ATLANTA — The U.S. Postal Service today dedicated the Hank Aaron stamp during a ceremony at Truist Park in Atlanta. The new forever stamp is now being sold at Post Offices nationwide and online at usps.com/shopstamps
We hope this stamp serves as a reminder of Hank Aaron’s success on the baseball diamond and his work to champion equality,” said Thomas Marshall, the Postal Service’s general counsel and executive vice president, who served as the dedicating official. “Whether it’s breaking baseball’s most famous record or opening the door for future generations, Henry ‘Hammerin’ Hank’ Aaron inspires all of us to swing for the fences.”
Marshall was joined by Terry McGuirk, chairman and CEO of Braves Holdings LLC, the parent company of the Atlanta Braves and Braves Development Co.; Howard Bryant, author of “The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron”; and Allan Tanenbaum, secretary, Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation, and attorney/advisor for the Aaron family.
"I’m deeply grateful for this phenomenal recognition the United States Postal Service has bestowed upon my beloved husband, Henry Louis Aaron,” said Billye Suber Aaron, widow, and chair of the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation. “We sincerely appreciate all who join us as we honor the 50th anniversary of his historic achievement. I hope that his stamp will inspire a new generation to remember Henry for his incredible grace and determination in the face of tremendous opposition. Henry will live on forever in our hearts and minds, and to have a stamp prominently bear his likeness is an honor fitting the wonderful man we love so dearly."
Checkout the pictures from the Ceremony courtesy of Carl Agard
A giant of baseball both on and off the field, Aaron (1934-2021) rose from humble beginnings to rewrite the baseball record books while prevailing in the face of racism. Despite retiring nearly 50 years ago, Aaron still holds the record for most RBIs, total bases and Major League Baseball All-Star Game appearances while remaining in the top five in many other categories.
He spent 21 years as a member of the Braves organization — first in Milwaukee, where he led the team to the 1957 World Series title — then in Atlanta, where he hit home run No. 715 on the night of April 8, 1974, one of the seminal moments in the history of the game. Aaron closed his career with the Milwaukee Brewers before being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
The stamp art features a portrait of Aaron as a member of the Atlanta Braves, based on a 1968 photo, showing Aaron’s famous right-handed batting stance from the waist up. In the selvage is a digital painting of Aaron watching the ball he just hit for his record-breaking 715th home run, based on a 1974 photo by Harry Harris.
Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamp and pane with original art by Chuck Styles and typography by Kevin Cantrell. The Hank Aaron stamp is being issued in panes of 20. The Forever stamp will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price.
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