Braves establish Henry Aaron Fellowship

February 5th, 2021

The Braves on Friday announced the creation of the Henry Aaron Fellowship, which aims to build on the legacy of Hall of Famer Hank Aaron by increasing diversity in industry leadership positions.

Starting this season, a selected candidate will work directly with Braves president and CEO Derek Schiller during a 12-month fellowship, gaining experience leading and operating all aspects of business within the organization.

The fellow will also work closely with the Atlanta Braves Foundation and assist with the planning and execution of the 2021 MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park.

Aaron died on Jan. 22 at 86. In addition to providing almost unparalleled production during his career -- ranking third all-time in hits (3,771), second in homers (755) and first in RBIs (2,297) and total bases (6,856) -- Aaron was an important figure in the civil rights movement. He also worked in the Braves' front office after his playing career ended.

"Hank's life-long passion was to increase diversity across every aspect of baseball," Schiller said in a press release. "This fellowship is special because it allows us to build upon his legacy by creating a stronger organization today while continuing to develop the talent pipeline to secure the game's next generation of diverse leadership."