but was best known for breaking the home run record of Babe Ruth.
After news of his death, baseball fans showed up at the former site of Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, to pay their respects at the marker where Aaron hit his 715th homer, which broke the record.
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11Alive spoke to one man at the marker, who described Aaron as someone who sports fans everywhere could look up to.
"I think for so many who grew up during a time of Mr. Aaron's life - as small kids, boys, you always look for heroes and giants, and there was none larger than Mr. Aaron," he said.
"As Atlantans, we don't have a long legacy or linage of winning in sports, but we had the greatest for a period of time, and a person who was great, but great with class," he continued. "A person who embodied perseverance and resiliency, and a person who carried the weight of an entire people on his shoulders and still managed to achieve and excel. Just a remarkable human being. A remarkable man of character."
Fans will continue to get the opportunity to pay their respects to the legend. At Truist Park, the new home of the Braves, fans are being welcomed to visit Hank Aaron's statue inside the Monument Garden. Fans can enter the ballpark through the First Base Gate. Here are the times when the public will be welcomed:
Friday, Jan. 22
1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 23
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.