Houston ? As Houston Astros radio announcer Milo Hamilton prepared Wednesday night to call a game in which San Francisco’s Barry Bonds stood one home run shy of tying Willie Mays for third place on the all-time list, he reminisced about a truly historic night 30 years ago today.

“It doesn’t seem like 30 years, I know that,” said Hamilton.

On April 8, 1974, Hamilton was behind the radio microphone for the Atlanta Braves when future Hall of Famer Hank Aaron socked the 715th homer of his career to pass Babe Ruth as baseball’s all-time home run king.

“Ruth himself thought the record would never be broken,” Hamilton recalled. “We knew there was pressure on Aaron, but we didn’t know about the real pressure until later.”

Hamilton referred to the mountains of hate mail Aaron received during his pursuit of the Babe’s home run record.

Many letters contained pure, unadulterated racist vile as the quiet African-American from the deep South closed in on the most revered record in sports.

He began the season two home runs shy of the record, a number he cut in half on opening day in Cincinnati against the Reds’ Jack Billingham.

With two games remaining at Riverfront Stadium, manager Eddie Mathews decided to bench Aaron until the Braves went home to play the Los Angeles Dodgers. But, after Aaron sat out the second game, commissioner Bowie Kuhn intervened in “the best interests of baseball” and ordered Mathews to play Aaron.

When Aaron and the Braves returned to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, a national television audience tuned in to see whether he would make history.

Hank Aaron watches career home run No. 715, which broke Babe Ruth's record. The record-breaking blast April 8, 1974, at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

As Aaron stepped in the batter’s box to face Dodgers left-hander Al Downing, teammate Dusty Baker stood nervously in the on-deck circle. Then, with a flash of Aaron’s still-quick bat, the ball was headed over the left-field fence, caught by Braves reliever Tom House in the bullpen.

Baker pumped a fist in the air, realizing he had just watched the most important moment in the game’s history. Now manager of the Chicago Cubs, Baker still shakes his head when recalling the exploits of the man they called “The Hammer.”

“What I think was amazing is that he hit most of those home runs in an era when you could look who’s in the Hall of Fame,” said Baker, citing the names of all-time great pitchers such as Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Steve Carlton, Tom Seaver and Juan Marichal.

“That’s 20 years of almost averaging 40 (home runs).”

As Aaron rounded the bases into history, he encountered unexpected company between second and third base. A couple of young men jumped out of the right-field stands, caught up to Aaron from behind and patted him on the back in a moment of celebratory trespassing.

Aaron went on to slug 40 more home runs, finishing his Hall of Fame career with the Milwaukee Brewers in what amounted to a two-year victory lap.

The man in the spotlight now is Bonds, who has 659 home runs after being shutout Wednesday, trailing only Mays (660), Ruth and Aaron on the all-time list.

Should Bonds pass those three icons and emerge as the new home run champion, Aaron insists he would be among the first to congratulate the Giants’ slugger.

“I’ve had that record a long time, but, like I’ve always said, records are meant to be broken,” Aaron said. “If he can get close to 50 (this season), he’s got a good chance.”