Atlanta Braves

From BR Bullpen

Franchise Season Summaries 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Also known as Milwaukee Braves, Boston Braves, Boston Bees, Boston Rustlers, Boston Doves, Boston Beaneaters, Boston Red Caps, and Boston Red Stockings. Franchise Record: 9612-9639 (.499) (National League) World Series Titles: 3 (1914, 1957, 1995) National League Pennants: 10 (1914, 1948, 1957, 1958, 1969, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1999) National Association Pennants: 4 (1872, 1873, 1874, 1875) Playoffs: 20 (1914, 1948, 1957, 1958, 1969, 1982, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005) Franchise Players: Warren Spahn, Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Dale Murphy, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux, Andruw Jones

Atlanta Braves Logo

The Atlanta Braves are a baseball team in the National League. Formerly the Milwaukee Braves, they started playing at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in 1966. Atlanta fans took quickly to the Braves, and in each of their first six seasons in the city, they drew over a million fans. In 1969, the Braves reached the National League's first League Championship Series but lost to the New York Mets. On April 8, 1974, the team made history again. That night at 9:07 p.m., Hank Aaron crushed an Al Downing pitch into the left field stands of the Braves' home park for his 715th career homer, breaking Babe Ruth's lifetime record. Media mogul Ted Turner purchased the Braves. Over the remainder of the decade, though, the team's showing went downhill, and they finished last for four straight years, from 1976 to 1979.

In 1982 the Braves won their first 13 games of the season and went on to win National League West. Slugging outfielder Dale Murphy captured the National League Most Valuable Player award as well. However, the club got swept by the St. Louis Cardinals in the League Championship Series. Murphy repeated as MVP in 1983, but by the mid-1980s, the Braves had once again sunk into the West Division cellar.

However, under the leadership of manager Bobby Cox and with the help of a strong, young pitching staff, the Braves vaulted from last place in the NL West in 1990 to the World Series in 1991, and third baseman Terry Pendleton captured the National League MVP that year. The Braves had not missed the postseason until 2006. They reached the Series again in 1992, 1995, and 1996, winning it in 1995 and giving the city of Atlanta its first major sports championship. Their pitching staff also dominated the Cy Young Award for the decade. Tom Glavine won the award in 1991 and 1998, Greg Maddux captured it in 1993, 1994, and 1995, and John Smoltz earned the honor in 1996. The Braves abandoned Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium after the 1996 season and in 1997 moved next door into Turner Field, built for the 1996 Olympics. The Braves reached the World Series again in 1999, losing again to the New York Yankees.

The Braves reached the postseason for 11 consecutive seasons.(14 excluding strike shortened season of 1994). The streak ended in the 2006 season, with the Mets winning the NL East and the Los Angeles Dodgers getting the wild card.

[edit] Franchise History

The National League Atlanta Braves franchise started in 1871 as the Boston Red Stockings of the National Association. The franchise then joined the National League as the Boston Red Caps in 1876, changed their name in 1883 to the Boston Beaneaters, then became the Boston Doves in 1907 (-1910). For one season, the franchise called themselves became the Boston Rustlers in 1911, before becoming the Boston Braves in 1912. The team took a break from the Boston Braves nickname from 1936-1940 (Boston Bees) before returning to the Braves name in 1941. In 1953 the Braves franchise moved to Milwaukee, and then moved again in 1965 to Atlanta. In 1966, the franchise began playing as the Atlanta Braves.

Throughout the five year existence of the Red Stockings, the team was managed by Harry Wright. The team won 4 National Association Pennants in those five years, and the franchise has a record of 225-60 as the Red Stockings.

The franchise entered the National League using the nickname "Boston Red Caps" in 1876, and won the National League Pennant in 1877 and 1878.

As the Boston Beaneaters, the franchise won 6 NL Pennants, and appeared in one playoffs.

The franchise's best record as the Doves came in 1908 when the came in sixth place with a record of 63-91.

As the Boston Braves, the franchise won 2 Pennants, appeared in 2 playoffs, and appeared in and won 1 World Series.

As the Milwaukee Braves, the franchise won 2 Pennants, appeared in 2 playoffs, appeared in 2 World Series and won 1 World Series.

[edit] Further Reading

• Jack Wilkinson: Game of My Life: Atlanta Braves, Sports Publishing LLC, Champaign, IL, 2007.