Atlanta Braves

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Lore & Background

The Cincinnati Red Stockings, formed in 1869, were the first openly all-professional baseball team but disbanded after the 1870 season. Manager Harry Wright and players moved to Boston, forming the Boston Red Stockings, a charter team in the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP). Led by the Wright brothers, Ross Barnes, and Al Spalding, they dominated the National Association, winning four of five championships. The original Boston Red Stockings team and its successors can lay claim to being the oldest continuously playing franchise in American professional sports. The club was known as the Boston Red Caps when they played the first National League game in 1876, winning against the Philadelphia Athletics. Despite a weaker roster in the league's first year, they rebounded to secure the 1877 and 1878 pennants. Managed by Frank Selee, they were a dominant force in the 19th century, winning eight pennants. By 1898, the team was known as the Beaneaters and had won 102 games that season, with stars like Hugh Duffy, Tommy McCarthy, and 'Slidin'' Billy Hamilton. In 1901, the American League was introduced, causing many Beaneaters players including stars Duffy and Jimmy Collins to leave for clubs of the rival league. The team struggled, recording only one winning season from 1900 to 1913. In 1907, they temporarily dropped the red color from their stockings due to infection concerns. The club underwent various nickname changes until becoming the Braves before the 1912 season. The president of the club, John M. Ward, named the club after the owner, James Gaffney. Gaffney was called one of the 'braves' of New York City's political machine, Tammany Hall, which used a Native American chief as its symbol. In 1914, the Boston Braves experienced a remarkable turnaround in what would become one of the most memorable seasons in baseball history. Starting with a dismal 4–18 record, the Braves found themselves in last place, trailing the league-leading New York Giants by 15 games after losing a doubleheader to the Brooklyn Robins on July 4. However, the team rebounded with an incredible hot streak, going 41–12 from July 6 to September 5. On August 3, Joseph Lannin, the president of the Red Sox, offered Fenway Park to the Braves free of charge for the remainder of the season as their usual home, the South End Grounds, was too small. On September 7 and 8,

In Their Own Story

The air inside Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium is thick with tension as the bottom of the ninth inning begins on October 14, 1992. The Pirates lead 2–0, three outs away from their first World Series since 1979. Doug Drabek has pitched eight shutout innings, but the Braves' middle of the order is due up. Terry Pendleton doubles, David Justice reaches on an error, and Sid Bream walks to load the bases. Jim Leyland pulls Drabek for Stan Belinda. Ron Gant hits a sacrifice fly, scoring Pendleton. After a walk and a popup, Francisco Cabrera steps to the plate with two outs. On a 2–1 count, Cabrera lines a single to left field. Justice scores easily. Barry Bonds fields the ball and throws home, but the throw is slightly offline and bounces. Bream slides just under the tag, and the Braves win 3–2. The crowd erupts as the Braves advance to the World Series.

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Did You Know?

• The Braves are the only Major League Baseball franchise to have won the World Series in three different home cities.
• The Braves are one of two remaining National League charter franchises that debuted in 1876 and are the oldest continuously operating professional sports franchise in North America.
• From 1991 to 2005, the Braves won an unprecedented 14 consecutive division titles.