Hammering Hank Aaron to be honored with new commemorative stamp

June 28 (UPI) -- Henry "Hank" Aaron, one of the greatest players in the history of Major League Baseball, now will be immortalized on a stamp to be issued next month, the U.S. Postal Service confirmed Friday.

The ceremony honoring Aaron's c ommemorative stamp will take place July 31 in Atlanta, Ga., at Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves .

It will be presided over by U.S. Postal Service executive vice president Thomas Marshall .

The stamp is based on a 1968 photo of Aaron, who died in 2021 at the age of 86.

The Postal Service in April announced it would honor Aaron, who hit 755 career home runs during a 22-year MLB career, second all-time.

Aaron also retired with a .305 batting average and amassed 3,771 and drove in 2,297 runs before being elected in 1982 to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.

In 1974, the right fielder and designated hitter smacked his 715th home run, surpassing Babe Ruth for the most ever hit during an MLB career at the time.

Aaron was born in Mobile, Ala., in 1934 and is widely considered one of the greatest players in the sport's history.

Despite the on-field achievements, he rarely talked about himself.

"I'm sorry I waited so long to hit it," the All-Star outfielder told Atlanta Braves president Bill Bartholomay in 1968, a day after hitting career home run number 500.

The stamp will be available online through the U.S. Postal Service.

"A giant both on and off the field, Hank Aaron rose from humble beginnings to rewrite the record books while prevailing in the face of racism," reads the Postal Service's description.