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Is Hank Aaron the home run king?

ChicagoFats

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Yeah, I look at the pre-roids pictures of Barry Bonds and it’s hard to envision him getting to 600.

The McGuire and Bonds runs were fun to watch and increased interest in baseball, but there needs to be an asterisk is there isn’t one already.

I’ll learn how to post pictures soon 😀
 

Whiskey&Weed

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Yeah, I look at the pre-roids pictures of Barry Bonds and it’s hard to envision him getting to 600.

The McGuire and Bonds runs were fun to watch and increased interest in baseball, but there needs to be an asterisk is there isn’t one already.

I’ll learn how to post pictures soon 😀
It’s an absolute shame Aaron dies and is called the second best. He was and still is the home run king. Bonds can be the walk king
 

husker_homie

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It’s an absolute shame Aaron dies and is called the second best. He was and still is the home run king. Bonds can be the walk king

I would say it should be Ruth.

Had he not spent his first few yrs as a pitcher, he likely finishes above 755 and Hank never catches him in the first place.

I would also say that I think Ruth was prob the best ever just based on on fact that he could habe made th HOF as both and every day player and as a pitcher had he gone that route instead.

I mean can we really say that about anyone else ever In MLB?
 

Don Johnson

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I would say it should be Ruth.

Had he not spent his first few yrs as a pitcher, he likely finishes above 755 and Hank never catches him in the first place.

I would also say that I think Ruth was prob the best ever just based on on fact that he could habe made th HOF as both and every day player and as a pitcher had he gone that route instead.

I mean can we really say that about anyone else ever In MLB?
1611375913913.gif
 

pleaseclap

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I would say it should be Ruth.

Had he not spent his first few yrs as a pitcher, he likely finishes above 755 and Hank never catches him in the first place.

I would also say that I think Ruth was prob the best ever just based on on fact that he could habe made th HOF as both and every day player and as a pitcher had he gone that route instead.

I mean can we really say that about anyone else ever In MLB?

pretty cool how his assent to home run stardom started and ended with the 310’ RF fence. But yeah...GOAT or whatever.
 

husker_homie

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pretty cool how his assent to home run stardom started and ended with the 310’ RF fence. But yeah...GOAT or whatever.

Actually he hit 29 home runs and led the league his last year in Boston, and the Yankee RF fence was only 16 feet closer than where Hank was hitting his bombs out of Fulton county stadium. But the rest of the Yankee fences were further away than Atlantas making it EASIER for Hank to hit Home runs overall than it was for Ruth. But lets not let facts get in the way here. ;)

Also for Hanks last 9 seasons he was batting against pitchers on a lowered pitching mound...which gave batters more of an advantage.
Or did you forget they had to lower the mounds in 1968 cause the pitchers were dominating too much?

And BTW Ruth hit more home runs on the road then he did at Yankee stadium...so...he was pretty good at hitting them in ALL of the ball parks and not just to the short field porch in Yankee stadium.

But For the record: Yankee stadium Left Center was 399 compared to 385 for Hank 14 less feet for Hank
Yankee Stadium 408 to Center 402 for Hank 6 less feet for Hank
Yankee Stadium 385 to Right Center for Ruth compared to 375 for Hank 10 less feet for Hank

See what I mean?
 

GarnetPild

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...
Also for Hanks last 9 seasons he was batting against pitchers on a lowered pitching mound...which gave batters more of an advantage.
Or did you forget they had to lower the mounds in 1968 cause the pitchers were dominating too much?

...


fifty-years-ago-bob-gibson-pitched-one-of-the-greatest-seasons-of-all-time.jpg
 

lucio

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I would say it should be Ruth.

Had he not spent his first few yrs as a pitcher, he likely finishes above 755 and Hank never catches him in the first place.

I would also say that I think Ruth was prob the best ever just based on on fact that he could habe made th HOF as both and every day player and as a pitcher had he gone that route instead.

I mean can we really say that about anyone else ever In MLB?
Racist
 

lucio

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Actually he hit 29 home runs and led the league his last year in Boston, and the Yankee RF fence was only 16 feet closer than where Hank was hitting his bombs out of Fulton county stadium. But the rest of the Yankee fences were further away than Atlantas making it EASIER for Hank to hit Home runs overall than it was for Ruth. But lets not let facts get in the way here. ;)

Also for Hanks last 9 seasons he was batting against pitchers on a lowered pitching mound...which gave batters more of an advantage.
Or did you forget they had to lower the mounds in 1968 cause the pitchers were dominating too much?

And BTW Ruth hit more home runs on the road then he did at Yankee stadium...so...he was pretty good at hitting them in ALL of the ball parks and not just to the short field porch in Yankee stadium.

But For the record: Yankee stadium Left Center was 399 compared to 385 for Hank 14 less feet for Hank
Yankee Stadium 408 to Center 402 for Hank 6 less feet for Hank
Yankee Stadium 385 to Right Center for Ruth compared to 375 for Hank 10 less feet for Hank

See what I mean?
Look at Mrs Ruth over here
 

MVTPatriot

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Growing up in Atlanta should tell you all you need to know about how I feel about Hank.

I remember distinctly as as kid when he 715. I jumped up and down like crazy.

While he's in the HOF, he was overlooked by many since he was in the same era as Willie Mays. He also played in the small markets of Milwaukee and Atlanta.

What I think makes him special was he was truly a 5 tool guy. Could play just about any position on the field.

He was also a class act as others have cited. Met him once and he couldn't be nicer.

Regarding Bonds, it's a shame that his rep has been tarnished. He was a HOF lock before he started the roids. I don't think he was happy about McGuire and Sosa getting all the pub playing home run derby for a few years. That's when he started juicing I believe.

He then became a 1 Trick Pony. I think that entire Bonds/McGuire/Sosa era is tarnished with roids. Especially when you look at guys like Brett Boone and Brady Anderson throwing up huge HR #'s during that time.
 

The_Goose

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Actually he hit 29 home runs and led the league his last year in Boston, and the Yankee RF fence was only 16 feet closer than where Hank was hitting his bombs out of Fulton county stadium. But the rest of the Yankee fences were further away than Atlantas making it EASIER for Hank to hit Home runs overall than it was for Ruth. But lets not let facts get in the way here. ;)

Also for Hanks last 9 seasons he was batting against pitchers on a lowered pitching mound...which gave batters more of an advantage.
Or did you forget they had to lower the mounds in 1968 cause the pitchers were dominating too much?

And BTW Ruth hit more home runs on the road then he did at Yankee stadium...so...he was pretty good at hitting them in ALL of the ball parks and not just to the short field porch in Yankee stadium.

But For the record: Yankee stadium Left Center was 399 compared to 385 for Hank 14 less feet for Hank
Yankee Stadium 408 to Center 402 for Hank 6 less feet for Hank
Yankee Stadium 385 to Right Center for Ruth compared to 375 for Hank 10 less feet for Hank

See what I mean?

^^^racist
 

TriggerHappyJack

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Are they actually saying Bonds is the king; or is it now Josh Gibson because of the negro league stats being recognized?
 

husker_homie

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Growing up in Atlanta should tell you all you need to know about how I feel about Hank.

I remember distinctly as as kid when he 715. I jumped up and down like crazy.

While he's in the HOF, he was overlooked by many since he was in the same era as Willie Mays. He also played in the small markets of Milwaukee and Atlanta.

What I think makes him special was he was truly a 5 tool guy. Could play just about any position on the field.

He was also a class act as others have cited. Met him once and he couldn't be nicer.

Regarding Bonds, it's a shame that his rep has been tarnished. He was a HOF lock before he started the roids. I don't think he was happy about McGuire and Sosa getting all the pub playing home run derby for a few years. That's when he started juicing I believe.

He then became a 1 Trick Pony. I think that entire Bonds/McGuire/Sosa era is tarnished with roids. Especially when you look at guys like Brett Boone and Brady Anderson throwing up huge HR #'s during that time.

Hank was pretty consistent and he was also pretty lucky in a few respects...1. He didnt miss much time due to any injuries...and 2. He could have been in two separate wars...and somehow missed being called for duty in them both Korea and Vietnam...so he was very fortunate there...

Mays missed essentially two seasons because of Korea which would have probably gotten him to over 700 homeruns ...and he may have challenged Hanks RBI king status, but probably would have fallen just short.

Williams missed essentially 5 full seasons and would have had 700 Home runs, and probably also would have had more RBIS then Aaron finished with unless Hank hung another year or so to beat him later in his career.

I think Gehrig is a guy that gets overlooked when it comes to naming HR guys or all around great players...He also retired at an early age like Dimaggio did because of his disease..He retired at 36....Had he not gotten that disease he easily could have had over 600 plus home runs and he would have had the Career RBI title and I dont think Hammering Hank would have been able to catch him either..(Had Gehrig played another 4-5 years)

So Hank was a great player, no doubt and I have to say he was also fortunate how things turned out as far as his longevity as well as not missing any of those different wars that could have bit into his stats...
 

WapitiHorn

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Growing up in Atlanta should tell you all you need to know about how I feel about Hank.

I remember distinctly as as kid when he 715. I jumped up and down like crazy.

While he's in the HOF, he was overlooked by many since he was in the same era as Willie Mays. He also played in the small markets of Milwaukee and Atlanta.

What I think makes him special was he was truly a 5 tool guy. Could play just about any position on the field.

He was also a class act as others have cited. Met him once and he couldn't be nicer.

Regarding Bonds, it's a shame that his rep has been tarnished. He was a HOF lock before he started the roids. I don't think he was happy about McGuire and Sosa getting all the pub playing home run derby for a few years. That's when he started juicing I believe.

He then became a 1 Trick Pony. I think that entire Bonds/McGuire/Sosa era is tarnished with roids. Especially when you look at guys like Brett Boone and Brady Anderson throwing up huge HR #'s during that time.Hank said the only reason they weren't was the Braves contract offer was $50 per month higher than what the Giants offered him.
Heard Hank said that the only reason he and Wille Mays weren't teammates was that his contract offer from the Braves was $50 per month higher than the contract he was offered by the Giants. So, obviously he took more money and signed with the Braves.

Can you imagine Hank Aaron and Wille Mays on the same team? Also, Hank played 2nd base and batted cross-handed until his second year in the minor leagues.
 

MAGAMAYNE

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Ruth wasn't bad for the time or anything, but it was a bunch of white guys up north playing. Hard to count him when they weren't even letting the coloreds play ball with them.
 

husker_homie

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Ruth wasn't bad for the time or anything, but it was a bunch of white guys up north playing. Hard to count him when they weren't even letting the coloreds play ball with them.

I actually kinda LoL whenever I hear this POV..

I mean, how many truly really good domincan or just black MLB pitchers have there been that would have even given Ruth any problems? There has really not been that many that have suited up since even 1956 when the color barrier was broken and they wouldn't have even been playing all at the same time either. Aka different eras different pitchers. How many truly great black/domincan pitchers has there even been in MLB since the color barrier was broken? Not that many. And they habe been spread out over eras. How many would have also played In the Natty league and Ruth wouldn't have even faced hardly anyway?

Domincan players had not even been playing baseball for only a handful of years when Ruth was even playing, so I seriously doubt very many of them would have been much of an issue or even been playing in the majors anyway..they were still learning the game..

Also, the Yankees have a long history of grabbing great players..who is to say that had the color barrier been broken, that the yanks themselves wouldn't have had some of the good black pitching talent on their own team anyway?

People often forget when talking about the color barrier when they make blanket statements that..yeah ummm Jackie Robinson wasn't going to give Ruth problems cause....he wasn't a pitcher, either was May's or Hank..etc..

So I seriously doubt had the color barrier been broken during Ruths time that is was going to make much of a difference...
 
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