Bad Henry, they called him because he was so good. Always prideful and cool, Hank began hitting home runs (13) as a rookie with the Milwaukee Braves in 1954 and he didn't stop until his final season in 1976, when he delivered 10 homers as a Milwaukee Brewer, making a total of 755 homers for his 23-year career.

Along the way he set numerous records, and as always apt was pitcher Curt Simmons' comment, 'Throwing a fastball by Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak the sun past the rooster'.

This remarkable rooster, a modest hero and gentleman, had a 46-homer high with Milwaukee in 1959 and is a worthy successor to Babe Ruth as the game's most prolific home run hitter.'

Baseball History

With his unique 'foot in the bucket' batting stance. Al was particularly prominent in the three World Series he played for the Philadelphia A's

In 1929-30-31. He batted .333 and banged six homers. The burly outfielder also performed for the White Sox, Tigers, Senators, Red Sox and Reds before returning to the A's.' from 'The Home Run Book' by Topps Card Company Edited by Zander Hollander 1981 Printing

His .348 lifetime BA was surpassed only by Ty Cobb's .367 and despite twice reaching the 40-homer plateau in his 24 seasons, the Rajah is still being recalled for hitting better than .400 in three different seasons. Seven times the National League's batting champion - he won it six straight years from 1920 through1925 - Hornsby played for the St. Louis Cardinals, N.Y. Giants, Boston Braves, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Browns. Primarily a second baseman, Hornsby had a fantastic streak of hitting from 1921 thru 1925 during which he cracked 144 HR's and batted .402.

Always outspoken and curt, Rogers invariably ran afoul of owners, teammates and players he managed. As a result, despite his lofty batting figures, Hornsby passed from one club to another.' The Home Run Book by the Topps Card Company Issued in 1981.

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'As a long ball slugger and slick-fielding first baseman, Gil Hodges held many offensive and defensive records. And one of his marks that will be tough to eclipse is.

'Most home runs hit by a World Series-winning manager- 370. Gil Hodges, amiable, powerful and one of the most popular players in Brooklyn baseball history, enjoyed a dozen successive seasons when he hit 22 or more HR's.

On July 31, 1950, Hodges walloped four homers in one game against the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field. In 1968 he was hired to manage the Mets and a year later performed the 'miracle' that was still fresh in Shea Stadium when he succumbed to a fatal heart attack in the spring of 1972'. Topps Baseball Card Co 1981 Issue 'HR Book'

His 18 grand-slam homers were the most in the league; only Lou Gehrig, with 23 hit more. Willie enjoyed three homer days on three occasions and his single season high of 45 homers in 1969 for the Giants helped earn MVP honors that year.

'The Home Book' by "Topps Card Co." Issued in 1981... Baseball History

Though never the AL's home run titlist, the longballing first Baseman was annually among the loop's leading batters. He Had a high of 41 in 1961, his second season with the Tigers. Norm was signed originally by the Chicago White Sox, for whom he played parts of two seasons before finding a home with Detroit." - "The Home Run Book" by "Topps Baseball Card Company". - 1981 Issue... Baseball History

Baseball Player

Henry Louis Gehrig, a New York Yankee throughout his 16-year span, won the Most Valuable Player award in 1927, but everybody remembers that year for the Babe's 60 homers.

How many are aware that Gehrig hit two homers in the same World Series game in which Ruth called his shot. Overshadowed or not, Larrupin' Lou was a mighty hitter.

He led the league in homers three times, hit 49 in 1934 and again in 1936, and drove in 150 or more runs seven times in his peak years with The Yankees.

He hit four home runs in three consecutive World Series games against the ST. Louis Browns in 1928 and set a major league record that stands for the most home runs with the bases full: 23. And he would up in the Hall of Fame. 'The Home Run Book' by Topps Card Company - 1981 Issue

An outfielder and first baseman, Adcock became the first in modern times to hit a ball into the Polo Grounds bleachers (475 feet) in 1953. The following year he joined the four homers in-one-game club when he slammed that many on July 31 at Ebbets Field, the same game in which he hit a double to record 18 total bases, a record.' - 'The Home Run Book' by Topps Card Company 1981 Issue ... baseballhistorian.com

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Apart from being a gifted performer, he had a lovely disposition and was known as Mr. Sunshine. Ernie could be counted on to say, 'It's a great day for baseball, let's play two today'.

Signed as a shortstop out of the Negro Leagues in 1953, Banks is one of the exclusive group who never played minor league ball. He shifted to first base in 1962 and won All-Star recognition at both positions. In 1955, when he hit 44 homers, Banks tied the record for the most grand-slam homers in a single season - five.

In 1958, when he hit a career high 47 homers, Banks was the NL's Most Valuable Player. He won it again in 1959, becoming the first National Leaguer to link MVP awards. Ernie had three-homer games four times and hit a dozen lifetime grand-slammers. One of the few to make the Hall of Fame on his first try (1977). from 'The Book of Home Runs' by Topps Card Co. 1981-Edition..... Baseballhistorian.com

Signed out of Notre Dame University for an estimated $100,000 bonus in November, 1958, Yaz has been a valued regular in the Sox' lineup since 1961. A member of the AL's All-Star time 16 times, Carl was the Triple Crown winner and Most Valuable Player in 1967. Primarily an outfielder, Yaz has also succeeded as a first baseman and as a designated hitter.

Three times the AL's batting champion, Carl socked three home runs in a game at Detroit in 1976 and the following night hammered two more in New York to tie the major league record of five in two games... Baseball History

Billy played 14 full seasons with the Cubs and two wrap-up years for the Oakland A's. He never won a league home run title, but he hit 42 in 1970 and 37 in 1972, the year he won the NL's batting crown with a .333 average. The unassuming outfielder learned to hit by swinging a broom stick at bottle caps in a whistle stop called Whistler (Ala.)

The Cubs signed him out of high school. No bonus. "My father got a cigar, and I got a bus ticket to Ponca City, Okla.," Billy said. "The Home Run Book" by "Topps Card Co. 1981-Edition

He clouted 407 homers in 16 seasons with the Dodgers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, the New York Mets and the San Francisco Giants.

Known as The Duke during his glory years at Ebbets Field, he pounded 389 homers for the Dodgers and although he hasn't swung a bat for them since 1962, that figure still stands as the club's all-time home run record, likewise his 1,271 RBIs.

A flawless centerfielder, Snider, along with Ralph Kiner, is the only National Leaguer to hit 40 or more homers for five straight seasons. He had a high of 46 in 1956 in Brooklyn. Duke appeared in six World Series and poled 11 homers. Twice he had a four-homer Series, against the Yankees in 1952 and again in 1955. His .336 batting average in 1953 was his highest, and his lifetime average is .295. In recent years he was a broadcaster for the Montreal Expos. from 'The Home Run Book' by Topps Baseball Card Co. 1981-Edition

For the next six seasons, through 1952, the Pittsburgh outfielder continued to top the circuit in homers, a string that has never been matched.

He also became the first NL to twice reach the 50-homer plateau and the first to clout 40 or more for five consecutive seasons. A slow runner with no Gold Glove credentials afield, Kiner quickly realized he was paid big sums to swing for the seats.

In 1953, he was dealt to the Chicago Cubs. By that time, however, the back problems that often plagued his play with the Pirates was chronic. In 1955 he was shifted to Cleveland and, despite hitting 18 homers, Kiner opt for retirement. Ralph, who appeared in five All-Star Games and hit 3 HR's in three consecutive games, still bemoans the fact he never got to perform in the World Series.'

In 1962 he began a new career as a baseball broadcaster and telecaster with the fledgling New York Mets.'

In 1955, his second full season in the bigs, Al not yet 21, became the youngest player ever to win the American League batting championship when he hit .340 and posted a 200-hit season for the fifth-place Tigers.

Al Kaline was a multi-faced performer, he annually ranked with the league's top right-fielders, with an excellent arm, though stealing only 137 bases, was regarded as one of the game's best base runners. Al's lone World Series appearance was in 1968 when he stroked two homers, driving in eight runs and swinging a .379 stick in Detroit's seven game upset of the St. Louis Cardinals. 'The Home Run Book' by Topps Baseball Card Co. 1981 Edition

A first baseman most of his 13-year career - he played outfield for three seasons - this Hall of Famer was a Tiger except for his final campaign, in 1947, when he was traded to Pittsburgh and pumped 25 homers into or over the target named for him - Greenberg Gardens.

from 'The Home Run Book' by Topps Card Co. 1981 Edition, by Zander Hollander - Editor

Their manager, Charlie Dressen, had long since pronounced the race over. But suddenly the Giants were winning and winning, the Dodgers losing, and there they were all tied up when the regular schedule ended. The Giants won the first game of the playoff, but the Dodgers took the second and seized a 4-1 lead in the final game, bringing the Giants to their moment of truth in the last of the ninth. Alvin Dark opened it with a bouncing single, Don Mueller poked a hit past first base. Monte Irvin fouled out but Whitey Lockman slashed a double to left, knocking one run in and one pitcher out. In came Ralph Branca to replace Don Newcombe. Up stepped the rangy Thompson, righthanded hitter against righthanded pitcher. First pitch on the way ... strike one called. The crowd tense, waiting. The next pitch ... Boom! Into the left-field stands it rode for a 5-4 Giant victory, and into baseball's memory chest went the home run to end all home runs .. so far. baseballhistorian.com

'On the last day of the regular season in 1951, the Brooklyn Dodgers had to go through all sorts of heroics to keep from being eliminated. Playing in Philadelphia, they were losing 8-5, in the sixth inning when the scoreboard had posted notice that the Giants had won in Boston. A Brooklyn loss would end the race than and there.

Somehow the Dodgers had managed to tie the score. Then they went into extra innings with Newcombe pumping against a Robin Roberts in his prime. Jackie Robinson came through in this tightest of tight spots not once but twice.

In the 12th inning he made a diving catch of a line drive to keep the Phils from scoring. Finally in the 14th, Jackie walloped a homer into the left-field stands for a winning run and a shot at the Giants.'

from 'The Home Run Book' by Topps Card Company 1981 Edition

The Senators subsequently signed the youngster and launched him on a 573 - home run career, the most ever produced by a right handed batter in the American League. Wide shouldered and strong as a lumberjack, Killebrew had the facility for propelling baseballs tremendous distances. On six occasions he either led or tied for the league lead in four-baggers; Eight times he belted 40 or more and nine times he exceeded 100 RBI's.

Initially signed as a second baseman, Harmon played first, third and outfield for the Senators, who became the Minnesota Twins in 1961, and for the Kansas City Royals. A veteran of 11 All-Star games, Killewbrew was the AL's Most Valuable Player in 1969. He holds the majority of the Twins' longball, longevity and strike out records. from 'The Home Run Book' By Topps Baseball Card Co 1981 Pocket Book.

The History of Baseball

For instance, in 11 of his 19 full seasons he hit 30 or more homers and in 1966, his first year in Baltimore, he clouted a career 49 while annexing the Triple Crown. Robinson was the AL's MVP that year and he gained the same honors with the Reds in 1961, making him the only player ever to win MVP in both leagues. A mere 20 when he joined the Reds in 1956, Frank poled 38 homers to tie the all-time rookie record. from 'The Home Run Book' by Topps Card Co. 1981 Edition, Zander Hollander Editor. Baseball History

Playing fields in the old days really had rambling room. For instance, Redland Field, the maiden name of what became Crosley Field in Cincinnati, was opened in 1912 and not one ball was hit out of the park until 1921, when Pat Duncan of the Reds lofted one over the left-field fence. How different in 1956, when an all-time record for most home runs in one park in one season (219) was set in that same Cincinnati park - the same that is, except that over the years the fence had been moved in far enough so that the rightfielder and second baseman could converse in a whisper.

Undoubtedly the most bizarre relationship of the home run to the ball park occurred at Los Angeles Coliseum. The first year it was used for baseball, 1958, there were more home runs hit in Walter O'Malley's china shop than in any other park in the majors. Yet the next year one of the fences was brought in 50 feet!. That was due to the lopsided dimensions of the Coliseum. Of the 193 homers hit there in 1958, 182 were hit over the handy left-field screen. Only eight were hit over the faraway fence in right field, and only three cleared the even more distant barrier in center field.

In 1959 the home run production to right and center was almost quadrupled, jumping from 11 to 40, while for one reason or another 50 fewer homers were hit over the left-field fence even though it had not been changed. The pitchers probably got smarter the second time around." Baseballhistorian.com - Baseball History