[CommerceComet]

Hank Aaron played the early part of his career in Milwaukee before the Braves moved to Atlanta. IIRC, the ballpark in Milwaukee was a notorious pitcher's park.

Hank Aaron might be the most under-appreciated player of all-time. While his peers, Mays and Mantle, grabbed the headlines, Aaron put up significantly better career numbers than either of them.

[Alberta's Child]

When I was a kid, I was into putting together all sorts of "lists" related to baseball -- Ten Best Sluggers in Baseball History, Ten Records That Will Never be Broken, etc. Hank Aaron came out #6 on my list of Top Ten Players of All Time.

[JDGreen123]

I agree. I grew up as an Aaron fan with the Atlanta Braves. I would hate to his home run record broken by any guy who is a steroid and human-growth hormone freak. Aaron worked for everything he got. These modern guys just cheat. I suspect that Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Giambi, etc are just at tip of the iceberg.

Sports Illustrated had an eye-opening and graphic account of steroid use in baseball in 2002. Totally Juiced

A quote from the article: Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants is often cited as a player who dramatically altered his size and his game, growing from a lithe, 185-pound leadoff hitter into a 230-pound force who is one of the greatest home run hitters of all time.

The article points out that due to the extra bulk from the steroids, players must use human-growth hormone to prevent their joints from collapsing. It is interesting to see that McGwire ended with a terrible knee and that Giambi is now having knee problems. The HGH causes the face to spread out in a ghoulish sort of appearance.

As a fan of 35 years, I plead with the players to stop. I was quite content when a guy like George Foster led the league with 50 home runs. Let's go back to the old days of real baseball and real players.

[Chu Gary]

"Hank Aaron might be the most under-appreciated player of all-time. While his peers, Mays and Mantle, grabbed the headlines, Aaron put up significantly better career numbers than either of them."

Oh no man. If you want to talk about most under-appreciated players, let's include Josh Gibson, Shoeless Joe, Satchel, Nap Lajoie, Ted Williams, etc., etc., etc. Nonetheless, ain't it great to talk about baseball at this length. I don't think there's another sport that evokes passion like baseball does. Luckily, I live in Florida and baseball arrives earlier for me that many others on this thread.

[Sabertooth]

Hank Aaron played the early part of his career in Milwaukee before the Braves moved to Atlanta. IIRC, the ballpark in Milwaukee was a notorious pitcher's park.

Not so, Milwaukee County Stadium was a bandbox. Matthews and Adcock thrived there, as did Aaron. Later, the likes of Yount, Molitor, and Cooper enjoyed its confines.

Fulton County Stadium was such a hitters park that Davey Johnson hit 43 homers for the Braves in 1973, after never hitting more than 18 for the Orioles.

Hank Aaron might be the most under-appreciated player of all-time. While his peers, Mays and Mantle, grabbed the headlines, Aaron put up significantly better career numbers than either of them.

Not significantly better than Mays by any stretch. Mays was the best five tool player, bar none. He played a more difficult position than Aaron, had a better glove and arm, and played in more difficult hitters' parks in the Polo Grounds and Candlestone (some of the worst turf ever).