1974 Topps #1 Hank AaronToday is Hammerin Hank's 75th birthday. I am not sure but I think 75 is the Diamond Anniversary, which is appropriate, because it is upon the Baseball Diamond where Hank Aaron made his name.
Hank Aaron: 755 Career Homers, 2297 RBI ,1477 XBH all still tops among Right Handed batters. He also scored 2174 Runs (4th overall, 2nd RH). Aaron played in 24 All-Star games during a 23 year career, try and top that! For a couple of years in the late 50s and early 60s they played two all-star games, which made this All-Star feat possible.
Aaron was also a member of the 1957 World Champion Milwaukee Braves who bested the Yankees in seven games. He homered 3 times in that series, but the big star was Lew Burdette who won three World Series games - including shutouts in games 5 and 7.
This is kind of cool - archive.org has audio of three different Home Run calls for Hank Aarons 715th Home Run.
1974 Topps
This is a card from the Phungo 1.0 collection which means it's from when I was a kid. Somehow it made it all the way through to 2009. My first pack of cards was 1974 Topps. I don't remember much about it, other than I picked it up at a 7-11. I doubt the Aaron card was in that pack.
and I will leave you with this tidbit from baseball-reference:
6,858 people saw Hank Aaron's final game.
Hank Aaron HoF Index
1959 Topps #467 Baseball Thrills (1957 WS Home Run)
1967 Topps #242 LL RBI Aaron Clemente Dick Allen (2016 Heritage Preview)
1974 Topps #5 (Retro of 1966-1969 Topps)
1975 Topps #1 (40th anniversary of record HR)
1976 Topps #660 (1st Brewers card)
1976 Topps #1 Hank Aaron (Record Breaker Career RBI)
Aaron Statue Miller Stadium Visit
Sources and Links
'74 was my first year for cards, too.
ReplyDeleteI was always annoyed that Aaron didn't get a card like everyone else did in that set.