Open house for Hank Aaron

Rico Carty (25) and Felix Millan (17) greet Hank Aaron after his home run 56 years ago today

The Cincinnati Reds open Riverfront Stadium 56 years ago today and Hank Aaron does his best to spoil the mood for the locals in the first inning as he drills a two-run homer off Jim McGlothlin to give Atlanta a quick 2-0 lead. ‍

Waiting to greet Aaron at the plate is on-deck hitter Rico Carty and Felix Millan, whose one-out single precedes Aaron’s homer to left field.

The Reds line up for their opener at Riverfront

Aaron, Carty and Millan combine for seven hits and seven runs scored in the Braves’ 8-2 victory before a Tuesday night crowd of 51,050 attending the Reds’ first game in their new $45 million stadium.

The homer is Aaron’s 23rd of the 1970 season and the 577th of a Hall of Fame career that starts in 1954.

The homer also is the first of 11 Aaron hits at Riverfront Stadium from 1970 through 1974.

The last of those 11 comes on April 4, 1974, when Aaron hits his 714th homer to tie Babe Ruth atop the all-time list.

Aaron retires after the 1976 season with 755 homers.

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