This Day In Black Sports History: Hank Aaron Becomes MLB’s Highest Paid Player

In today game it’s all about millionaires and now billionaires who rule the sports world. But in simpler times, $100K was a big deal.  On February 29, 1972, Hank Aaron signed a three-year deal with the Atlanta Braves that paid him $200,000 per year, making him the highest-paid player in Major League Baseball at the time. It wasn't until almost seven years later that Dave Parker of the Pittsburgh Pirates became the first professional athlete to earn an average of one million dollars per year, having signed a 5-year, $5 million dollar contract in January 1979.

Two years after signing the deal, Aaron became baseball’s home run king when he broke Babe Ruth’s long-standing record.  In retrospect, its seems that the Braves may have earned the services of one of baseball's greatest at a bargain considering he still remains the Senior Vice President of the organization and his overall earnings for his 23-year playing career total just $2.15 million; which is only 7% of what Yankees star Alex Rodriguez made in 2012.  So, do you think athletes are overpaid today?  Just ask Hank.