Historic official Spalding National League (Feeney) home run baseball hit by the great Hank Aaron off of Cincinnati Reds pitcher Wayne Simpson on August 6, 1972. The 4th inning blast marked the 660th home run of Aaron’s legendary career and established a new MLB record for the most homers hit by a player for a single franchise, a feat that consequently broke Babe Ruth’s long-held record of 659 with the New York Yankees. Incidentally, the home run would not be the last he would hit that afternoon. Aaron hit a second, off left-hander Don Gullett, to break a 10th-inning tie and lift the Braves to a 4-3 win. The ball originates from the personal collection of Donald Davidson, the longtime Director of Publicity with the Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta Braves, a position he held during his entire career with the organization. Davidson was quick to recover all of Hammerin’ Hank’s important milestone balls, which he would annotate and then save, with this particular ball reading: “Home Run Broke Tie with Babe Ruth for Most Home Runs with Same Club, Old Record - 659 / Hank Aaron, Home Run #660 / Hit 8/6/72, Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Off Pitcher Wayne Simpson, Final Score Braves 4, Reds 3.” In fine, game-used condition, with slight overall toning. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from a previous owner, who personally obtained this baseball from the family estate of Davidson.
In 1952, Henry Louis Aaron left Mobile, Alabama, with two dollars in his pocket, two pairs of pants, and two sandwiches in a brown paper bag. Seventeen years old and homesick before the train ever left the station, he was off to become a shortstop for the Indianapolis Clowns, a black barnstorming team. There was little to indicate this scrawny kid from Pritchard, Alabam, would on August 6, 1972, break the first of Babe Ruth’s major career home run record when he hit home run No. 660. Aaron, of course, would continue his assault on Ruth’s career home run records during the following two seasons, setting a new mark for home runs in one league with 709 in 1973 and finally eclipsing Ruth’s all-time record of 714 in 1974. This incredible baseball represents Aaron’s first hurdle in overcoming Ruth’s all-time record.
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