Hank Aaron’s incredible contributions to baseball, on and off the field, were celebrated July 31 at the Atlanta dedication ceremony for the stamp honoring him.
Aaron (1934-2021) rose from humble beginnings in the Jim Crow South to rewrite the record books, prevailing in the face of entrenched racism.
As a member of the Atlanta Braves, he hit home run No. 715 on the night of April 8, 1974, breaking Babe Ruth’s record in one of the seminal moments of baseball history.
“We hope this stamp serves as a reminder of Hank Aaron’s success on the baseball diamond and his work to champion equality,” said Thomas Marshall, the Postal Service’s general counsel, who spoke at the ceremony.
“Whether it’s breaking baseball’s most famous record or opening the door for future generations, Henry ‘Hammerin’ Hank’ Aaron inspires all of us to swing for the fences,” he said.
Aaron spent 21 years as a member of the Braves organization — first in Milwaukee, where he led the team to the 1957 World Series title — then later in Atlanta.
Despite retiring nearly 50 years ago, he still holds the Major League Baseball records for most runs batted in, total bases and All-Star Game appearances. He closed out his career with the Milwaukee Brewers and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
Throughout Aaron’s playing career — and later as a Major League Baseball front office executive — he pushed for more African Americans in management positions in baseball and in professional sports in general.
In 2002, Aaron was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
In 2005, he was awarded the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which established the Hank Aaron Humanitarian in Sports Award in his honor.
The stamp ceremony was held at Truist Park Stadium, where other speakers included Billye Suber Aaron, Aaron’s widow and chair of the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation; Terry McGuirk, chairman and CEO of Braves Holdings LLC, the parent company of the Atlanta Braves; Howard Bryant, author of “The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron”; and Allan Tanenbaum, secretary of the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation.
Karyn Greer, an anchor on WSB-TV, was master of ceremonies.
The stamp — which features a digital portrait of Aaron as a member of the Atlanta Braves in a right-handed batting stance — is available in panes of 20 at Post Offices and usps.com.
The stamp pane features a digital painting of Aaron watching his record-breaking 715th home run, based on a 1974 photo by Harry Harris.
Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps and pane using original art by Chuck Styles and typography by Kevin Cantrell.
“I’m deeply grateful for this phenomenal recognition the United States Postal Service has bestowed upon my beloved husband, Henry Louis Aaron,” said Billye Suber Aaron. “I hope that his stamp will inspire a new generation to remember Henry for his incredible grace and determination in the face of tremendous opposition.”
