Spring Premium LIVE Auction April 30th and Catalog Auction May 7th
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2016
There have been others who were thought to have been the man to break Babe Ruth's career home run mark of 714. Some said Jimmie Foxx had it in him, others swore Mickey Mantle was the guy. Willie Mays gave it a good run but it was Hank Aaron whose steady tally of season homers eventually eclipsed The Babe. Aged 39 in 1973, Hank hit 40 homers but ended the season one shy of tying Ruth. 1974 began with the eyes of every baseball fan on Hank Aaron. This would be the year the most hallowed record in sports would fall. He sent the first pitch he saw of the 1974 season into the stands for number 714 and then a few days later he set the new career record by hitting 715 off Al Downing. Every home run he hit from then on was the new record. This stately piece of ash was used by Hank Aaron during the season he pursued and then eclipsed babe Ruth's record. Hank's Hillerich & Bradsby model A99 bat is 35" long and weights 33.1 ounces. The bat is un-cracked and its surface displays heavy use. The right, left and back barrel shows many ball marks with stitch impressions and red, green and blue bat rack paint streaks are clearly visible. A light coat of pine tar still clings to the bat's handle and the model number "A99" is stamped into the knob along with the weight hand written in pencil. To top off this magnificent piece of Major League lumber, Aaron's famous number "44" is hand written in faded black marker on both ends of the bat and the man who shattered Ruth's record has signed his name in black marker midway between the center brand and stamped signature. Dating from the seasons where he pursued and then surpassed the greatest career record baseball has to offer, one couldn't ask for a more significant Hank Aaron gamer. PSA/DNA has agreed and their Letter of Authenticity (1B08552) grades this important bat their highest mark of GU 10. Signature is authenticated by JSA.