Great Baseball Nicknames: ‘Bad Henry”/ ‘The Hammer’/ ‘Hammerin’ Hank’- Henry Aaron. The great Henry Aaron died earlier this year. One of the all-time greatest baseball players. I can’t think of anyone who was more consistent year to year- and he did it all pretty quietly until the 1970’s when everyone kind of woke up to the possibility that he had a shot at breaking the home run record of Babe Ruth’s 714. Aaron did it- ending up with 755 career home runs. The pitchers in the National League were aware of Henry Aaron all along though- they thought of him as ‘Bad Henry’- there was simply no way to pitch to him. Two other nicknames he had which were more popular with the fans were ‘The Hammer’ and ‘Hammerin’ Hank’- which were given to him by the media due to his great abilities with a baseball bat in his hands.
slicethelife 
I think I told Max that what was amazing about Hank Aaron was that I don’t think he was actually trying to hit home runs. When he got his pitch, he’d drive it into the gaps; it just so happened that 755 of those drives went over the fence. He never had 100 walks or strikeouts in a season, and holds the record for RBI and total bases in his career. The guy was incredible.
It seems to me his home runs- cleared the fences. He wasn’t a ‘tape measure’ home run guy. I agree he was more of a line-drive hitter whose got a little lift- and cleared the fences!
He wasn’t really that big, but he had those strong wrists and always made solid contact.
Henry listed as 6 foot- Willie Mays 5’10”– a lot of home runs between them.
Hammerin’ Hank… as well-known as he is, when you look at his career numbers and length of his career, he might be a bit under-rated.
He is “Hammerin Hank” but I do like “Bad Henry”