#5 - Hank Aaron Special

Here we go with more half-smiles, although the '66 card has the closest thing to a full smile in years. I like the busy background of the '67 card. In '68 and '69 Hank reprises the static poses from '54 to '56. Topps really couldn't track him down for a new shot for '69? 1968 is actually a special set for me because that was the first year I had any of my own income - from a paper route, remember those things? - to buy any cards. I never got the Aaron, so I will consider its duplication in '69 to be an homage to my start in collecting. Very considerate of them.

For the '66 card back, Topps gets a little stylish with a rose tone and a compartmentalized layout. In '67 things get green and vertical. We also get two cartoons (it reminds me of the back of the '71 set) but Topps does stay stylish by actually using the word "fabulous" in the narrative. '68 backs look a lot like '66's but with a yellow/orange tone. In '69 we get Big Pink - to celebrate the Band album? - and no cartoon for Hank. It was also the first year Topps dropped his minor league stats. No room!


On the back of the card, Topps continues the year-by-year commentary of Aaron's career. No creative writing this time; the numbers are enough. It really was some career.