1976 Topps #550 - Hank Aaron

• This was Mr. Aaron's final card. It would have been cool if Topps would have made special "farewell cards" for great players the year after their careers ended that would have had their final stats.
• The game in which Hank broke the all-time home run record (April 8, 1974) was the first game I remember watching on TV (I was 7 years old). My dad and I went down the street and watched it at my friend Jimmy's house. Aaron was  my first "favorite player" because of this.
• I started collecting baseball cards in 1974. The first card I have any memories of was one of the Hank Aaron Special cards (I think it was card #5).
• How could anyone leave Hank off of a Hall of Fame ballot? Nine writers left Aaron off of their ballots in 1982 -- he was named on 406 of 415 ballots.
• Who was the most consistent player in major league history? My vote would go to Aaron, but a strong case could also be made for Stan Musial.
• HOFers who Aaron had success against: Don Drysdale (17 HR); Sandy Koufax (.362 in 116 AB); Steve Carlton (.342 in 73 AB); Hoyt Wilhelm (.348 in 23 AB)
• HOFers that Hank had a harder time with: Tom Seaver (.205 in 78 AB); Bob Gibson (.215 in 163 AB)
• Baseball Digest articles:
• If Anyone Belongs in the Hall of Fame, It's Hank Aaron - June 1969
• Hank Aaron Headed for Cooperstown - May 1970
• Hank Aaron Tells a Secret - November 1971
• Hank Aaron in Countdown on Ruth Mark - January 1972
• Countdown to 714 - special 32-page issue in 1973
• ... And Who Will Catch Hank Aaron? - December 1973
• The Pursuit Resumes - April 1974
• Nobody Will Catch Aaron - July 1974
• Hank Aaron Talks about Hitting - July 1975
• Hank Aaron: Will His Last Hurrah Be An Embarrassment? - February 1976
• How Hank Aaron Almost Became a Giant or Pirate - December 1998
• Hank Aaron Recalls '74 Game When He Broke Ruth's Record - April 1999
• Hank Aaron - May 2002