Today on the blog we move on to the National League's All-Star outfielders for the classic 1971 Midsummer Classic, featuring three absolute STUDs, beginning with the great Hank Aaron:
Aaron
made his 21st, yes TWENTY-FIRST, straight All-Star game in 1971,
counting the four seasons where baseball held two such games in the
early 60's.
The
man put in yet another year we were spoiled with from "Hammerin' Hank",
going on to hit a career-best 47 home runs to go along with 95 runs
scored, 118 RBIs, a .327 batting average and a league-leading .669
slugging percentage.
The
47 homers made Aaron one of only two men to hit 40 homers in a season
in three different decades, with only another HOFer, Harmon Killebrew
achieving the feat.
The man was simply out of this world...
Let his numbers do all the talking: 2174 runs scored, 3771 hits, 624
doubles, 98 triples, 755 home runs, 2297 runs batted in, a .305 batting
average no less than 21 all-star selections!
Just tremendous!
He also had eight top-5 finishes for MVP, including taking home the award in 1957, as well as three Gold Gloves won consecutively between 1958-1960.
It's incredible to look at his 15 years of topping 100 or more runs scored, 11 seasons of 100 or more runs batted in, five more seasons of 90+ RBI's, and TWENTY STRAIGHT years of 20 or more home runs.
Just tremendous!
He also had eight top-5 finishes for MVP, including taking home the award in 1957, as well as three Gold Gloves won consecutively between 1958-1960.
It's incredible to look at his 15 years of topping 100 or more runs scored, 11 seasons of 100 or more runs batted in, five more seasons of 90+ RBI's, and TWENTY STRAIGHT years of 20 or more home runs.
Rest in Peace to one of the absolute greats of the game, Mr. Henry Aaron...