The Atlanta Braves

The game of baseball is an American icon. It has had great historical and cultural influence on the country. Like most other Major League teams, the journey of the Braves has been great and there is so much history involving the franchise. The Braves have been influential to the city of Atlanta and the surrounding metropolitan area, as well as the South overall. After all, IT’S BRAVES COUNTY.

Since the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, the team has become a part of the city. For the first 30 years in Atlanta the Braves played in the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, where Hank Aaron hit his record-breaking home run and they even brought home a World Series win. The stadium eventually was torn down and a new one was built across the street. Originally used for the track and field arena for the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, the site was reconstructed somewhat to create Turner Field, or “The Ted” as locals may call it. Parts of the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium still remain and the history that occurred there was preserved. The Braves have remained at Turner Field and have continued to make history as Atlanta’s team. Just as the Braves only spent 30 years in the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, they will only spend 30 years in Turner Field. The Braves had signed a 30-year lease and when it was time to decide whether they were going to sign another lease, they had a big choice to make. When the plan was announced to build a new stadium for the Braves in Cobb County (outside the Atlanta city limits) many fans were shook up by the decision and the overall response was disappointment. The move is happening and the Braves will open the 2017 season at SunTrust Park.

In order to preserve some of the history, this book will recap the most memorable moments of each season from 1966 to 1996 when the Braves played at the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. There have been good years and bad years but the fans seem to stick by their team and cheer the Braves on season after season. This book will act as a memorable timeline for fans to have and remember a part of history. 

The goal of this project was to create a book that any Braves fan, new or old, would want to have to be able to look back on what all as happened and the memories and good times they might associate with the Braves and the game of baseball. This book will try to capture the essence of the Braves and be something fans can look at and appreciate.