This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/28/2013
During his days in Atlanta in the mid to late 1960’s, Hank Aaron reached a number of career milestones, including becoming only the eighth player ever to hit 500 career home runs. His 500th came against Mike McCormick of the San Francisco Giants on July 14, 1968. At the time, he was the second youngest player to reach that plateau. Aaron’s consistent, workmanlike productivity would continue for nine more seasons during which he’d establish some of baseball’s most important hitting records including being crowned as the all-time Home Run King. This Atlanta Braves professional model road jersey was issued to Aaron for the 1967 season. Manufactured by Rawlings, the grey road flannel shirt features the Braves logo on front, blue piping, and embroidered “screaming brave” logo patch on left sleeve. Aaron’s #44 is stitched on the front and back. Rawlings tag noting size “42” remains stitched on the front tail above “Aaron H” in black chain stitch. A wash tag with adjacent “Set 1 1967” flag tag is stitched at the bottom of the front tail. This jersey was originally obtained by our consignor more than twenty-five years ago directly from a Rawlings employee in charge of “quality control”. The employee informed him that Rawlings made one set of road jerseys for the Braves in 1967 as well as in 1968. It is also believed that MacGregor additionally supplied the Braves with road jerseys in 1967, while Wilson made the home jerseys. This jersey is completely original and unaltered, showing solid usage wear with no significant structural faults. A portion of the stitching around the “screaming brave” logo patch has been repaired where it had loosened. A superb original flannel from the man who endures as one of baseball’s greatest ambassadors in addition to being one of its all time greatest players.
LOA from MEARS (A9.5).