Hank Aaron memorialized with Hall of Fame statue and USPS stamp 50 years after hitting 715th home run

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

April 9, 2024 / 10:52 AM EDT


It has been 50 years since the world of baseball cheered on the legendary Hank Aaron hitting his 715th home run, breaking one of the sport's most cherished records. To honor the milestone, Aaron is being honored posthumously with a statue and a stamp. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N. Y. revealed Monday that a new statue honoring the famed baseball player will be unveiled next month. The bronze statue will be installed on the first floor of the museum.


A view of a statue commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Hank Aaron's 715th home run prior to the game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Monday, April 8, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Todd Kirkland/MLB Photos via Getty Images


"The legacy of Hank Aaron has always been about so much more than just his incredible baseball achievements," said Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the Hall of Fame board, in a statement. "His philanthropic vision, his support of youth empowerment efforts and his pioneering work as an executive have opened the doors of opportunity for millions throughout the United States and around the world."

Aaron's widow Billye said in a statement that she believes her late husband would have been pleased and excited for the statue to go on display. "His life and legacy reflected his high hopes and big dreams. Both inspired and propelled him to incredible accomplishments in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles," she said. "He wanted to be an inspiration to young boys and girls everywhere."

Also on Monday, the U.S. Postal Service announced that it will issue a commemorative Forever stamp to honor and celebrate Aaron's life and career. The stamp art will feature a digital painting of Aaron as a member of the Braves.


The U.S. Postal Service unveiled a new commemorative stamp honoring MLB legend Hank Aaron. USPS

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hank-aaron-statue-stamp-mlb-home-run-anniversary/

[Hermit-The-Prog]

1. Doesn't feel like 50 years.

[underpants]

2. He handled that (and his post career) with amazing class and dignity

PTI on ESPN covered this yesterday. Mr. Aaron got a lot of advise and mentoring from Jackie Robinson. He and his family received really horrific threats during the run up to setting the record but Mr. Aaron never let that effect how he publicly went about this.

He never hit more than 47 home runs (1971) either. He hit 44 four times.

[lonely bird]

4. He was super consistent.

Iirc, he hit .305 for his career and is the MLB leader for RBIs.

He was always one of my favorite players as a kid.

[underpants]

6. I thought I included a link. I didn't. You are right.

.305 BA
3,771 hits
2,297 RsBI which is the record

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aaronha01.shtml

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

9. One of his most impressive lifetime stats is total bases.

He is the all-time leader with 6,856. Albert Pujols is #2 with 6,211. Aaron had almost 1,100 more total bases than Babe Ruth.

As a retired postal worker, I am glad to see Mr. Aaron honored with a stamp. To me, he is a Hall of Famer both on and off the baseball field.

I smiled when I saw your link to BaseballReference.com. For statheads like myself, that site is the Holy Grail.

[benfranklin1776]

5. Yes, he was the epitome of class and excellence.

Both on the diamond and more importantly as a person in daily life. I was very young when I started watching him, but was mesmerized by his pure swing, effortlessly leveraging maximum power from seemingly minimal effort. And his consistency was, as you highlight, amazing. A lifetime .305 hitter who could and did hit for situational requirements to help his team. Easily one of the very best.
I couldn’t understand when I was younger why so many people at the time hated the fact he would break Ruth’s record and why he didn’t get the national acclaim he rightfully should have; however, I now see that was a product of the pestilential and virulent racism that we now know endures like a malignant plague that still infects too many people. However, he fought that on the field and in his life beyond baseball with the same strength, unflagging determination and success that made him the home run king. A truly great, great man.

[underpants]

7. Only 180 pounds too

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aaronha01.shtml

[benfranklin1776]

8. Yes!

Major wrist strength which, in a book I read about him as a child, he attributed to working summers as a young man on an ice truck, using tongs to handle the blocks of ice. He translated that strength to wicked bat speed at the point of contact. He utilized the physics principle of transfer of momentum to its utmost! ✊🏼

[lonely bird]

11. Interesting tidbit

When he first was in the minors he hit cross-handed.

[Mysterian]

3. Hammerin' Hank!

He was a good fielder too!

[LudwigPastorius]

10. Henry Aaron is still the all time leader in HRs in my book.

It's a crime that Bonds officially holds the record.

[electric_blue68]

12. I like the statue. 👍