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Hank Aaron: A Highlight in Collections of Miriam Jacobs, Si Burick

By Kristina Schulz

You might not think of baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron and the University of Dayton in the same sentence, but the baseball legend is represented in several collections in University Archives and Special Collections.

The late Miriam Jacobs, a baseball memorabilia collector who referred to her collection as “baseballiana,” spent decades building a collection of baseball cards, sports memorabilia, autographs and baseball books. Among the treasures she donated to the University are a 1954 Hank Aaron rookie card and a baseball signed by Aaron in 1963.

Dayton sports writer and National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Famer Si Burick also donated memorabilia to Special Collections. One of his treasures is a baseball signed by Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Sadaharu Oh. Burick had the Babe Ruth-autographed baseball from early in his sports writing career. When Aaron surpassed Babe’s record, Burick asked Aaron to sign the same ball. During a Cincinnati Reds tour of Japan, Burick met Sadaharu Oh, who holds the world record for the most home runs ever hit (868), and invited him to add his signature to the ball.

As we remember the life of Hank Aaron, who died Jan. 22, the University Libraries are honored to share a glimpse of collections that represent Aaron’s contributions to baseball. 

— Kristina Schulz is the University archivist.

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