Does Hank get overlooked in 'great player' discussions? Forget the HR's- his hits and RBI's are quite staggering and he wasn't deficient at his position. . .perhaps he gets overrated on this list. . .

Broke Babe Ruth's record the natural way... No scandal or doubt behind Hammerin' Hank's record. I wish he was going to keep it forever. Hit seventy of his seven-hundred fifty-five home runs while facing pitchers who are now enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame? Those pitchers in descending order are: Don Drysdale - 17 Robin Roberts - 9 Bob Gibson - 8 Juan Marichal - 8 Sandy Koufax - 7 Steve Carlton - 6 Tom Seaver - 4 Gaylord Perry - 3 Don Sutton - 3 Fergie Jenkins - 2 Nolan Ryan - 2

One of the most consistent players of all-time. Always hit around 40 homeruns with 100 rbi's and .300 BA. Even if Barry Bonds breaks his Homerun record I will still consider Hank the real Homerun King.

Long after Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron's homerun record, true baseball fans will still remember that it was Hank Aaron who endured an unspeakable amount of racism and bigotry in his attempts to surpass Babe Ruth. The difference between the great Hank Aaron's pursuit of the all-time homerun record and Barry Bond's current pursuit is that Hank Aaron faced a far greater amount of danger not only for himself, but for his family. Bonds has merely had to contend with allegations about steroid abuse. Not that Bonds isn't a talent, but Aaron's plight was far more excruciating- and he faced it with such great dignity. In the numbers, Aaron was never as big a homerun threat as many on the all-time list. But what most of those players lacked (which Aaron had so much of) was a great combination of longevity and consistency. And with the heart he displayed as a competitive player, Aaron ought to be considered a role model for aspiring baseball players today. Yes, his homerun record may be broken next season. But Aaron is a king on so many other levels, and an asset to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

I willbe very upset if Barry breaks his record. Barry Bonds is NOTHING compared to Hank. Hank loved the game and will always have my respect for what he went through.

How can a guy be the hit more homeruns than anyone in the history of the game, retire with the second highest hit and RBI totals, play in about twenty allstar games and still be the most underrated player of all time? The answer certainly eludes me but the facts bear it out. The very idea that there are bozos among us tht would dare to give this great player less than a five proves my point to the nth degree. You cannot be that great of a player, for that many years, cruise through an "unbreakable" record in the twilight of your career while still continuing to set the pace for players ten to fifteen years your junior and not be recognized among the all time greats. The phrase, "no-brainer" definately applies here. Hammerin' Hank was the equal or better of any man who ever played the game of professional baseball. Period.

Wagner, Ruth, Mays, Aaron and Bonds are my Fives among position players.

Anyone who gives Ruth a 5 but not Aaron definitely has some racism issues...

Hit 755 homeruns without ever having a 50HR season. That shows a level of consistency that is just phenomenal. Took great care of himself. He was indeed a Zen Master at the plate. Once hit 22 home runs one minor league season, holding the bat the WRONG WAY!! I'm shocked that he's not at least in the top three on this board.

During a 23 year career that started in 1954, Aaron hit a record 755 home runs, won two batting crowns and led the National League in homers and RBI's four times each. Aaron's 715th career home run on April 8, 1974 was selected the greatest moment in baseball history in a nationwide fan vote.

Hammerin' Hank Aaron is the undisputed homerun champion of ALL time. Hammerin' Hank played in an era where the strike zone was actually enforced. You know, from shoulders to knees and the width of the plate (remember little league?). He was never questioned about illegal strength enhancement drugs. He never had to be. Hank Aaron never weighed 200 lbs in his playing days. The man simply had strong wrists and a keen eye. These days the pitch has to be belt high right down the middle to be called a strike. Also, you have hitters coming up to the plate in darn near full body armor so as to crowd the plate then get mad when the pitcher keeps them honest. Baseball in the 50's, 60's and 70's was truly a jewel to behold. Baseball these days is so watered down with so many teams anymore, free agency, overpaid crybabies, and the flare for making it on SportsCenter. Hank Aaron and the so many other greats of his day made baseball special for so many at one time. Sad to say, those days are gone.

Though he is Major League baseball's most prolific home run hitter, he seldom gets props as a great power hitter. He was more of a line drive hitter, with some of his line drives going from Atlanta to Macon. True, he wasn't in the Ruth/Killebrew/Frank Howard mold of slugger, but Aaron was in that rare niche of a true 5-tool player (hits for average, hits for power, runs well, fields well, throws well). He flirted with Triple Crowns in 1957 and 1963. Though he never hit 50 homers in a season, he had the disadvantage of playing in a terrible hitters park (Milwaukee's County Stadium) during the early part of his career and the seasons were 8 games shorter during the prime of his career. He was remarkable consistent for so many years and was one of the greatest post-season hitters in history. Maybe Bonds is a bit better, but Aaron belongs with the Titans of the game.

Don't like him, personally, but you can't rank the current home run king lower than a 5. He did have a long career, he did play in a small, home run favorable stadium (as did Ruth) and had good hitters behind him for most of his career. That being said, he took care of himself, played his defensive position well and was virtually injury-free while he was playing. Those things count for something, too. There were many ballplayers with more significant skills and competitive instincts, who made more of an impression by their play and their conduct on and off the field. But Hank hit the home runs, helped his team and stayed in the game, in spite of some ugly racism around the time he eclipsed the Babe's record (nothing quite like Maris' struggle, because it happened in April) but he kept on and fought the good fight. Compared to Ruth (who should be rated somewhere around 8 or 9) Aaron was in a pack of very good ball players, but he did hit the most home runs of anybody, for now.

Besides Stan Musial, Henry Aaron is the most underrated baseball player that ever lived. If you take a good look at his career you'll notice that Aaron could do it all. He hit for average, hit for power, he could field, he could throw, and he could run the bases. And obviously I shouldn't have to mention that he broke the all time home run record. Aaron was without a doubt the greatest right handed power hitter that ever lived, and definitely one of the ten greatest players to ever live, but probably in the top five. Yet despite his accomplishments, Aaron some times doesn't get the credit he's due. The fact of the matter is that people still resent him for breaking Babe Ruth's home run record. Let's be honest here, because Aaron played the vast majority of his career in obscurity (Milwaukee and Atlanta), and he didn't play in New York, he wasn't a beloved baseball icon. Alot of people had (and still have a problem) with somebody whose not a beloved icon, breaking the most cherished record in sports, of the most cherished man in the history of the game. If somebody was going to break the Babe's record it had to be somebody who was also a beloved icon (ie: somebody who played in New York). I personally believe that all the people that writes that Hank Aaron is not one of the ten greatest baseball players ever, are the ones that are offended that he broke Babe Ruth's record or the fact that Willie Mays or Mickey Mantle or any other player who you looked up to didn't break the record. The fact of the matter is that Aaron broke the record, and saying that he doesn't rank up there with Ruth or Mays for not hitting 50 homers in a season is just petty in my opinion. Hank Aaron's accomplishment is too many for me to list, and he probably has the most decorated career in baseball history.

Great player.

I don't care if Aaron never hit 50 home runs in a season! He holds the record for the most homers of all-time, with 755, also holds the record for most RBIs of all-time, and has over 3,000 hits. He was also a very underrated fielder.

I really don't see any reason NOT to give him a 5. He wasn't quite as brilliant as Mays, and if the Braves hadn't moved to homer-happy Fulton County stadium had would NOT have broken Babe's record. Nonetheless he was incredibly consistant for a really long time.. maybe like a better Eddie Murray. With more speed.. and a better glove.

Its 715 theres a new homerun champion of all time and its Henry Aaron.

Hammerin' Hank Aaron earned his nickname by clubbing 755 roundtrippers over his 23-year career. Not only did he raise the bar for home runs, but he also established 12 other major league career records, including most games , at-bats, total bases and RBI. Aaron played the infield but gained recognition as an excellent outfielder, winning three Gold Grove awards. He earned He earned National League Most Valuable Player honors in 1957, and appeared in a record 24 ALL-Star Games. A quiet and effective leader, Aaron is now an executive with the Braves.

Greatest right handed home run hitter that ever lived.

When will the world give this man his due? He could do it all, and he did!

His persistence and consistency in pursuit of Ruth's home run record are qualities that need to be learned from.

One of the best ever, would place in top 10

Just for the record. Henry Aaron is a vegetarian.

If you want to count Aaron's longetivity against him, then you can also convieniently forget about all the Negro league pitchers the Babe didn't face. Don't worry that Aaron played the end of his career in a pitcher's era, when the mound had to be lowered to raise batting averages. Having Lou Gehrig at your back won't change how teams pitch to you. And surely, the juiced ball of the 30s didn't help Ruth establish the HR as the most popular stat in baseball. To me, the idea of rating a greatest player is silly... especially across such different eras of baseball. In his time, there was no one who could play like Ruth. But if you want to objectify greatness, then pursue objectivity. Otherwise, this discussion becomes nothing more than a popularity contest.

The most overrated homerun hitter of all-time!!! He played 23 years, let's hope he gets 755 homeruns. If Ruth would of played that many seasons, he would of gotten 900 homeruns. Aaron NEVER even posted a single 50 hr. year. OVERRATED!!!

How on earth can you guys penalize him for playing so long??? That's a PLUS! He had a long career and was good even when that career was in it's twilight. He was also a total 5-tool player. He had speed (300+ stolen bases), defense (gold glove winner), was said to have the best arm in the 70s, and hit for both average and power. He won two batting titles before he ever won a home run title. He did not just hit home runs. In fact, that wasn't even what he was known for until late into his career. Consistency and a long career are what got him the home run record. Even if he'd never borken it, though, he'd be maybe the greatest for simply excelling at every facet of the game. And the pressure and bigotry he put up with in his career made things even worse. Mickey Mantle once said that Aaron was a better fielder than Mays because he would make the catches look easy, rather than flashy. Anyone that disagrees with that doesn't know anything about baseball. And let's not forget, Hank Aaron holds the record for records. He was also a winner. He was terrefic in both of his World Series. Not spectacular, just productive. One of which was a win, the other pushed the mighty Yankees to 7 games. Possibly the greatest baseball player in the history of the game.

good solid player but was at the right place at the right time and never got injured, very consistent but not the best, sosa got a late start but he is very similar to aaron, we look at aaron as someone from history like a ruth..he played on terrible teams and that says alot...he hit hrs, and the rest of the team made out.. aaron is up there with mcgwire in overrated

The best hitter of all time!

Even with topping Ruths mark,I don't think people get how really great Hank was.

ok, you all need to look at the facts. Hank Aaron played 23 yrs. NO 50 hr yrs, 12364 at bats, ruth had 8399 at bats with 714 hr. when aaron had 8399 ab, he didnt even have 500 Home Runs. To they people that think he is the best hr hitter ever, you are IDIOTS! just because he has the most hr, doesnt make him the best hr hitter ever. I dont even rank him in the top 5 greatest pure hr hitters ever. I also cant stand people who stay around for records. Hope this helps all you people who dont know the facts except for how many home runs they hit.

Beats the pants off the Babe.

The Best ballplayer EVER to play the game. Only time was against him. Not only did Hammerin' Hank break the Bambino's HR record, he came in the ballpark of getting about 3700 hits. PLus Hank's Batting average and Impeccable. Say what you want about Bonds or Griffey and these other 'roid pumped record breakers, but there will NEVER be another Ballplayer of Hank Aaron's calliber.

Great player!!!!!

He is the all-time home run king with 755. He never even hit 50 in a season, which makes his accomplishment even more remarkable.

Henry Aaron was a great baseball player and an awesome hitter, but what impresses me is his mental strength. There is no way we can ever imagine the pressure he was under as he neared the home run record that Babe Ruth held. What would it be like to challenge the record of a legend that has the respect that the Great Bambino has? On top of this pressure add the death threats that we now know Aaron was getting on a daily basis. And then there were the threats to his friends and family, and bomb threats to the ball club and to the stadium. And with all those distractions, he was still able to overcome them, and break the record. The human spirit still amazes me. This man is a hero to admire.

Aaorn is another guy that I see much like Nolan Ryan. If he hadn't played forever, what whould be said about him? Some of Babe Ruth's worst years were better than Aaoron's best.

Aaron has been grossly overlooked by most baseball fans. He did much more than hit 755 home runs. Another poster has listed some of his awesome credentials. He played for some terrible teams. That has hurt his legacy a great deal.

His career numbers are staggering. First all-time in career homeruns, ribbies, total bases, extra base hits; second in runs; 3rd in hits; 240 stolen bases; not even in top 20 in career strikeouts. He could do it all. He is also a person who could truly empathize with what Jackie Robinson went through. Aaron was the subject of death threats and racial hatred as he chased Babe Ruth's homerun record. And, like Jackie, he was the picture of class throughout the entire process. It's good to see that he is getting back involved with MLB and that they have named a hitter's award after him.

Hank Aaron was the greatest player ever because he was an excellent all-around player as well as the greatest home run hitter ever.

Best power numbers for a career ever. Second only to Babe Ruth and Willie Mays offensively.

Great wrist action gave him soooo much power.

Perservance counts for something, but on this list the bar needs to be raised. You can't be considered one of the game's all-time greatest if there was never a season when you were clearly the greatest. Aaron's HR record is something else, but Mantle, Mays, DiMag, Williams, Ruth all should rank higher.