This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/22/2019
When Babe Ruth retired in 1935, his record of 714 home runs was considered unreachable. Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, and Eddie Mathews showed that while the pace was attainable, being able to sustain it for two decades was nearly impossible. Only a man who could consistently reach 30+ homers per season, was virtually impervious to injury, and could defy the affects of father time well into his 40s would be able to accomplish such a feat. Enter Henry Louis Aaron! While Babe Ruth put up yearly statistics that were unprecedented for his day, Aaron was merely keeping pace with other great sluggers and went relatively unnoticed for most of his career from the standpoint of being a serious contender to knock "The Sultan of Swat" from the mountain top. Aaron never eclipsed the 50 home run mark at any time in his career, but his 16 consecutive seasons of 145 or more games played allowed him to consistently smash 30 home runs or more, a mark he accomplished 15 times. At age 37, Aaron achieved his personal best with 47 round-trippers. At age 39, Aaron clouted 40 dingers in just 396 at-bats. With the addition of 42 home runs after the age of 40, Hank Aaron retired as the all-time home run king. The presented uncracked game-used bat is a truly remarkable piece of American history, a 1960s Adirondack model 63A club owned by the one time all-time home run champion, Henry Aaron. The block lettering, last name only stamping places this stick in the 1961-67 time period, measuring 35 inches and weighing 33 ounces. Heavy game use is evident with ball and cleat marks scattered on the barrel and Aaron's well-known jersey number "44" written in black marker on the knob over the stamped "63A" model. A true gem among a large assortment of iconic pieces in this auction, once belonging to the incredible Henry Aaron. LOA from John Taube - PSA/DNA.