Get Yourself A Hank Aaron Jersey and Represent The Greatest Home Run Hitter of All Time

 At Custom Throwback Jerseys, our selection consists of only the greatest players to ever play their respective sports. We carry authentic retro jerseys for every era of baseball, football, hockey, and basketball. Logos, names, and numbers are placed and sewn to precise standards. This means that all of our jerseys look exactly like the originals that were worn by the legend whose name is on the back.

Today we’re talking about an MLB legend who changed the course of baseball forever. In a time of racial segregation when Jim Crow laws were yet to be fully abolished, it was difficult for a black man to make it as a baseball player, let alone become an MLB superstar. However, this man managed to be one of the first African Americans to play in the major leagues. We’re talking about the one and only Hank Aaron.

Hank Aaron was undoubtedly one of, if not THE, greatest sluggers to ever play the game of baseball. Even though it’s been almost 50 years since he retired from the MLB, Hank Aaron jerseys are still worn by fans in Atlanta, Milwaukee, and across the nation. Fans of the sport recognize the legendary performance he displayed over the course of his 23-season career. Let’s be honest, it’s hard not to admire everything he did for the sport of baseball.

He was a man that broke many records during his career and some of those records still stand today. His achievements in baseball are what make him the legend even amongst fans of the sport that weren’t even alive to see him in his prime.

Early Life and Negro Leagues

Hank Aaron was born in 1934. He grew up with seven siblings in a poor household. He couldn’t even afford proper baseball equipment as a kid and was forced to create his own balls and bats out of material he would find laying around. Overcoming poverty is a difficult enough task for anyone to have to deal with, but Hank Aaron was never deterred by hardship.

Hank Aaron grew up in a time when it was unheard of for a black man to play in the MLB. Even though he was an amazing player, the color of his skin made it more difficult to succeed at the thing he loved doing the most. Growing up he looked up to Jackie Robinson, who went on to break the baseball color barrier and joined the MLB in 1947.

Like his idol before him, Hank started in the Negro American League before joining the minors. During this time, he faced a lot of racism and backlash but still continued to pursue his baseball career. That perseverance paid off when John Quinn, GM of the Boston Braves, bought his ANL contract for $10,000. Though this was a lot of money, Quinn believed Aaron was worth 10x that amount and paid it happily.

The Minors

The Braves sent Aaron to play for their Northern League Class-C farm team called the Eau Claire Bears. Before getting this opportunity Hank Aaron was a very unique baseball player. He batted cross-handed, meaning that he placed his left hand above his right hand on the bat handle, even though he was right-handed. Somehow with this awkward way of holding the bat, he managed to still be a major power hitter. During his time in the minor leagues, he managed to break this habit and became an even more powerful batter.

During that year with the Eau Claire Bears he managed to score more runs than he played games: 89 runs in just 87 games! With numbers like that he was the clear runner for the 1952 Rookie of The Year. During his time in The Minors, the racism that he faced did not dwindle, but with the encouragement of his brothers, Hank managed to keep going and got moved up to the Braves’ Class-A Affiliate, the Jacksonville Braves. His performance only improved that year. He helped the Braves win the 1953 league championship. He easily secured the title of MVP and lead the league in almost every batting statistic you can imagine.

MLB

In 1954, Hank Aaron finally made it to the MLB. He started practicing with the Milwaukee Braves during spring training and at his first time behind the plate, he hit a home run. They signed him on a major league contract on the last day of training and gave him a #5 jersey. This jersey number didn’t last long and after a few months in the league he changed his number to #44.

After switching jersey numbers in September of ‘54, he really started picking up his professional game and making his way towards that all-time home run record. Hank Aaron, is by far the most common name that will come to mind when thinking of a #44 jersey and it became a bit of a lucky number for him. In 1957, his first full season wearing that number, he ended the season with 44 home runs. He did this three more times in 1963, 1966, and 1969. Though, his most home runs in a single season came in 1971 when the 37-year-old had 47 home runs.

In 1957, those 44 home runs helped his team win the World Series against the Yankees. Within that series, Aaron hit three home runs and seven RBIs. The next year he got his team right back to the World Series again but this time the outcome wasn’t as good. The Yankees took the win after a 7-game series.

In the years that followed Aaron had many great feats that cannot go without mention. He was very close to winning a triple crown in 1963. A triple crown is when you lead the league in home runs, RBIs, and in batting average. He had enough home runs and the RBIs to lead the league but placed third in batting average behind Carl Yastrzemski and Tommy Davis. Close, but no cigar.

His milestones continued and in 1970 when he became the first player in Atlanta Braves history to hit 500 home runs throughout their career. He was only the 8th person to ever complete this feat in the history of the MLB and he was the second youngest to do so.

In 1970, he also earned the record for most seasons with 30+ homers in the National League. One thing about Hank Aaron is that he never stopped improving. He always had to one up a record even if that record was his own. In 1971, he hit 40 home runs. That made 7 total seasons where he scored 40 or more home runs which was another National League record.

Another first for the Atlanta Braves came when Hank Aaron reached 3,000 hits. Hank’s list of accomplishments and milestones cannot and did not go unnoticed. He paved the way for an entire generation of baseball players to follow in his footsteps. Records are obviously made to be broken, but before a record can be broken someone has to set the bar. For the MLB and the Atlanta Braves, that man was Hank Aaron.

Home Run Records

Any Atlanta fan would already be proud to wear a Hank Aaron jersey, knowing that he was the all-time leader in home runs for the team and yet Hank Aaron’s thirst was not quenched. With 500 career home runs under his belt, he still wanted more and he continued to climb the ranks. In 1969 he passed the legend, Mickey Mantle, with 537 homers. In third place now, there were only two more players to take down.

Hank was now out for Willie Mays’ record. Hank Aaron hit the most home runs he ever hit in a season with 47. It was this year that everyone knew he was on his way to the top. Then finally in 1972, Hank managed to pull it off. He passed Willie Mays, one of the greatest baseball players ever, in the all-time home run list. He was now in second place. One more to go.

Even though there was only one player standing in his way, that man was the one and only Babe Ruth. Hank Aaron was in the all-star game in Atlanta when he drove in his 2000th run. By the end of the season, he had 673 career home runs. He only needed 41 more and he would be tied with the man that many believe was THE greatest of all time.

The chase was on. All around the country baseball fans and baseball media were all focused on Hank Aaron as he approached Babe Ruth’s record. As everyone waiting patiently (and some not so patiently) during that 1973 season for Aaron to reach the record, he climbed toward it ever so slowly. Then the final game of the season came and went and Aaron was only ONE home run away from tying the record. This meant that baseball fans would have to wait one more year to see Hank Aaron finally surpass the Great Bambino.

In between those seasons proved to be one of the toughest times in Hank Aaron’s life. He got more mail than any other human in America, excluding politicians. Of course some mail was to support him, but a vast majority was racist and hate filled. There were many that didn’t want to see their king, Babe Ruth, fall to a black man.

Hank Aaron did what he did best and persisted. Though he feared for his life due to the death threats that he received, he fought through it and made it to the next season. He had a mission and he was determined to see it though to the end. In 1974, the season began and The Braves played three road games in Cincinnati. It was then that Hank Aaron tied the record.

All Hank Aaron had to do was hit one more home run and he’d be the best home run hitter in the history of professional baseball. The Braves returned to Atlanta and you can only imagine the electricity of the crowd that day. Over 50,000 people showed up to see if Hank could actually do it. Thousands of fans were sporting Hank Aaron jerseys It was also nationally televised for all to see.

The crowd and the viewers at home waited with anticipation. Then Hank Aaron stepped up to bat in the 4th inning and the pitch was right down the middle. Hank swung for the fences and slammed it out of the park. The crowd went absolutely berserk. They has just witnessed a man break a record that many believed would never be broken. Hank Aaron became the baseball player with more runs in their career than any other baseball player in history, including the late great Babe Ruth.

College students rushed the field and jogged along with Aaron as he ran the bases while cannons fired off fireworks in celebration. He rounded home and his whole team was waiting to celebrate at the plate. His parents came out on the field to congratulate him as well. It was a scene that Hank and many others will never forget.

Accomplishments and Awards

Hank Aaron’s list of accomplishments extends off of the field, but as for what he was able to accomplish in the MLB alone, that list is pretty impressive in and of itself. During his career, he was invited to 21 consecutive all-star games, the most of any player in history. He also won 3 consecutive Gold Glove Awards from 1958-1960 and still holds the record for most career runs batted in, most career total bases, and most career extra-base hits.

In the National League alone he has quite a few statistics worth mentioning. He was the National League MVP in 1957, helping his team make it to and win the World Series. This was Hank Aaron’s only World Championship win. He led the NL in home runs and RBIs four separate times and made the Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and MLB’s perspective Halls of Fame.

A Hank Aaron jersey is hanging in the MLB Hall of Fame because of these records, awards, and accomplishments. The only man that has had more career home runs than Hank Aaron was Barry Bonds with 762 home runs to Aaron’s 755. The controversy comes into play because many people believe that because Barry was found to have used performance-enhancing drugs, that Hank Aaron remains the undisputed home run leader and should be referenced as such.

We have an extensive collection of legendary throwback jerseys right here on our site. You can find an authentic style Hank Aaron jersey and celebrate the legacy of the man who many believe is still the greatest home run hitter to ever live. Buy one today right here at Custom Throwback Jerseys.