Sign Up  /  Login

Hammerin' Hank - replaced August 2017 LbNA #26459

Owner:aimlesst
Plant date:Oct 16, 2006
Location:
City:Milwaukee
County:Milwaukee
State:Wisconsin
Boxes:1
Found by: Guinea Pigs
Last found:Jun 10, 2019
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFrFFFFF
Last edited:Aug 12, 2017
Henry Louis Aaron, nicknamed Hammerin’ Hank or just the Hammer, played in Milwaukee for a number of years. He the last major leaguer who came out of the Negro Leagues from the time prior to the desegregation of major league baseball. Hank played for the Braves, first in Milwaukee and then in Atlanta, before returning to Milwaukee to finish his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hank broke Babe Ruth’s home run record, hitting 755 homers, no asterisks here! He also holds records for total bases, extra base hits, and RBIs. He is in the Baseball Hall of Fame and his number 44 has been retired by the Brewers. A quote from Curt Simmons sums up how opposing pitchers viewed Hank, “Trying to throw a fastball by Henry Aaron is like trying to sneak a sunrise past a rooster.”


This box is located on the Hank Aaron State Trail, on a section of the trail near Miller Park. This is completely accessible except for the very end where you leave to trail to retrieve the box. It would be ideal for a quick letterbox before or after a Brewer’s game. Otherwise, you would want to try for this box on a non-game day. You can check the Brewer’s schedule and get directions to Miller Park at their website: http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com

The Hank Aaron Trail is currently under construction. When it is finished it will extend from Lake Michigan to Doyne Park where it will link to the Milwaukee County Oak Leaf Trail. From there it will link to other trails which stretch across the state to the Mississippi. The areas that are completed have been planted with native plants and it makes for a lovely walk in summer when everything is in bloom. Updates for the Hank Aaron Trail can be found at:
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/hank_aaron/


Once you reach Miller Park follow the access road around the stadium to the Hot Corner where a Fridays restaurant is located. Follow the access road under Highway 41 and enter the parking lot to your right which contains the Sausage House. Park in the northeast corner of the lot. Cross the bridge at that corner, and follow a path to the right that will lead you down to the Hank Aaron Trail. Start down the trail to your left. You will be following the Menominee River. As you come to a bridge, stay to the right under the bridge. Pass a viewing platform on your right, then a sign for Three Bridges Park. Pass one of the bridges. When the path splits in 3 take the middle gravel path The path will take a turn as you reach four support pillars. Head to the first pillar on your right. There will be a large willow tree. Work your way to stand at the left side of the tree's trunk. Look down and to your left for a rock with some green paint on it. Hank is under that rock on the side nearest the tree. Just past this on the path there is a good spot to stop and stamp in. After returning the box to its hiding place, retrace your steps to your vehicle.

As you climb back to the parking lots there will be a set of picnic shelters to your right. There are a number of signs for the Hank Aaron trails between the shelters giving some context to the time when Hank Aaron was chasing Babe Ruth’s homerun record that you may want to take the time to read.

This is the very first stamp that I’ve carved and the first box that I’ve planted. (Though I posted clues well after I planted the box. Long story.)