Another legend has passed: Hank Aaron

[Vintagecatcher]

Just heard of the passing of Hank Aaron. We have lost another legend.

Remember fondly of watching him break the home run record.

Patrick

[Republicaninmass]

RIP, one of the greatest

[Seven]

Originally Posted by Vintagecatcher

Just heard of the passing of Hank Aaron. We have lost another legend.

Remember fondly of watching him break the home run record.

Patrick

God Damn, this is terrible. I thought he was in relatively good health. RIP

[perezfan]

Originally Posted by Seven

God Damn, this is terrible. I thought he was in relatively good health. RIP

He was indeed in great health....

The media isn't reporting it, but his cause of death is still "undisclosed". He was encouraged to get a Covid Vaccine and proudly did so on January 5, to act as a positive example for other African Americans. A couple weeks later, he has passed.

Without getting political, I hope his passing had nothing to do with his recent vaccination. He was a stellar example of an American hero.

[marzoumanian]

I too thought it was strange that no cause of death was disclosed. I just read in the NY Times obit (a great one, by the way) that he struggled with a partial hip replacement in his last years. BUT what did he die of, specifically??? I am sure we will learn eventually but it is weird.
RIP, Henry.

[Ricky]

It’s not weird... he died in his sleep. Cause of death won’t be immediately known.

[marzoumanian]

What he went through as a MLB player THROUGHOUT his career boggles my mind. You can't help but ask yourself how you would have handled yourself in the same conditions. Thank you, Hammerin' Hank, for your class and courage. RIP.

[MuncieNolePAZ]

Just awful news. Not just one of the greatest players ever, but an incredible human as well. He will be sorely missed. Prayers to his family and friends.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

F these last 24 months. Regret never getting a chance to shake his hand. RIP to one of the greatest ever.

[packs]

RIP Hank

[dio]

RIP home run king. he's one of my favorite player to collect besides mantle.

[LincolnVT]

What a great player he was.

[icollectDCsports]

This is a real kick in the gut. Awful news. RIP, HR King.

[scooter729]

Truly a legend for many reasons. RIP....

[mainemule]

This hits hard, really hard. The other legends who've recently died were the best of the best. Hank was baseball royalty. This is so sad....😥😥

[Kenny Cole]

This one really hurts. It seems like we've lost more legends these last couple of years than I can ever remember happening before. RIP Mr. Aaron. I loved watching you play.

[SteveS]

I got to be in the presence of a king once. Back in the early-'80s when card show autograph prices were fairly reasonable. RIP to the true home-run champ.

[BCauley]

Yet another sad day for baseball that has been all too common this past year.

Read his autobiography years ago, "I Had a Hammer." Amazing and infuriating. Highly recommend.

[irv]

Great tribute here.

RIP, Hank.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article...n-dies-age-86/

[scmavl]

That’s wild. Last night around midnight, I just felt like I “needed” to own an Aaron RC. I made an offer for one on eBay (declined) and put up a WTB ad here. Now this... Very sad, as he was TRULY one of the good ones.

[ocjack]

Classic Aaron card.

[doug.goodman]

Wow, a true legend.

I was lucky enough to see him hit #751 in Oakland on June 16, 1976.

And, I was extra lucky that day when I succeeded in getting his signature on my baseball before the game. There was quite a scrum when he walked over to the seats and started signing.

ANOTHER sad day for baseball, and in this case society in general.

Thank you Mr. Aaron

[DeanH3]

RIP Mr. Aaron. Sad he had to endure what he did.

[ZiggerZagger]

He played a full 9 innings in life, better than most of us ever will or could. And with a tremendous dignity.

The things he must have seen and experienced over a lifetime like his... A life worth celebrating

HankAaronCollection.jpg

[kailes2872]

When I was 8, I bought the baseball address book. I sent out probably 40 letters where I would have my 8 year old handwriting and a school picture included. It was mainly to tell the players how much I admired them. I was 8. I didn't include anything for an autograph. I received 2 notes back. One was a personalized autograph from Stan Musial. The other was a package from Hank Aaron. He didn't include letter, but he included a signed 8x10, a 3x5 index card and a Babe Ruth replica card that he signed.

He got my school picture. I was a young white kid. He didn't have to respond - the other 38 folks didn't respond (nor did I ask them to... I just wanted to tell them how much I admired them). Our elementary school library had a sports section. Since it was so recent to 74, there were probably 4-5 Hank Aaron books. I read every one of them. I read about the $2 and 2 sandwiches as he left Mobile. I read about the Sally League and how he had to endure insults and my little 8 year old brain couldn't understand why - I mean, he was Hank Aaron for goodness sakes.

Today, I have every one of his mainstream cards. I have a signed picture of the 715 homer that was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. I have a signed picture of Hank & Willie that I overpaid for back in 2012 when I took the boys to the HOF in Cooperstown. I have a signed baseball from him as well. He was my favorite. As I have gotten older, I realize the grace under pressure that he possessed. I often think about how scared he must have been - after all of the hate letters - to have the 2 dudes run out on the field. But, through it all, he didn't flinch. 86 is a good number. If I am promised 86 years today, I will take it. But, it is only 38 years away. In 30 years I will be 78 and I remember 30 years ago like it was yesterday. Time marches on. So, while I am sad that he passed, it is much like what I have experienced over the past year as some of these legends like Seaver, Sutton, and Niekro have died. They have died as pretty old men - not an early death like Stargell - but they were guys that were playing when I first started watching.

That is what makes it so surreal. These are legends that were supposed to stay young forever. If they are going, then it is only a matter of time until it is my turn and that is the sobering thought of the day (not that I didn't already know that, but it reminds me of my mortality).

[bigfanNY]

A Great Human Being, Great Ballplayer and The 1974 Topps Subset showing His Topps cards from 1954 to 1973 did more to grow our Hobby than anything up uintil then.
I bought this early Aaron Signiture a few years ago. It was signed during Spring Training. A Game between the Braves snd Red Sox. Having heard The Ted Williams Tale of Aaron's 450 ft HR his first game March 4th 1954. I wondered if this ball was signed that day.

[Ricky]

I'm devastated. My all-time favorite player, both as a kid growing up and now. Such a great player... remember watching the NBC Monday Night Game of the Week and seeing him break the HR record, and I had been rooting for him for a number of years before, so that was the culmination. People forget that he was a true 5-tool player... stole 31 bases in 1963, won 3 Gold Gloves and would have won many more, except for the fact that Clemente overlapped him in RF. For me, the all-time HR king. I have a complete run of his Topps cards from 1954-76...

[Vegas Cards]

Tremendous loss. As a Dodger fan especially, first losing Tommy Lasorda and Don Sutton, now Mr. Aaron.

On a somewhat separate note, days like this really bring my frustration with PSA delays to a boil. I've got five Hank Aaron cards stuck there, two of them signed. They've been there since July.

I'd really love to have them with me, set out on a shelf in my office, my own small tribute to the HR King.

[hysell]

Yes, this was my player , with Mays just behind him ! Willie is the last of the greats old time players to me

[campyfan39]

Rest in Peace Hank!

The 1956 Topps I got for my Christmas in 1995 and the rookie I got for Christmas in 1992


Autographed pic from a card show in the 90's when I got to meet him


Hank with my friend and the legendary card deal "Uncle" Dick Decourcy

[Clutch-Hitter]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Exhibitman]

Fuck...



My childhood is dying before my eyes...

I have been a fan of Hank's ever since I was a small boy, though I never did get to see him play in person (my first game was a Mets game in 1973, second was a Yankees game in 1976). The first big run of cards I ever pursued was Willie Mays but the second was Hank Aaron. I've owned his rookie card three times. I of course remember that home run. I saw it on a black and white tv in our vacation home in Mahopac, NY. As I learned more about him and his career and life, I became a bigger fan. There are lots of good people but there are only a handful of baseball players I see as true role models: Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson. All handled themselves with grace and graciousness through genuinely horrible discrimination, and none ever lost their core of decency and kindness. I only got to meet Aaron once, at a card show signing, but he was gracious and engaging and I left an even bigger fan than I was before. There is only one player who has a solo memorabilia album on my shelf: Henry Aaron.

So, in celebration of his life rather than in mourning, here is a new piece I got recently, something I never saw before in 30+ years of collecting Hank Aaron stuff, and the back story adds a bit more to the understanding of the incredible breadth of his appeal:




This is a folded card about the size of a regular baseball card when folded. It dates to 1982 and was issued in Korea. Here is a news story that gives background:

From SABR (Patrick Bourgo)

Today, Korea is known around the world as a baseball powerhouse. Several players, such as Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin, have contributed to major league clubs. The nation has waged spirited campaigns in international competitions, including the World Baseball Classic.

Earlier in Korea's baseball history, however, it was far rarer for players to be able to measure themselves against their American counterparts.

That's why a visit in 1982 by an American delegation led by the legendary Hank Aaron marked such a momentous occasion.

Baseball has existed here for over 100 years, but when Hammerin' Hank arrived, the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) was still in its initial stage, having just completed its inaugural season.

Aaron, who had been retired for several years, first visited the country by himself, invited by the Samsung Lions to put on some batting clinics. His long list of accomplishments was not lost on Koreans.

These include his 755 career home runs, the major league record for 33 years. He is the all-time leader in runs batted in (2,297) and extra-base hits (1,477) and won a World Series ring in 1957.

On his solo trip, the American took in some sites and visited U.S. soldiers in the Demilitarized Zone. He also agreed to return in the fall and bring with him a team of American players for a series of exhibition games.

True to his word, Aaron returned in October with players from the Atlanta Braves minor league affiliates (AAA Richmond, AA Savannah, and two Single-A clubs). They were joined by Hall of Famer Ernie Banks and future Hall of Famer Billy Williams. The squad was helmed by Edwin Hass and John Sain. Aaron served as general manager.

Aside from the retired Banks and Williams, the Braves side did not include many names that most baseball fans would know or remember. Two players who did make it to the majors were Tony Brizzolara and Milt Thompson. Hank Aaron's son, Lary, a minor leaguer in the Braves organization, was also on the team.

On the other hand, the KBO side featured a number of well-known players including Baek In-cheon, who played in Japan's professional baseball league and is the only player ever to hit over .400 in the KBO.

Ex-Samsung catcher and current SK Wyverns manager Lee Man-soo also played in the series. Lee has the distinction of getting the first hit and first home run in Korean pro baseball. He also won a World Series ring in 2005 as a coach with the Chicago White Sox. Other players who took part in the series were Kim Jae-bak, Ha Gi-ryong, Lee Gil-hwan and Yoon Dong-gyun.

Eight games were played between October 16 and 27, split between Jamsil Stadium in Seoul and Citizen Stadium in Daegu (the home park of the Samsung Lions).

The Braves minor leaguers, plus Banks and Williams, faced off against the inaugural KBO champion OB Bears (now Doosan Bears), MBC Blue Dragons (now LG Twins), Samsung Lions and a KBO All-Star team. They played one game each against OB and MBC, three games against Samsung and three against the KBO All-Stars.

There was also a home run contest before the first game. Hank Aaron and Billy Williams represented the Braves side, and Yoon Dong-gyun and Shin Kyong-shik participated for the OB Bears.

The Braves minor leaguers got off to a slow start in the series. They tied their first game against the Bears, the reigning KBO champs, and then lost their second game 3-5 against MBC. In the second game, Ron Grout hit a two-run home run for the Braves, but it was Kim Jae-bak who drove in the winning runs for the Blue Dragons.

The Braves did not get their first win until moving from Seoul to Daegu. The change of venue seemed to do the Braves wonders, as they crushed the Lions 13-5 and 9-0 in their two-game set in Daegu.

But the impressive offensive display -- highlighted by a total of six homers in the two games -- was not the highlight of their trip to Daegu.

The biggest story happened in the first inning of the first game. A long-since-retired Ernie Banks crushed a grand slam against the Lions pitcher. After circling the bases, the 51-year-old was greeted by his son Joey.

Moreover, with Hank's son Lary having entered the game in the sixth inning, and Joey replacing Steve Curry in the eighth, this game also holds the distinction of being the first (and possibly only) time the sons of the two hall-of-famers played together.

Overall, the Korean teams edged out the Braves' minor leaguers with a record of four wins, three losses, and one tie, despite scoring only 22 runs compared to the Americans' 43.

After returning to Seoul and losing two of three to the Korean All-stars, including a game in which Dragon's third baseman Lee Kwang-un pitched a six-hit complete game, the Braves team played their final game against the Samsung Lions at Jamsil Stadium. A three-run fourth inning by Samsung was enough to avenge the defeats in Daegu with a final score of 4-2. For the Braves, the loss brought an end to their two-week goodwill tour.

There were three shutouts, two by the Braves and one by the Korean All-Star team. Ron Grout stood out for the Braves, hitting at a .333 clip with three home runs and 10 RBIs. All in all, it was an impressive showing for the newly formed Korean professional baseball league and the beginning of many exchanges between the KBO and MLB.

The card itself as you can see functions as a minor league score card as well as a souvenir of Aaron's visit to Korea.

[talkinbaseball]

In the spring of 1972 I was in 10th grade, I found a wooden shade rod, I drilled a hole in it found a piece a rope and attached a weight to it, hoping I could get to strengthen my wrists like Hammerin Hank to make the high school baseball team.
John

[riggs336]

A favorite card of a favorite player.

[UKCardGuy]

This one was hard news to hear. So many greats have passed away this year, but Hank Aaron stands above. Such a grest player and person.

God's assembling quite a team up there this year.

RIP Hank.

[ledsters]

Even MLB players were in awe and had great respect for Hank. Check out the back of this 1978 Family Fun Centers Dave Robert’s card.

FA7193B5-2AE2-41E3-8333-3418389B9188.jpg

[ledsters]

D25F8FAD-4BD3-4CAC-9B3B-CBC55B543367.jpg

[Rookiemonster]

Happy to own these pieces

[Django7975]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Robbie]

There are baseball greats, and then there are a very few people who transcend the sport into legendary status to become cultural icons. Such is Hank Aaron. RIP

One of my favorite Aaron photos in my collection is this one taken by Bob Cutter in 1956 of a young, blossoming superstar selecting his weapon to pummel some unfortunate pitcher.

[Aaron Seefeldt]

My father grew up in Janesville, WI and followed the Braves his entire childhood.

Some 25 years ago I was set up at a card show in Taylor, MI and The Hammer was doing autographs for $20 each. When it was my turn I told Hank that I was named after him and he gave me a smile. I'll never forget it.

[68Hawk]

[ALR-bishop]

[JollyElm]

I wrote to him as a kid a couple of times, and (I believe) he answered each of my autograph requests. Here's my TTM haul...

hankaaronpage.jpg

God rest his beautiful soul.

[Touch'EmAll]

Very sad, sigh ... and tears. Aaron & Walter Payton were the only "sets" I ever had.

[marzoumanian]

Glad to learn he went naturally. He was a true gentle man. RIP, Henry.

[hammertime]

Just got this one in today.

[upstateNYmilb]

I picked up the ball a couple weeks ago. RIP Henry Aaron

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

[Vegas Cards]

Looking through my Aaron stuff and came across these. The article is from a November 1983 write up in the Sacramento Bee about a local signing. Hope you guys can zoom in and read it. $1,000 an hour, not bad for 1983!

I know I sound childish saying it, but I'm really pissed PSA has my stuff. I sent cards my Uncle had signed by Hank at these shows to them back in July. I had no idea at the time they'd hold on to it for this long and I really wish I had them back with me.

[ValKehl]

The entire back page of today's print edition of the Washington Post's Sports Section is a full-color display of Topps' Hank Aaron cards, one for each year of his career. The online edition has a different configuration of this card display; here's the link to it:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...s/?arc404=true