RIP Hank Aaron

[fotoguzzi]

The real genuine GOAT. Check out "I had a hammer"

[oldbike54]

 His greatest asset was his work ethic and resolve to succeed . His numbers per year were never that gaudy , Mr Aaron simply got up every day , put on his work clothes and went to work , a baseball player's baseball player .

 Dusty

[Ncdan]

Definitely a gentleman who made history.

[fotoguzzi]

25× All-Star (1955–1975)
World Series champion (1957)
NL MVP (1957)
3× Gold Glove Award (1958–1960)
2× NL batting champion (1956, 1959)
4× NL home run leader (1957, 1963, 1966, 1967)
4× NL RBI leader (1957, 1960, 1963, 1966

MLB records

2,297 career runs batted in
6,856 career total bases
1,477 career extra-base hits
25 career all-star appearances

[wymple]

He was not "one of the greatest". He was the greatest.

[Guzzistajohn]

He was amazing. I actually watched baseball back then.

[blackcat]

.....and he was a Browns fan. 

[blu guzz]

he was a hero to me and all my little league playing friends.  in those days in general, far fewer professional athletes were as flamboyant as so many of today's stars seem to be.  even by the standards of that day, Hammerin Hank was reserved.  RIP.

[keuka4884]

A gentleman and outstanding ambassador for the game. He was not a big man yet had big forearms. The key to his success was a sweet swing that whipped the wrists on contact with the ball. Perfect timing on rolling over his wrists with lots of speed. The 57 Milwaukee Braves were a heck of a team.

[giusto]

I remember very fondly Mr. Aaron's reply to my request....I had watched the game that night on TV. (15 years old at the tie) It was the home opener for the Braves...Hank hit number 715 off of Al Downing...pretty cool.
 Sometime in the next few days I rode my bicycle to JC Penny's and bought a baseball...called information (411) for Atlanta and asked for the address of Fulton County Stadium.  I boxed the ball along with a short letter telling Mr. Aaron how fantastic I thought it was that he was now Baseball's All-time Home Run leader and asked if he would sign the ball for me... then took it to the post office.
About a month or so later I came home from school to find the same small box I had sent and in it was my ball autographed by Mr. Aaron with little note that said  "thank you for asking, Hank Aaron"

I still have the ball... I made a shadow box to keep it safe. The epitome of what a ball player should be in my mind.

Thank You Mr. Aaron!  God Speed

[oldbike54]

 There were all of those other high profile players in his era , Mays , Mantle , Cepeda , all played for big market teams , meanwhile Mr Aaron quietly went about his job in Milwaukee and Atlanta , then finishing off back in Milwaukee . Give me a team made up of guys like Mr Aaron .

 Dusty