40th anniversary of 715
 

Today is the 40th anniversary of Hank Aaron hitting his 715th homer and breaking Babe Ruth's record. Admittedly, Hank is my favorite player but I must say his class and dignity are examples still today.

Below is a video link to the historic homer with interviews, etc.:

http://m.mlb.com/video/v3224106

Thanks for sharing Ed! I agree with everything you said about Hank Aaron, and I believe Aaron is vastly underrated as one of baseball's Great's of the Game.

Very cool. Thanks for the reminder!

Aaron
 

Remember it well. My dad called me in from shooting baskets to watch that epic at bat

Thanks for starting this, Ed. I grew up in Milwaukee, where Hank is still revered. Unfortunately, I've never had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Aaron in person, though my father has. He is a true gentleman.

I still consider him the all-time home run king.

Ceremony
 

Just watched ceremony before Braves' home opener honoring Aaron. Hank's speech was, as could be expected, full of class and humility. What a great ambassador for the Braves (Milwaukee and Atlanta) and all of baseball.

I agree.

Additionally, all things considered, I believe Aaron's cards to be the most undervalued in the entire hobby. I predict that, as time marches on and the collector base changes, values of the cards from his playing days (as well as those of Roberto Clemente and Warren Spahn) will outperform those of his contemporaries.

To clarify, I am not saying that a '56 Topps Warren Spahn will ever be worth more than a '56 Mickey Mantle...just that there will be a higher percentage jump on cards of him, Clemente, and Aaron than anyone else from that era.

Sorry for getting a bit off-topic. Carry on.

I agree that his cards will take off. Definitely does not get the credit he deserves. His stats, in addition to home runs, are staggering. Glad I finished my Topps Aaron regular issue run last year LOL.

I wonder if he had been born 40 years later, with all the expansion, if would he have hit an additional 100 home runs or more.

Probably. There was only 10 or fewer teams in the NL most of his playing career. He faced strong pitching almost every game as the talent wasn't diluted.

I was there!

In my living room, watching on tv like millions of others. :)

I'd only gotten interested in baseball late in the year before. So my intro to watching baseball was the 73 series, then 715. Followed by meeting Bob Feller and then the 75 series. ---No wonder I like baseball.

Nearly saw him play in 76. Our church took a once a year trip to Fenway. I went in 74, 75 I think they didn't/couldn't get tickets, 76 was a Brewers game. He didn't play that day.



Steve B

Hank is by far the most under rated player in history. Following the death of Clemente he became my favorite player. I named my first born Aaron Clemente after both of them. Ironically, on the 40th anniversary of Hank's biggest moment my son had a pretty big moment himself. He learned today he was accepted to law school. Very Very proud father here:D

Great story and congratulations!

I was in the downstairs TV room in our college dorm. Everyone was there, sitting around on the floor watching the game. Ironically my old roommate dropped into town yesterday, hadn't seen him in a few years.

Also a bit of irony, that small school, Arkansas Tech was where Aaron's son later playeed football briefly.

I posted this in another Aaron thread but thought it deserved reposting

Many years ago I had a friend who worked on the TV show Happy Days. Hank Aaron made a cameo appearance on that show since it took place in Milwaukee and he would have been with the Braves then.

My friend knew I like baseball so she had Hank sign a script for me. Certainly a one-of-a-kind item to cherish.


http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/z...psf4b0a71a.jpg

My father got my brother and I out of bed to watch the instant replay of 715.

Does anyone remember where they were when Barry hit #756? Me neither.

I saw it on TV with millions of others as a kid. True about the man and his character and the dignity with the way he carried himself back then and still does to this day. He's a true Hall of Famer.

Ricky Y

Another coincidence, I just noticed that my previous post in this thread was my 715th.

So cool!!!! Happy Days AND Aaron!!