Hank Aaron

[Koz]

I was 10 years old when Hank Aaron hit #715 off of Al Downing. Being a Yankee fan all of my life (10 years at the time but still a fan) I had hoped no one would ever break Babe Ruth's record. But I was watching that game and when Hank hit #715 I still cheered because I'm a baseball fan. It was a momentous occasion and a record that no one thought would ever be broken.

 

I was a fan of Aaron before that because he was a baseball star. But over the years as I learned all that he endured in his quest for 715 I became a fan of Hank Aaron, the man. For as good as he was at baseball, he was an even better human being.

 

RIP Hank.

[Jigfishn10]

When I was a little leaguer I collected baseball cards in the mid-70's and getting a Hank Aaron card was like hitting mega-millions. Well I finally got his card in '76 and was the happiest little leaguer on earth. I had a friend over after school one day and I made the mistake of showing him my baseball card collection. Well, he stole the card and I never saw it again.

 

My father worked as part of the grounds crew when the braves played in Boston. Hank wasn't on the big league club yet back then, but my father did say he saw him in an exhibition game on day. Hank, if memory serves me well, made the big league club the first year they moved to Milwaukee.  

 

I never saw that record breaking home run, just replays. To this day, I'll stop dead in my tracks to watch that historic moment.

 

RIP Hammerin Hank.

[jimmyjoe]

   He's remembered for the HR record, but I thought that he had the RBI record, too. Great player, great team player, and great man.       jj

 

p.s. - I just looked it up. Yep. He held the RBI record, too.

[Guitarfish]

I can relate...my sister stored my cards for years at her place.  I had complete sets of 1968 Topps.  She let one of her friends go thru them to advise her if any were 'worth' anything.  I didn't find out until years later.  I had a cold feeling as I went to check out the cards.  He had stolen a lot of high dollar cards.  He only missed the Nolan Ryan rookie card.

I still have it. (And the remainder of the rest of'68).

[flatcreek]

Hammerin Hank will be missed and he is the home run king in my book.

[NorcalBassin]

Exceptional player and from everything I've seen and read a great man as well. Even more impressive he was able to be an all-time great at a time he always had to have his head on a swivel. His era has always been my favorite in the history of baseball... something about the way the game was played back then and the stars of the day (Aaron, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, DiMaggio and Mantle, etc) that for a time made them seem larger than life.

[lo n slo]

23 hours ago, flatcreek said:

Hammerin Hank will be missed and he is the home run king in my book.

same here

[deaknh03]

He just got the c19 vaccine a week or so ago. Shame. 

[TnRiver46]

14 minutes ago, deaknh03 said:

He just got the c19 vaccine a week or so ago. Shame. 

Ain’t no shame in Hank Aaron’s game 

[N Florida Mike]

On 1/22/2021 at 11:33 AM, Koz said:

I was 10 years old when Hank Aaron hit #715 off of Al Downing. Being a Yankee fan all of my life (10 years at the time but still a fan) I had hoped no one would ever break Babe Ruth's record. But I was watching that game and when Hank hit #715 I still cheered because I'm a baseball fan. It was a momentous occasion and a record that no one thought would ever be broken.

 

I was a fan of Aaron before that because he was a baseball star. But over the years as I learned all that he endured in his quest for 715 I became a fan of Hank Aaron, the man. For as good as he was at baseball, he was an even better human being.

 

RIP Hank.

He was my fav . player. I was also watching live when he hit # 715. I was 14 years old then.

I still consider him the valid home run king.

A lot of people dont realize this, but he is the Rbi and total bases leader also. I think he is third in hits.

Not a flashy player , but one of the top 5 batters of all time.

[N Florida Mike]

On 1/22/2021 at 12:31 PM, Guitarfish said:

I can relate...my sister stored my cards for years at her place.  I had complete sets of 1968 Topps.  She let one of her friends go thru them to advise her if any were 'worth' anything.  I didn't find out until years later.  I had a cold feeling as I went to check out the cards.  He had stolen a lot of high dollar cards.  He only missed the Nolan Ryan rookie card.

I still have it. (And the remainder of the rest of'68).

I had most of the 70 and 71 topps set. I had several Hank Aaron cards and plenty of other greats. I had them stored on a shelf and didnt think about them for a year or so... One day I felt the urge to look through them. Nearly all my best cards were gone! 

I hollered my middle son’s name ! Yep, he had taken them to school. His story to this day is he left them in his desk at school and they were stolen.. Doesnt ease the pain any.

 

 

[Koz]

1 hour ago, N Florida Mike said:

I had most of the 70 and 71 topps set. I had several Hank Aaron cards and plenty of other greats. I had them stored on a shelf and didnt think about them for a year or so... One day I felt the urge to look through them. Nearly all my best cards were gone! 

I hollered my middle son’s name ! Yep, he had taken them to school. His story to this day is he left them in his desk at school and they were stolen.. Doesnt ease the pain any.

 

 

Movers stole a binder of all of my best cards including two mint Wayne Gretzky rookie cards - one Canadian and one US. In that binder I also had personalized autographs from Bobby Orr, Bobby Hull, and Gordie Howe. They also took a framed Joe DiMaggio autograph.