An iconic career was in the cards for Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron, who died Jan. 22 at 86, broke Babe Ruth’s major league home run record in 1974 and finished his career with 755, a mark that stood for 33 years until it was eclipsed by Barry Bonds in 2007.

The first player to notch both 500 homers and 3,000 hits, Aaron finished in the top 10 of National League MVP balloting 13 times, won two batting titles and finished with a career average of .305. He holds the career record for RBI with 2,297, and only two players (Pete Rose and Ty Cobb) had more hits than his 3,771.

Hammerin’ Hank never hit 50 homers in a season — his career high was 47 in 1971 — but he had 20 straight seasons with at least 20 homers and eight 40-homer seasons, and he never struck out 100 times in a season.

He also had six seasons with more than 20 stolen bases, and in 1963 he became the third player in MLB history, after Ken Williams and Willie Mays, with at least 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in a season.

[Hank Aaron’s staggering stats go well beyond the home run record]

Here’s a year-by-year look at his key numbers and accomplishments (bold indicates he was the league leader), with his Topps baseball card for that season:

1954 Milwaukee Braves

He finished fourth in NL Rookie of the Year balloting.

1955 Milwaukee Braves

First all-star selection. Cumulative home run total: 40.

1956 Milwaukee Braves

All-star selection. Cumulative home run total: 66.

1957 Milwaukee Braves

NL MVP and all-star. Batted .393 with three home runs as the Braves won the World Series. Cumulative home run total: 110. (Note: The card, which shows right-handed Aaron batting left, printed with the image reversed in error.)

1958 Milwaukee Braves

NL Gold Glove selection and all-star. Batted .333 in the World Series. Cumulative home run total: 140.

1959 Milwaukee Braves

NL Gold Glove selection and all-star. Cumulative home run total: 179.

1960 Milwaukee Braves

NL Gold Glove selection and all-star. Cumulative home run total: 219.

1961 Milwaukee Braves

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 253.

1962 Milwaukee Braves

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 298.

1963 Milwaukee Braves

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 342.

1964 Milwaukee Braves

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 366.

1965 Milwaukee Braves

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 398.

1966 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 442.

1967 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 481.

1968 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Hit his 500th career home July 14. Cumulative home run total: 510.

1969 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Batted .357 with three home runs in NL Championship Series. Cumulative home run total: 554.

1970 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Reached 3,000 hits May 17. Cumulative home run total: 592.

1971 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Hit 600th home run April 27. Cumulative home run total: 639.

1972 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 673.

1973 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Hit 700th home run July 21. Cumulative home run total: 713.

1974 Atlanta Braves

All-star. Hit 714th home run to tie Babe Ruth on April 4. Broke Ruth’s record with his 715th on April 8. Cumulative home run total: 733.

1975 Milwaukee Brewers

All-star. Cumulative home run total: 745.

1976 Milwaukee Brewers

Hit 755th and final home run July 20.

Baseball cards courtesy of the Topps Company.

[Photos: The life and career of Hank Aaron]