Aaron Judge, 30, hit his way into baseball history on Tuesday, Sep. 27, 2022, when he slammed his 61st home run of the season during the New York Yankees’ 8-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. He then blew past that on October 4, 2022, breaking the record with his 62nd home run achieved as he faced off against Texas. With his 61st homer, he tied the legendary Roger Maris’ record for the most home runs hit by an American League batter in one season.
The California-born slugger has done it with quite the team behind him. In addition to his fellow New York Yankees, Aaron has the support of his loving parents Patty and Wayne Judge, who were seen joyously embracing after he exploded into pro baseball history with his 62nd home run.
Want to know more about the people around Aaron? Learn everything we know about the MLB star’s family here.
Were They There For The Big 61st Home Run Game?
Patty sat front row along the 3rd baseline when Aaron whacked number 61 over the walls at Toronto’s Rogers Centre. She was with baseball great Roger Maris when Aaron tied the former Yankee’s record. For the big 62nd record smasher, Aaron and his parents were at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, as he and the Yankees played the Texas Rangers.
Aaron Judge's mom and Roger Maris Jr. reacting to 61 🥺
(via @Yankees)pic.twitter.com/enWrENmTYV
— ESPN (@espn) September 29, 2022
After, Aaron’s mom made it to the locker room to celebrate by giving her boy a big hug. There, he gifted her with the very special baseball.
Aaron’s wife Samantha Bracksieck, whom he married last December, and his dad Wayne were unable to make it. They were, however, in the seats when he hit home run No. 60 at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 20.
How Did Aaron Thank His Mom?
Aaron made sure his mom was given the historic baseball. He raved about her to the press after, explaining, “Having my mom here, it’s important. She’s been with me through it all, that’s for sure.”
No. 61 belongs to mom. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/5RMYMcwJk6
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2022
“From the Little League days, from getting me ready for school, taking me to my first couple of practices and games, being there my first professional game, being there at my debut, and now getting the chance to be here for this, this is something special.”
When Was Aaron Adopted?
Aaron’s parents really stepped up to the plate for him. The couple, who are both school teachers from Linden, Calif., adopted little Aaron just two days after he was born.
“I feel they kind of picked me,” Aaron told The New York Post in 2015. “I feel that God was the one that matched us together.”
Do They Have Other Kids?
Aaron also has an older brother named John, who is also adopted. The biracial athlete noticed he didn’t resemble his parents when he was around the age of 10. John, 36, lives in Korea and works as a teacher.
He remembered, “I started asking questions, and they told me I was adopted and answered all my questions, and that was that. I was fine with it. It really didn’t bother me because that’s the only parents I’ve known.”
Does Aaron Know His Birth Parents?
Aaron has never had contact with his biological parents. He explained why he has no interest to Newsday in 2017, saying “I have one set of parents, the ones that raised me. That’s how it is. Some kids grow in their mom’s stomach; I grew in my mom‘s heart. She’s always shown me love and compassion ever since I was a little baby. I’ve never needed to think differently or wonder about anything.”
Did His Parents Push Him To Play Baseball?
Aaron’s parents knew he had natural talents and supported his athletic skills. “His mother and I just wanted him to be a really good person,” Wayne said. “But we knew from a very young age, as soon as we put a ball in his hand, that he had a lot of natural talent.” He would excel at his high school in Linden, California. In his final two years at Linden High he earned academic and athletic honors in baseball, basketball and football.
Were They Hard On Aaron?
The All-Star said his parents put a lot of pressure on him to achieve. Talking to The Record newspaper shortly after leaving high school in tk, he remembered, “I wanted to go outside and play with my friends or play some video games, but they were tough on me.”
“They’d say, ‘Hey, you’ve got homework to do. You’ve got to finish your math homework and science homework. Then if you have time left over before dinner, you can go play. Something like that. I didn’t like it as a kid, but looking back on it, I really appreciate what they did for me.”
He Credits Them For Everything
Aaron told MLB.com that he “wouldn’t be a New York Yankee” without his mom back in 2017. “The guidance she gave me as a kid growing up, knowing the difference from right and wrong, how to treat people and how to go the extra mile and put in extra work, all that kind of stuff,” he said at the time. “She’s molded me into the person that I am today.”