It was appropriate that the 50th anniversary of Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s career home run record fell on the same day that a good chunk of America was focused on a singular, rare event. Just like the solar eclipse, the country gathered to witness something that had been anticipated for months. Both events occurred on a Monday.
Even though the record was officially broken by Barry Bonds in 2007, in the court of public opinion, baseball’s single season and career home run marks were set in the 1970s, not the 1990’s and into the 21st century. Interest in Hank Aaron 715th home run remains strong, especially with those who remember him breaking a record once thought unbreakable.
As the 50th anniversary of Aaron topping Ruth passes, a check of items associated with April 8, 1974, is in order. While you could certainly spend a lot of money on things like Aaron game-worn or game-used items from that season, ours is more of an everyman list of items available to the average collector.
1974 Topps Hank Aaron #1
Aaron had hit his 713th homer as the 1973 season came to a close, which put Topps in a bit of a bind. The next season’s cards had to be printed a couple of months before the first game but Topps no doubt felt compelled to honor Aaron in some way.
They produced a seven-card retrospective of Aaron’s baseball cards with #2-8. Card number 1 had to be reserved for Aaron but he didn’t yet have the record.
With death threats arriving at the Braves’ offices on a regular basis, the unspeakable couldn’t be completely ignored. Proclaiming Aaron as the new record holder on millions of cards before it actually happened was a bold move, but Topps took the risk. On Opening Night in Atlanta, Aaron took Al Downing deep and Topps execs probably breathed a sigh of relief.
The 1974 Topps Hank Aaron ‘Home Run King’ would become a classic. With a horizontal design, it was certainly unique and memorable. As card #1, it wound up on a lot of stacks carried around by kids and is susceptible to wear. As with all cards, prices vary greatly. Graded NM/MT examples can run into three figures but lower grade copies are available for much less.
Aaron 715 Ticket Stubs and Programs
The Braves made sure to print plenty of programs for their opening series, figuring fans would want a souvenir. They picture Aaron on a golf cart with long-time traveling secretary Donald Davidson, who had been with Hank and the team since their Milwaukee days. Today, you can find the program online for anywhere from $25-100. There was also a commemorative program completed after it happened.
Ticket stubs are a different story. Many fans have hung on to them over the years. A few unused full tickets are available and they can be pricey. Aaron has been asked to sign many of them over the years, which makes for a very nice piece of baseball history.
Since ticket grading came into play, collectors can also choose that option. Prices vary quite a bit between full tickets, stubs and grade.
Aaron 715th Home Run Photos
The most famous image of Aaron belting #715 is probably this one—taken from behind home plate at the very moment Aaron sent the ball toward the Braves’ bullpen. Pitcher Al Downing is captured on his follow-through with the scoreboard in the background and the glare of stadium lights shining above.
Downing, now in his 80s, has been good natured about his role in history and you can find photos signed by both men, although they’re a little more rare and expensive now that Aaron has passed away.
Aaron did date and inscribe some photos during his years of doing both private and public signing sessions.
Expect to spend several hundred dollars at minimum for one with proper authentication.
Unsigned 715 Photos: Keen observers can sometimes find other photos of that night online, although for some reason despite a huge media presence, there really isn’t a lot of variety. We kind of like this one. It shows Aaron approaching a mob of teammates at home plate after circling the bases with the scoreboard showing “715” in the background and it’s cheap.
“715” Sports Illustrated
Aaron’s homer happened on a Monday and Sports Illustrated hustled to get Aaron on the cover, a story written and off to the printer so it arrived in mailboxes later that week. It was a pretty impressive feat for the time.
The simple cover shot reminds us of what once made SI great. You’ll pay less than $30 for one with a mailing label, more for one without. Now that magazine grading is a thing, you can go the ‘high-end’ route and get one that’s encapsulated. Aaron has signed a lot of these and they’re a pretty solid bargain for the price.
Aaron was also on the cover of the next SPORT magazine that was issued that summer. Autographed copies can be had for less than $400.
Autographed baseballs and bats
Aaron signed thousands of baseballs. Some have the ‘715’ inscription added. A few can be found with Downing’s signature too. This one from Tri-Star might be the greatest 715 signed ball of all-time, with autographs of Aaron, Downing, plate umpire Satch Davidson and Tom House, the Braves reliever who caught the ball in the bullpen.
Again, prices for Aaron signed baseballs have jumped well beyond what they once were, even with a fairly good supply but there are enough authenticated examples out there to make them accessible.
Bats, too, can be found with Aaron’s autograph and the ‘715’ inscription—he’s even put the date on some of them.
715 Telegrams
It seems like such an ancient form of communication in an era of instant communication worldwide, but back then if you wanted to congratulate someone immediately and couldn’t get them on the phone, you sent a telegram. Aaron received thousands from around the world. Some were from famous people, some were from fans who simply wanted to reach out, even if it wasn’t likely Hank Aaron was going to actually read it. Several of these are available online, some autographed by Aaron at a later date.
Records Cut, Records Broken
Back in the day when vinyl is how most folks listened to music at home, there was even a 45 RPM record about Aaron’s home run chase. “Move Over Babe…(Here Comes Henry)” was cut in 1973. There’s a nice image of The Hammer on the front and they made enough that it’s easy to find them today.
Patches
In 1999, the Braves wore patched to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the home run. They also wore a 40th anniversary patch throughout the 2014 season as Aaron’s milestone was celebrated once again. These have dried up a little but you can usually find a few.
Bobbleheads
There have been dozens of Aaron bobbleheads produced over the years, including those that commemorate the home run record. Some are pretty rare and valuable. The Braves were set to hand out a 50th anniversary bobblehead Monday night and quite a few are already listed online from those who went to the game.
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