News
Favorite cards of Home Run King Hank Aaron
Baseball writers, like political commentators, are supposed to be neutral. But all of us were fans growing up and most still remain partial to particular players or teams.
For me, I’ve been an ardent admirer of Henry Louis Aaron since I started watching baseball, first on a black-and-white Zenith during the 1957 World Series and later as a sportswriter for The Associated Press and numerous other outlets, including SCD.
Since fans collect cards of their favorite players, I made it my business to obtain every Hank Aaron card—an impossible feat because thousands of different issues, even including one from Venezuela, were published during his career (1954-1976) and for years after he retired.
Although he appeared alone most of the time, Aaron also shared cards with fellow Hall of Famers Ernie Banks (Power Plus, 1963 Topps #242), Mickey Mantle (1958 Topps #418), and Willie Mays (1964 Topps #423)—not to mention Milwaukee teammates Del Crandall, Ed Mathews, and Joe Adcock (Braves’ Fence Busters, 1958 Topps #351) and just Mathews (1959 Topps #212) in a green-colored card simply called Fence Busters a year later.
There were dozens of special Aaron All-Star cards and just as many cards of the future home run king sharing space with fellow superstars, notably 1964 Topps #9 (1963 National League Home Run Leaders, featuring Cooperstown-bound San Francisco sluggers Willie McCovey, Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda and Aaron).
Also See: Hank Aaron rookie card set record
Since Aaron also led the NL in runs batted in, he shares 1964 Topps #11 (1963 National League RBI Leaders) with St. Louis stars Ken Boyer and Bill White.
There are Aaron error cards: 1957 Topps #20 is a reversed negative; 1956 Topps #31 has Willie Mays rather than Aaron sliding into home; repeated use of the same profile picture in each of his first three cards; and autographs that differ from the printed name (he signed “Henry,” which he preferred to the printed “Hank”).
There’s even an Aaron card with five Hall of Famers on it: 1963 Topps #3, featuring 1962 National League Home Run Leaders with Aaron, Frank Robinson, Ernie Banks, Mays, and Cepeda.
Having so many Hank Aarons available to the collector makes it tough to pick favorites. But what baseball writer could resist? So here goes:
l. 1974 Topps #2-6 Hank Aaron Special
Each one of this five-card sub-set contained four actual Aaron cards reduced in size. The ones depicting the 1958-61 cards is the best of the bunch because the designs of the 1959 yellow card and 1960 horizontal blue card were spectacular and I remember finding both in packs purchased from local candy stores in New Jersey.
2. 1968 Topps #370 Hank Aaron All-Star
Also See: Hank Aaron's lasting impact
Perhaps the best of his All-Star cards, Aaron appears next to large lettering that says 68 All-Star Selection and indicates the pick was made by The Sporting News, then the most complete and reliable weekly tabloid on the game. The publication, long based in St. Louis, later went online and dropped the word “The” from its name.
3. 1974 Topps #1 Hank Aaron New All–Time Home Run King
Since he broke the record on April 8, 1974, did Topps produce this card in advance on the assumption he would make it? Maybe that’s why the slugger had such a huge smile on his face.
4. 1959 Topps #212 Fence Busters
Aaron and Mathews hit a record 863 home runs during the time they were teammates with the Braves. This shot shows both wearing Milwaukee caps and could have been taken when they opposed each other in the original “Home Run Derby” TV show, filmed at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles.
5. 1961 Topps #43 NL 1960 Home Run Leaders
Also See: Hank Aaron's top card sales on eBay
Aaron and Mathews head shots are side-by-side in this four-player card that also features Ernie Banks and Ken Boyer. The white Milwaukee “M” they wore is clearly visible.
6. 1961 Topps Hank Aaron #484 National League MVP
This blue card salutes the only MVP award Aaron ever won, with the 1957 world champion Milwaukee Braves. Aaron’s extra-inning homer against St. Louis reliever Billy Muffett clinched the pennant in the 11th inning. He then hit three more home runs while batting .393 in the World Series against the Yankees.
7. 1965 Topps #170 Hank Aaron
A vertical card featuring the team’s logo and nickname, it lacked any city location because the Braves were a lame-duck team that wound up spending one year longer in Milwaukee than anticipated. The move to Atlanta was finally completed in 1966.
8. 1974 Topps #332 All-Star First Basemen
Aaron spent only one full season at first base but that was enough to earn him a spot on this All-Star card, which he shared with Dick Allen.
9. 1955 Topps #47
In addition to Hank signing Henry on this card, the old headdress logo of the Braves dominates the upper left corner. Too bad the big portrait is the exact same one used in the 1954 rookie and 1956 white-shadowed version.
10. 1958 Topps #418 World Series Batting Foes
Since Aaron retired long before interleague play began, he only met Mickey Mantle in All-Star play plus two World Series. In this vertical card, taken at Yankee Stadium, the two sluggers stage their stances for the photographer.
11. 1966 Topps #215 N. League 1965 Batting Leaders
This card, shared with Mays and Roberto Clemente, lists Aaron’s team as “Atlanta Braves” even though he was a 1965 batting leader with the Milwaukee Braves. Must have been a tough call for the people at Topps. Also wonder why they let the Mays picture through since he seems to be asleep.
12. 1968 Topps #3 NL RBI Leaders
Also See: Jackie Robinson's top cards
The only player pictured on both of the separate cards that honor 1967 home run and RBI leaders, Aaron appears on the right side of this RBI card but the left side of the home run card (1968 Topps #5).
13. 1973 Topps #1 All-Time Home Run Leaders
Aaron, Mays, and Babe Ruth are together in this card, dominated by Ruth because he was the lifetime home run leader at the time with 714. Aaron stood at 673 and Mays at 654 at the start of the 1973 season, which a determined Aaron finished with 40 home runs at an advanced athletic age. That set the stage for No. 714 on April 4, 1974 and the record-breaker four days later.
— Longtime SCD columnist Dan Schlossberg is the author of the forthcoming Sports Publishing hardcover “Home Run King: the Remarkable Record of Hank Aaron,” featuring a foreword by Dusty Baker.
