Why is Hank Aaron not considered "one of the greatest players of all-time?"?

Question

I mean, for someone who broke what people are calling "greatest individual record in American sports," he seems to always get marginalized by Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Barry Bonds, etc. I'm wondering why he never seems to match these guys. Statistics welcome, so long as they're relevant and accurate.

Thanks so much to everyone who's answered so far, but I guess what I'm looking for the real reason why Aaron is overlooked. I don't buy the "New-York/center field bias," since its been long enough for baseball experts to re-examine his status objectively. Yet he STILL seems to rate second fiddle! Was there something he was necessarily not as good at as the guys I mentioned before? Is there an OPS/total bases/ slugging parameter that keeps him out of that measure? Thanks!

Answer 1

Good question and you are getting some solid answers.

I read your "additional details" and think you are still underestimating the East Coast bias and the fact Aaron did not play centerfield.

Aaron never had a 73 home run or .400 average season or great World Series catch, so there isn't that great single season accomplishment.

So again, look at who you are comparing him to in your answer

Ruth - baseball immortal who once outhomered the entire league

Mays - major media market at start of his career; considered one of the best defensive outfielders of all time

Williams - .400 season; East Coast market

Mantle - major media market; involved in the home run chase in 1961; several World Series rings

Bonds - 73 home runs; HOF career before then

So I agree with you in that Aaron is wrongly left out of this company, and I think it comes down to the following:

1) Though the 57 Braves won the Series and the 58 Braves appeared, the average fan does not remember these as historically great teams. The last 18 years of his career the Braves did not make the series and only the playoffs in 69.

2) Aaron did not have the natural charisma of some of the other players. He also was not in an east coast market, and I do think that matters.

3) Aaron did not play a premier defensive position

So I think either you need to be willing to rethink your opposition to some of the arguments presented - or we are all wrong.

Great question though. ANd I think Stan Musial also gets left out of that exclusive list of players you gave, but take a look at his numbers some day. I think some of the same arguments would apply.

Answer 2

Homeruns are the part of baseball that brings excitement. American society loves fast results and the HR is the fastest way to score a run in baseball. I am not sure why Hank Aaron is considered great except he put up with racial issue that are not seen in baseball today as he appraoched Babe Ruth, the most popular figure in the history of the game. Hank Aaron also holds the record for most RBI's, extra base hits, total bases, and consecutive seasons with 150 or more hits (17). Aaron had a career ave. of .305 which is good enough for the HOF but not great compared to other greats of the game by any means. This does become a great stat when you compare it to other sluggers which normally hit for lower averages. EDIT for Steve E: What proof is there Barry has ever used steroids? 2 Federal Grand Juries failed to indict Barry, which means there was not even a slight chance that he used steroids when listening to only the prosecutor present his case (defense does not get to present anything during a grand jury investigation). The feds are now concentrating on trying for an IRS conviction...which is the equal of we have nothing so we will make something up since the tax code is way too complicated and even experts will get different outcomes every time. Baseball has been investigation "steriouds" which means Barry for over a year now and they have nothing on the guy. During these investigation Barry keeps hitting HR's at an incredible pace for his age. After last nights games he was in a tie for 2nd place for the NL HR lead, one behind the leader. This sounds more like ABILITY then anything else. FOR SABEL: Sorry to say but last time I checked there was only ONE member of the 500/500 club by a long shot and that is Barry Bonds. Hank Aaron is also tied for the most AS games with Willie Mays.

Answer 3

People think Mays was better because he played center and because of 2 seasons that were particularly spectacular. But the 'center field is harder' argument is marginal at best and irrelevant when considering Aaron. Aaron had a good arm and one of the best right fielders of all-time as a fielder. But his bat and his consistency shows that as a hitter he was better. Higher average, more HRs, more RBIs, more hits, and lots of other things show he was better than Mays. Mays was a big market guy, one of the best of all times, and a center fielder at the same time as Duke Snyder and Mickey Mantle in NY, where the game was to argue who was the best center fielder. But Aaron was demonstrably the better all round player of the the 4.

Answer 4

Aaron is considered one of the greatest. The only thing is that Willie Mays was better.

If you compare stats, Aaron's were better. Don't forget that Mays spent a few prime years in the military too. His stats would have been better.

If you ask anybody back in the day, who would you rather have Mays or Aaron, they'd all say Mays.

Nobody could play the field like Mays. Nobody could run like Mays. Aaron couldn't. Does anybody talk about Aaron's defense? Nope.

Willie Mays could do everything. He may have been the greatest ball player of all time.

In addition, if Mantle didn't play for the Yankees, people wouldn't even compare Mays to Mantle. Mantle couldn't run for sh!t. He had bad knees and he was a drunk. People have selective memory. Mantle was great (and could have been better if he took care of himself), but Mays was the best!

Answer 5

I don't have many statistics, but I think it's simply b/c Bonds, Ruth, Mays and all those guys played at a particularly RIDICULOUS level of baseball for a consistent period of time, whereas Hank Aaron was more of the well-oiled, long lasting player. It's the same reason why people don't consider Robert Parrish one of the greatest centers of all time. Aaron happenned to break the record just b/c he played so long, but that shouldn't undermine his skill, he was still a terrific player, but Bonds and Ruth clearly overshadow him.

Answer 6

It is ridiculous that he is not, but he definitely gets slighted because he did not play in a huge market.

He was an all-star from 1955-1975
He was a 3 time gold glove, MVP and has a championship.
He hit 30+ homers 15 times
He is also the leader in RBI and extra basehits
He was also 30/30

here is his average over 23 years.

.305 average- 33 Hr, 100Rbi, 94 runs, 163 hits, .555 slugging

These would be higher if you take out the last couple of years when his performance was hampered by his age.

He is just the model of consistentency.

This wikipedia link has his year-to- year stats.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Aaron

If he played today, he would be making 20 million a year.

Answer 7

Henry Aaron IS considered one of the greatest players of all time. At least by anyone who knows anything about baseball.

BTW, Dapper Dan (above) is someone who doesn't know much about baseball if he doesn't think Mickey Mantle was a great player.

Answer 8

Aaron didn't have a blazing peak -- he was very good to great for an amazingly long period, but there's no one or three seasons that stand up and proclaim "MVP!" in there (yes, he won the 1957 NL MVP and deserved it, but it was not a statistically stunning season, just another Aaron-good one).

And he didn't play in Noo Yawk, or any of the big media cities. Milwaukee and Atlanta were baseball boondocks during his career.

Answer 9

NY biased. Aaron didn't play in NY so people consider Mays to be better because they saw Mays everyday and Aaron only once in a while. Since of course, most people in the media today grew up in NY and watched Mays. They only say kind things now about Aaron because they hate Bonds. Aaron is the greatest position player ever and will NEVER get that recognition.


not totally NY biased. But Mays was more "flashy" and Aaron was work men like in his effort. He never really looked like he was trying. He was always in the right place so he never dove for the ball or stretched out for a ball or was never on the "big stage" because his teams were not as good as others of his era. Plus, like Bonds, he never really sought out the media. I know this should all pass, but most say mays only because they grew up watching him. Maybe in about 50 years it will change, but until then.....

Answer 10

Aaron's greatness lies in his longevity and production from start to finish. There was never a hugely outstanding season or defining moment in his career except for breaking career records. People tend to look for the spectacular, and outside from his career numbers, they aren't there.