This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/2/2022
On November 20, 1951, despite his mother’s concerns about his not continuing on to college, Henry signed a $200/month contract with the Negro American League champion Indianapolis Clowns. Scout Bunny Downs had discovered Aaron playing with the Black Bears during an earlier exhibition, and once with Indianapolis Aaron flourished, helping guide the team to the 1952 Negro League World Series crown. In 26 games that year he posted a .366 batting average, hit five home runs, and stole nine bases. The series, and the season, allowed Aaron to showcase his range of skills not just for regional scouts, but for several major league organizations as well. Following the championship, two telegrams reached Henry — one with an offer from the New York Giants, and a second with an offer from the Boston Braves. Aaron chose the latter, evidently because of a $50-a-month difference in salary, and Boston immediately purchased his contract from Indianapolis. On June 14, 1952, Aaron signed with Braves scout Dewey Griggs, and reported to the Class C Eau Claire Bears. There the coaches helped him eliminate his cross-handed batting grip, and the results were staggering. The infielder, despite playing in only 87 games, batted .336 with nineteen doubles and not only earned a spot on the league’s All-Star squad, but at the end of the season was selected as the Northern League’s Rookie of the Year. An intense rough cut along the bottom horizontal edge pairs with virtually perfect centering and some of the boldest colors we've ever seen on a 1955 Topps Hank Aaron card, propelling the offered specimen to an extremely impressive grade of PSA 8.5 NM/MT+. The corners are borderline MINT and the central image sidesteps the common problem of heavy stray print in the yellow backdrop. The reverse is typically toned but offers the same level of vivid color as the front, A truly exception card, suitable for a top-notch collection.