atlanta braves history
atlanta braves history
Every sports franchise faces a period of struggle, sitting in the cellar of their division and waiting for the hope of success to exist in their locker room again. However, the Atlanta Braves have escaped this sort of failure in recent history. Since 1991, the Braves have finished first in their division 14 times and earned one World Series Championship. Fans at Atlanta's Turner Field have witnessed some of Major League Baseball's best pitching during this era of consistent victory. Atlanta Braves tickets are always a dime a dozen as their loyal fans grab them up. Last year's squad in Atlanta enjoyed another solid season before losing to the Houston Astros in the Divisional Playoffs.
Before professional baseball arrived in Georgia, the Braves called Boston and then Milwaukee home. The franchise brought World Series titles to each of these cities and moved to Atlanta in 1966. In their first few seasons, the team set a standard of success, winning the National League Pennant in 1969. While the team struggled through part of the 1970s, fans who purchased Atlanta Braves tickets during the 1974 season witnessed arguably the most important MLB record when Hank Aaron shattered Babe Ruth's career home run record. Aaron's 755 home runs have remained first among all players since he retired.
Bobby Cox, the team's current manager, has served two terms with the Braves. After being fired due to the team's losing marks in the early 1980s, Joe Torre manned the Braves' dugout, but he failed to help the team reach any level of consistent success. When Cox returned as manager in 1990, young pitchers Tom Glavine, Steve Avery, and John Smoltz proved to be the catalysts for the franchise's improvement. Behind one of the most talented starting rotations in baseball, the Braves earned their first division title in nine years and gave fans a preview of the tradition of Atlanta baseball. After the addition of another star pitcher, Greg Maddux, and the refinement of an offensive attack that included outfielders Ron Gant and Dave Justice, the Braves defeated the Cleveland Indians in the 1995 World Series. While the team appeared in the championship again in 1996 and 1999, this victory remains the team's only championship in Atlanta.
With all of the team's achievements during the last 15 years, it comes as no surprise that the 2006 season looks promising in Atlanta. Despite one of the youngest rosters in the major leagues last year (Atlanta had 18 rookies in 2005), the team's performance solidifies the Braves as the team to beat in the National League East. While many of the Braves' pitching talent of the 1990s has disappeared from the roster, Smoltz continues to dominate on the mound in Georgia, and the addition of veteran hurlers Mike Hampton and Tim Hudson make Atlanta's rotation one of the toughest in the National League. The team's pitching is not the only shining star in Atlanta; their offensive attack makes Atlanta Braves tickets some of the most exciting seats in all of baseball. Outfielder Andruw Jones led the league with 51 home runs last season, and Jeff Francoeur is one of the many promising young talents in the organization. Fans at Turner Field will hope that 2006 can mark the team's return to the World Series.
