If you are reading this blog then you don't need me to try to summarize the brilliant career of Hank Aaron. So I'd do what I usually do with mega stars here, a list of accomplishments from Hank's BR Bullpen page, and a few notes and links.
- 1953 MVP South Atlantic League Jacksonville Tars
- 24-time All-Star (1955-1975)
- NL MVP (1957)
- 3-time NL Gold Glove Winner (1958-1960/RF)
- 2-time NL Batting Average Leader (1956 & 1959)
- 4-time NL Slugging Percentage Leader (1959, 1963, 1967 & 1971)
- 3-time NL OPS Leader (1959, 1963 & 1971)
- 3-time NL Runs Scored Leader (1957, 1963 & 1967)
- 2-time NL Hits Leader (1956 & 1959)
- 8-time NL Total Bases Leader (1956, 1957, 1959-1961, 1963, 1967 & 1969)
- 4-time NL Doubles Leader (1955, 1956, 1961 & 1965)
- 4-time NL Home Runs Leader (1957, 1963, 1966 & 1967)
- 4-time NL RBI Leader (1957, 1960, 1963 & 1966)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 20 (1955-1974)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 15 (1957-1963, 1965-1967 & 1969-1973)
- 40-Home Run Seasons: 8 (1957, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1966, 1969, 1971 & 1973)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 11 (1955, 1957, 1959-1963, 1966, 1967, 1970 & 1971)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 15 (1955-1967, 1969 & 1970)
- 200 Hits Seasons: 3 (1956, 1959 & 1963)
- Won a World Series with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 1982
Just some Hank stuff... I was at Shea on a May night in 1969 when Aaron hit #513. Two night later he hit a pair in one game.... I saw him hit two in 1973, the first off Jerry Reuss in May, it was #684 and I saw him hit #712 in the Astrodome in September 22, 1973. It was the winning blow in a 4-2 Braves win.... from his Hall of Fame bio:
Biography: Exhibiting an understated style that became his trademark, Hank Aaron became the all-time home-run champion via one of the most consistent offensive careers in baseball history, with 3,771 hits. In addition to his 755 home runs, he also set Major League records for total bases, extra-base hits and RBIs. Aaron was the 1957 National League MVP, won three Gold Gloves for his play in right field and was named to a record 25 All-Star squads.
He has three other cards in this set: his All Star card, a Baseball Thrills card and a combo card shared with Eddie Mathews. This is the best of them in my eyes. You can't see much of that great Braves uni but, hey, it's Hank Aaron. You know it looks great on him.
Very nice looking card. I imagine it's hell trying to upgrade an Aaron from the '50s.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised that Aaron won 3 Gold Gloves. I once read a commentary that Hank played right field simply as a place to graze between at-bats.
ReplyDelete(Also, Eddie Mathews REALLY is a forgotten man these days.)