Braves donate $1M to form ‘Aaron Fund’ for MLB minority participation

Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk speaks during a memorial service celebrating the life and legacy of Hank Aaron at Truist Park on Tuesday. . Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

Credit: Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

Credit: Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk speaks during a memorial service celebrating the life and legacy of Hank Aaron at Truist Park on Tuesday. . Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

The Braves will donate $1 million to launch the “Henry Louis Aaron Fund” aimed at increasing minority participation in baseball on and off the field, team chairman Terry McGuirk said Tuesday.

In addition, MLB and the Players Association will donate $500,000 apiece to the fund, raising its total to $2 million.

“Hank’s lifetime passion was to increase minority participation in baseball, whether that was on the field, in baseball operations, on the business side of the front office or at Major League Baseball (headquarters),” McGuirk said.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred cited “a strong desire to continue with the good work (Aaron) did throughout his life, particularly with encouraging minority participation in baseball.”

The Braves also plan to honor Aaron in “many more ways,” McGuirk said, and “will be announcing some of these things shortly.”