The U.S. Postal Service is set to honor the legendary baseball player Henry “Hank” Aaron with a commemorative Forever stamp. This tribute will be celebrated with a first-day-of-issue event July 31, at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA.
Hank Aaron, a towering figure in baseball both on and off the field, overcame humble beginnings and pervasive racism to become a record-breaking player. The stamp artwork features a portrait of Aaron as a member of the Atlanta Braves, based on a 1968 photograph. It captures Aaron’s iconic right-handed batting stance from the waist up.
Henry Louis Aaron, widely known as “Hammer” or “Hammerin’ Hank,” was an American professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter who left an indelible mark on Major League Baseball (MLB) during his 23-season career from 1954 to 1976. Revered as one of the greatest baseball players in history, Aaron played 21 seasons with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) and two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL). By the time he retired, Aaron held numerous key career power-hitting records, notably breaking Babe Ruth’s longstanding MLB record for career home runs. His record of 755 home runs stood unchallenged for 33 years until Barry Bonds surpassed it in 2007. Remarkably, Aaron hit 24 or more home runs each year from 1955 through 1973 and is one of only two players to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times.
Aaron’s legacy is further cemented by his MLB records for the most career runs batted in (RBIs) with 2,297, extra-base hits with 1,477, and total bases with 6,856. He ranks third all-time for career hits with 3,771 and fifth in runs scored with 2,174. Aaron is among the elite group of only four players to have at least 17 seasons with 150 or more hits. Even without counting his home runs, Aaron’s hitting prowess is underscored by his career total of over 3,000 hits. He was a National League All-Star for 20 seasons and an American League All-Star for one season, holding the record for the most All-Star selections at 25 and sharing the record for most All-Star Games played (24) with Willie Mays and Stan Musial. Aaron’s accolades include three Gold Glove Awards and the 1957 NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, the same year the Milwaukee Braves won the World Series.
The stamp, designed by USPS art director Greg Breeding, features original art by Chuck Styles and typography by Kevin Cantrell. The Hank Aaron stamp will be available in panes of 20.