Autographed trading card of Eddie Mathews, a famous player for the Braves. - Team: Braves - Autograph: Yes - Card Type: Trading Card - Publisher: Upper Deck Career Born in Texarkana, Texas in 1931. He signed with the Boston Braves upon graduating from high school in 1949. Although he received offers from several teams, including the Brooklyn Dodgers who offered the best terms, he chose to join the Braves to gain experience in the minor leagues. He made his major league debut in 1952, hitting 25 home runs, and in 1953, he hit 47 home runs, winning the National League home run title. He hit 40 home runs in 1954 and 41 in 1955, recording 40 or more home runs for three consecutive years. From then until 1961, he hit 30 or more home runs for nine consecutive years, a National League record (later tied by Mike Schmidt). He played a key role as the Braves' main slugger alongside Hank Aaron. During the 13 years that Mathews and Aaron played together for the Braves, they hit a combined total of 863 home runs. In 1957, he made his first World Series appearance and contributed to the Braves' world championship, including a walk-off home run in Game 4. In 1959, he hit 47 home runs, winning his second home run title. His performance declined after injuring his shoulder in 1962, and he was traded to the Houston Astros in 1967. He was traded to the Detroit Tigers during that season. He continued to play for the Tigers in 1968, but his decline was evident, and he retired at the end of that year. After Retirement Mathews' jersey number "41" during his time with the Braves. His number was retired by the Atlanta Braves in 1969. In 1969, the year after his retirement, the Braves retired Mathews' jersey number "41". He became a coach for the Braves in 1970 and was appointed manager in the middle of 1972. He served until 1974, and in that year, he witnessed his junior, Aaron, achieve his 715th home run. He later served as a coach for farm teams affiliated with the Oakland Athletics. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1978. He passed away in La Jolla, California, in 2001 at the age of 69 due to complications from pneumonia. No returns are accepted to prevent any issues.