#31 Hank Aaron - Milwaukee Braves

Henry Louis Aaron
Milwaukee Braves
Outfield

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  6'0"  Weight:  180
Born:  February 5, 1934, Mobile, AL
Signed:  Signed as a free agent with the Boston Braves, June 14, 1952
Major League Teams:  Milwuakee Braves 1954-1965; Atlanta Braves 1966-1974; Milwaukee Brewers 1975-1976
Hall of Fame Induction:  1982

Henry Aaron was one of the best players of his era, and was baseball's career home run leader between the years 1974 and 2006.  Playing for 23 seasons from 1954 to 1976, Aaron was a National League All-Star 21 times making the squad in all but his first and last seasons.  He tallied a career .305 average with 755 home runs and 2,297 RBIs, which is still more RBIs than anyone in Major League history.  He was the National League MVP in 1957, which is also the only year his Braves won the World Series.

On Aaron's page on the Hall of Fame's website, there's this quote from former Phillies pitcher Curt Simmons - "Trying to throw a fastball by Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster."

Following his retirement as an active player in 1976, Aaron has continually served as one of the game's best ambassadors.

Building the Set
December 25, 2006 from Mays Landing, NJ - Card #278
This was the last "big" card my Dad and I needed to complete the set, and the second most expensive purchase next to the Mickey Mantle card (#135).  I was officially given the card on Christmas day 2006, but my Dad had purchased it several weeks (months?) before at a baseball card show held at the Hamilton Mall in Mays Landing, NJ.

This was one of nine cards I received that Christmas from my Dad, and he spent a total of $210 on all nine cards with the Aaron costing $150.  Like all of his purchases, he was extremely proud of the card's condition and I'm sure there was a negotiation story that went along with the acquisition.

Our first son Doug was born a few weeks before Christmas in 2006 and we brought him home just in time for the big day.  He obviously doesn't remember much from his first Christmas, but he spent the holidays being held and loved by his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles.  The picture shown here is from Christmas Day 2006, shortly after I had added those nine cards to our (and one day Doug's) 1956 Topps set.  Evidenced by the gift tag attached to the package holding the Aaron card (and the other 8 cards) my Dad fully intended for this card to be a part of Doug's collection all along.

One of the great joys of my life was seeing how proud my Dad was to have a grandson.

The Card
In a case of once you see it, you can't unsee it, that's actually Willie Mays in an airbrushed Braves hat sliding into home in the action shot.  In defense of Topps, Aaron was still early on in his career and I suppose they didn't yet have a good action shot of the young slugger.  The portrait of Aaron is the same found on both his 1954 and 1955 Topps cards.

If you don't count Minnie Minoso (#125), who came back for pinch-hitting appearances in 1976 and 1980, Aaron was the last active player to appear in the 1956 Topps set.

1956 Season
Aaron was only 22 and enjoying his second full season in the Majors in 1956.  He'd make the All-Star team for the second time and he'd win his first of two batting titles by hitting .328.  He hit 26 home runs, collected 92 RBIs and led the league in doubles with 34.

1954 Topps #128

1976 Topps #550

2001 Topps #385

2019 Topps 150 Years Greatest Moments #150-35

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1954 Topps #128
First Topps Card:  1954 Topps #128
Last Topps Card:  1976 Topps #550
Most Recent Topps Card (post-career):  2001 Topps #385
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2019 Topps - 13 different insert cards
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (28):  1954-1976, 1979, 1989, 1994, 2000-2001

In 1974, Topps gave Aaron the honor of having the first six cards in the set, with card #1 celebrating the new home run king and cards #2 through #6 showcasing Aaron's base cards from the Topps flagship sets between 1954 and 1973.

2,090 - Aaron non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/30/19.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Trading Card Database

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

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Set Order: #30 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers / #32 Frank House - Detroit Tigers

Order Collected: #309 Don Blasingame - St. Louis Cardinals / #142 Gene Baker - Chicago Cubs

#30 Jackie Robinson - Brooklyn Dodgers

Jack Roosevelt Robinson
Brooklyn Dodgers
Third Base

Bats:  Right  Throws:  Right  Height:  5'11"  Weight:  195
Born:  January 31, 1919, Cairo, GA
Acquired:  Signed as a free agent with the Brooklyn Dodgers, October 23, 1945
Major League Teams:  Brooklyn Dodgers 1947-1956
Hall of Fame Induction:  1962
Died:  October 24, 1972, Stamford, CT (age 53)

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." - Jackie Robinson

Anything I write here about Jackie Robinson won't do justice to the monumental impact the man had on our national pastime and our nation overall.

Robinson broke the game's color barrier on April 15, 1947 when he was the Dodgers' starting first baseman in a game against the Boston Braves.  He played 10 seasons for the Dodgers, making six All-Star teams, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1947 and MVP honors in 1949.  He helped lead Brooklyn to six N.L. pennants between 1947 and 1956, winning it all against the Yankees in 1955.

Robinson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1962 and passed away 10 years later at the way too young age of 53.

Building the Set
December 25, 1992 from San Diego, CA - Card #110
This was another purchase from Kit Young Cards in San Diego that was then left under the tree for me on Christmas morning.  My Dad later told me he had spent $85 on the card.

In December 1992, I wrapped up my first semester of college and came home for my winter break completely and totally deflated.  I had no energy, I didn't want to eat anything, my throat hurt and I developed a fever within a few days of being home.  I thought it was just exhaustion, but it turned out to be a fairly severe case of mononucleosis and I spent the better part of the next 2 months in bed.

At first, I enjoyed the time back home with my parents and my sister but after a few weeks I was bored with the mandated bedrest.  I'm going to blame the mono on my lack of any real memories from this time, but I'm sure I was excited upon receiving this card on Christmas morning.

The Card

This card is absolutely iconic.  As a young collector, I'd see pictures of this card over and over again in the pages of Baseball Cards magazine or I'd see the card for sale within glass cases at the baseball card shows we'd attend.

This card is the favorite all-time baseball card of Fuji, the owner of one of my favorite baseball card blogs, The Chronicles of Fuji.  In a post from a few years ago, Fuji told the story of action shot featured on Robinson's card.  Robinson had just stolen home against the Cardinals, eluding the tag of catcher Bill Sarni (#247) as the batter, Johnny Podres (#173) looks on.  Here's more from Fuji's post and the original image is at right.

It's late in the season and the 7th place St. Louis Cardinals are in Brooklyn to battle the first place Dodgers. This particular photo depicts Robinson stealing home in the bottom of the 6th inning to give the Dodgers a 5 to 1 lead. It's actually a pretty crazy play where the Dodgers successfully pulled off a triple steal. However... when Sarni threw the ball down to second... Gil Hodges (who stole third when Robinson stole home) took off and tried to score but was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

The Cardinals fought back in the top of the 7th when Ken Boyer launched a 3 run homer off of Podres that ended his evening. Unfortunately... that's all the offense the Cardinals could conjure up... and they ended up losing 10 to 4 that day. 

Topps has reprinted this card numerous times, most recently as part of its Iconic Reprint insert set found within the just released 2019 Topps Series 1 product.

1956 Season
This was to be the final season in Robinson's 10-year Major League career, and the 37-year-old star appeared in 117 games for the Dodgers.  He finished the season hitting .275 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs, while seeing playing time at third base (72 games), second base (22 games), first base (9 games) and left field (2 games).

The Dodgers won the pennant again in 1956, finishing a game ahead of the Milwaukee Braves.  They weren't able to repeat in the World Series, falling in 7 games to the Yankees.  Following the season, the Dodgers traded Robinson to the New York Giants for Dick Littlefield and $30,000.  Rather than report to the rival Giants, Robinson opted to retire.

Phillies Connection
Robinson's biggest connection to the Phillies is an unfortunate low point in the franchise's 136-year history.  During Robinson's first year with the Dodgers in 1947, Phillies manager Ben Chapman, along with several other Phillies players, frequently and repeated shouted racial slurs at Robinson when the two teams first faced off.  The ugly incidents were featured prominently in the 2013 film, 42.

When the Dodgers visited Philadelphia in early May, Chapman was pressured into apologizing for his behavior and Robinson reluctantly posed for a pre-game photo with the Phillies manager.  In 2013, 69 years after the incident, Philadelphia City Council issued a formal apology to Robinson for the "racism he faced as a player while visiting Philadelphia."

1949 Bowman #50

1952 Topps #312

2001 Topps #783

2019 Topps 150 Years Greatest Moments #150-8

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1949 Bowman #50
First Topps Card:  1952 Topps #312
Last Topps Card:  1956 Topps #30
Most Recent Topps Card (post-career):  2001 Topps #783
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  9 different insert cards within 2019 Topps Series 1
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (7):  1952-1956, 1997, 2001

Robinson appeared on a number of cards issued in 1947 with Bond Bread, but I've got to go with his 1949 Bowman or Leaf cards as his first true mainstream card.  Robinson has had a number of short-prints in recent Topps flagship sets, but his most recent main set appearance came in 2001.

1,519 - Robinson non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 1/30/19.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database
National Baseball Hall of Fame
SABR
The Chronicles of Fuji
The Trading Card Database

In some cases, the first and last cards listed above are subjective and chosen by me if multiple cards were released within the same year.  Most recent mainstream card may also be subjective and does not include extremely low serial numbered cards, buybacks or cut autograph cards.

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Set Order: #29 Jack Harshman - Chicago White Sox / #31 Hank Aaron - Milwaukee Braves

Order Collected: #215 Tommy Byrne - New York Yankees / #96 Bill Tremel - Chicago Cubs