In 1953, his 47 homers for the Milwaukee Braves led the National League and established a single-season record for third basemen that lasted 27 years. A member of two world championship teams, Mathews was the first athlete featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Being mentioned in the same sentence as Hank Aaron is honor enough for most baseball players, but joining him to make up one of the most fearsome power-hitting combos in history is what Eddie Mathews did. In 1967, Eddie Mathews became only the seventh player to hit 500 career home runs. He is the only player in Braves franchise history to have played in the team's three locations: Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta. Following his 15 seasons with the Braves, Mathews had short stints with the Astros and Tigers before becoming the manager of the Braves. His managerial career only lasted 2 ½ years, and in 1967, the Braves retired his number 41. In 1978, Eddie Mathews' success on the field was honored with his election to Baseball Hall of Fame. Eddie passed away on February 18, 2001. He will be greatly missed.

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