more sad news in the baseball world today as hank aaron passed away overnight. my first encounter with aaron was with this card in the 1979 topps set:
the back was a treasure trove of historic information for a young fan like me
one thing that struck me about those stats is that aaron accumulated his record home run total without hitting at least 54 home runs in a season. once i saw the back of his 1976 topps card, i understood just how consistent he had been, and that his career high was "just" 47 homers.
a year or two later, i met al downing - the man who had allowed home run number 715. i was just as excited to meet a former dodger as i was to meet the man who had an association with aaron. i'll link to
my post about aaron and his inclusion in my hall of fame collection. he was the first player that i wrote about, and it doesn't get much more hall of fame-y than hank aaron.
Lots of great tributes to Mr. Aaron. I don't remember the first time I learned about him... but I'm guessing it was in one of my National League Green books. As for my first card of his was his 1983 Donruss HOF card.
ReplyDeletei never had any of the red or green books, but i did pick up the baseball handbook each season. the 1983 hof set is a good one - my first duke snider and roy campanella cards came from that set.
DeleteEternal rest, grant unto him, Oh Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home, and within my family. What a man, and what a hitter.
ReplyDeletemuch more than just a home run hitter, that is for sure. and much more than just a baseball player, too.
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