Atlanta Braves facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Atlanta Braves
2025 Atlanta Braves season
Established in 1871 Based in Atlanta since 1966
Team logo Cap insignia
Major league affiliations
National League (1876–present) East Division (1994–present) West Division (1969–1993) National Association (1871–1875)
Current uniform
Retired numbers	3 6 10 21 25 29 31 35 41 44 47 42
Colors
Navy blue, scarlet red, gold, white
Name
Atlanta Braves (1966–present) Milwaukee Braves (1953–1965) Boston Braves (1941–1952) Boston Bees (1936–1940) Boston Braves (1912–1935) Boston Rustlers (1911) Boston Doves (1907–1910) Boston Beaneaters (1883–1906) Boston Red Caps (1876–1882) Boston Red Stockings (1871–1875)
Other nicknames
The Bravos The Team of the 90s America's Team
Ballpark
Truist Park (2017–present) Turner Field (1997–2016) Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium (1966–1996) Milwaukee County Stadium (1953–1965) Braves Field (1915–1952) Fenway Park (1914–1915) Congress Street Grounds (1894) South End Grounds (1871–1914)
Major league titles
World Series titles (4)	1914 1957 1995 2021
NL Pennants (18)	1877 1878 1883 1891 1892 1893 1897 1898 1914 1948 1957 1958 1991 1992 1995 1996 1999 2021
NA Pennants (4)	1872 1873 1874 1875
NL East Division titles (18)	1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2013 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
NL West Division titles (5)	1969 1982 1991 1992 1993
Pre-modern World Series (1)	1892
Wild card berths (3)	2010 2012 2024
Front office
Principal owner(s)	Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. Traded as: NASDAQ: BATRA (Series A) OTCQB: BATRB (Series B) NASDAQ: BATRK (Series C) Russell 2000 components (BATRA, BATRK)
President	Derek Schiller
President of baseball operations	Alex Anthopoulos
General manager	Alex Anthopoulos
Manager	Brian Snitker
Mascot(s)	Blooper

The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball team from Atlanta, USA. They play in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) East Division. The Braves started in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1871. Back then, they were called the Boston Red Stockings. The team changed names many times before becoming the Boston Braves in 1912. The Braves are the oldest sports team in North America that has played continuously.

After 81 seasons and winning one World Series in Boston, the team moved. They went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1953. In Milwaukee, star players like Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, and Warren Spahn helped the Milwaukee Braves win the World Series in 1957. Even with this success, fewer fans came to games. So, the team moved again to Atlanta, Georgia, in 1966.

The Braves didn't win much in Atlanta until 1991. From 1991 to 2005, the Braves were one of baseball's best teams. They won 14 division titles in a row, which is an MLB record. They also played in the National League Championship Series eight times in a row. During this time, they had amazing pitchers like Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Tom Glavine.

The Braves are one of only two original National League teams from 1876. The club has won an MLB record 23 division titles. They also have 18 National League pennants and four World Series championships. The Braves are the only MLB team to win the World Series in three different home cities.

History of the Braves

Boston's Early Baseball Days (1871–1952)

Starting in Boston (1871–1913)

Boston Beaneaters team photo, 1890

The first professional baseball team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869. But they stopped playing after 1870. Their manager, Harry Wright, and some players moved to Boston. They formed the Boston Red Stockings. This team was one of the first in the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NAPBBP). The Boston Red Stockings were very strong. They won four out of five championships in the NAPBBP. This team and its later versions are the oldest continuously playing professional sports team in America.

The club was called the Boston Red Caps when the first National League game was played in 1876. They won against the Philadelphia Athletics. Even with a weaker team that first year, they won the championships in 1877 and 1878. Later, managed by Frank Selee, they won eight championships in the 1800s. By 1898, the team was known as the Beaneaters. They won 102 games with stars like Hugh Duffy and Billy Hamilton.

In 1901, the American League started. Many Beaneaters players left for the new league. The team struggled a lot. They had only one winning season from 1900 to 1913. They lost 100 games five times. In 1907, they stopped using red in their stockings for a while. The team changed names several times. They became the Braves before the 1912 season. The team president, John M. Ward, named them after the owner, James E. Gaffney. Gaffney was called one of the "braves" of New York City's political group, Tammany Hall. This group used a Native American chief as its symbol.

The 1914 "Miracle" Season

A program from the 1914 World Series, featuring Braves manager George Stallings (left). Baseball Magazine cover, 1914 (right).

In 1914, the Boston Braves had an amazing season. It became one of baseball's most famous comebacks. They started with a very bad record of 4 wins and 18 losses. They were in last place, 15 games behind the New York Giants. This was after losing two games on July 4. But then, the team got incredibly hot. They won 41 games and lost only 12 from July 6 to September 5. On August 3, the Red Sox offered their park, Fenway Park, to the Braves for free. The Braves' own park was too small. On September 7 and 8, they beat the Giants. This pushed them into first place. The Braves won the championship, even though they were in last place as late as July 18. They are the only team to do this in the old eight-team league.

The Braves went to the 1914 World Series. Their captain and MVP, Johnny Evers, led them. Many thought the Philadelphia A's would win. But the Braves surprised everyone. They swept the Athletics, winning the World Series. Because of this success, owner Gaffney built a new, big park. It was called Braves Field. It opened in August 1915. It had 40,000 seats and was easy to get to by public transport.

Struggles and a Star (1915–1953)

The Boston Braves cap logo, 1946 to 1952

From 1917 to 1933, the Boston Braves had a tough time. After several owners, Emil Fuchs bought the team in 1923. Fuchs brought his friend, famous pitcher Christy Mathewson, to help. But Mathewson died in 1925, leaving Fuchs in charge. The team still struggled. In 1933 and 1934, under manager Bill McKechnie, the Braves played better. But it didn't help their money problems.

To get more fans and money, Fuchs made a deal. He got Babe Ruth from the New York Yankees in 1935. Ruth was made a team vice president. He was promised a share of profits and a chance to manage. At first, Ruth seemed to help. But his skills were fading. Ruth couldn't run well and was a poor fielder. This caused problems. It became clear his titles were just for show. Ruth retired on June 1, 1935. He hit his last three home runs just before. The Braves finished that season with a terrible record of 38 wins and 115 losses. This was the team's worst season ever.

Fuchs lost control of the team in August 1935. The team tried to rebrand as the Boston Bees. But it didn't change their luck. A builder named Lou Perini took over. He eventually brought back the Braves' name. World War II caused a small delay. But then, the team, led by pitcher Warren Spahn, had good seasons in 1946 and 1947.

Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn

In 1948, the team won the championship. Pitchers Spahn and Johnny Sain were key. The rest of the pitching staff was not as strong. A writer named Gerald Hern wrote a famous poem about Spahn and Sain:

First we'll use Spahn

then we'll use Sain

Then an off day

followed by rain

Back will come Spahn

followed by Sain

And followed

we hope

by two days of rain.

This poem became very popular. The saying "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain" became part of baseball talk.

The 1948 World Series was the Braves' last big moment in Boston. They lost to the Indians in six games. On March 13, 1953, Perini announced the team was moving to Milwaukee. Perini said that television and a lack of excitement for the Braves in Boston were the main reasons.

Milwaukee's Time (1953–1965)

The Milwaukee Braves cap logo

The Milwaukee Braves moved to Wisconsin for the 1953 season. It was an instant hit. They had a record 1.8 million fans. They finished second in the league. Manager Charlie Grimm was named NL Manager of the Year.

In the 1950s, the Braves were a strong team in the National League. With powerful hitters like Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron, they won two championships. They also finished second twice between 1956 and 1959. In 1957, Aaron had an MVP season. He led the Braves to their first championship in nine years. Then, they won the 1957 World Series against the strong New York Yankees. The next season, they played the Yankees again in the World Series. The Braves started strong but lost the last three games and the series. The 1959 season ended in a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers won a playoff game against the Braves. After that, their success went up and down. In 1963, they finished fifth, their first time in the "second division."

In 1962, owner Louis Perini sold the Braves. A group from Chicago led by William Bartholomay bought them. Bartholomay wanted to move the team to Atlanta in 1965. But legal issues kept them in Milwaukee for one more season.

Atlanta's Era (1966–present)

Early Years in Atlanta (1966–1974)

Hall of Fame right fielder and designated hitter Hank Aaron

The Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966. They found success in 1969 when divisions started. They won the first National League West Division title. But in the National League Championship Series, the "Miracle Mets" swept them. The Braves only had two winning seasons between 1970 and 1981. Fans in Atlanta mostly enjoyed watching Hank Aaron. By the end of 1973, he had hit 713 home runs. This was just one short of Babe Ruth's record. On April 4, 1974, opening day, he hit his 714th home run in Cincinnati. On April 8, in front of his home fans and on national TV, he finally broke Ruth's record. He hit a home run off Al Downing of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Aaron played most of his career as a Milwaukee and Atlanta Brave. He was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on November 2, 1974.

The Ted Turner Years

Ted Turner Buys the Team (1976–1977)

Media owner Ted Turner bought the team in 1976. He played a big part in how the team was run.

In 1976, media owner Ted Turner bought the team. He owned the TV channel WTBS. He bought the team to keep it in Atlanta. Turner used the Braves as a big draw for his new cable network. This made the Braves the first team to have fans all over the country. WTBS called the team "The Atlanta Braves: America's Team". This nickname is still used in some parts of the country, especially in the South. Turner was short on money. He used money already paid to the team for TV rights as a down payment. Turner quickly became known as a unique owner. On May 11, 1977, Turner made himself the manager. But MLB rules from the 1950s said managers could not own part of the team. So, Turner had to stop managing after one game. The Braves lost that game 2–1. This made their losing streak 17 games.

Ups and Downs (1978–1990)

Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz won six Cy Young Awards together as Braves pitchers.

The Braves didn't have much success between 1978 and 1990. However, in the 1982 season, manager Joe Torre led them. They won their first division title since 1969. Key players like Dale Murphy, Bob Horner, and Phil Niekro helped the team. The Braves were swept in the NLCS by the Cardinals. Murphy won the MVP award for the National League in both 1982 and 1983.

14 Straight Division Titles (1991–2005)

From 1991 to 2005, the Atlanta Braves had an amazing run. They won a record 14 division titles in a row. They also won five National League championships and the World Series in 1995. Bobby Cox came back as manager in 1990. He helped turn the team around. They had the worst record in baseball the year before. Important things happened, like drafting Chipper Jones in 1990. They also hired John Schuerholz as general manager.

The Braves' great journey started in 1991. This was known as the "Worst to First" season. The Braves started slowly but then got strong. Young pitchers Tom Glavine and John Smoltz led the way. The team won the NL championship in a close race. They lost the 1991 World Series to the Minnesota Twins. The next year, the Braves won the NLCS in a dramatic way. They beat the Pirates. But they lost the 1992 World Series to the Toronto Blue Jays.

In 1993, the Braves got even better pitchers. They added Cy Young Award winner Greg Maddux. Even with a team-best 104 wins, they lost in the NLCS. They lost to the Philadelphia Phillies. The team moved to the Eastern Division in 1994. This started a big rivalry with the New York Mets.

The player's strike cut the 1994 season short. But the Braves bounced back in 1995. They beat the Cleveland Indians to win the 1995 World Series. With this win, the Braves became the first MLB team to win championships in three different cities. The Braves reached the World Series again in 1996 and 1999. But the New York Yankees beat them both times.

In 1996, Time Warner bought Ted Turner's company, including the Braves. The Braves kept winning. They got their ninth straight division title in 2000. But they lost in the playoffs to the St. Louis Cardinals. The team won division titles from 2002 to 2004. But they lost early in the playoffs each year.

The Liberty Media Era

New Owners and Retirements

Chipper Jones waves to the crowd at Turner Field before his last regular-season game on September 30, 2012. He retired after 19 seasons with the Braves.

In December 2005, Time Warner decided to sell the Braves. Liberty Media bought the team in February 2007 for $450 million. The sale needed approval from MLB owners.

Bobby Cox's last year as manager was in 2010. The Braves made the playoffs again for the first time since 2005. They won the NL Wild Card. But they lost to the San Francisco Giants in the National League Division Series. This was the end of Bobby Cox's managing career. The next season, the Braves had a big collapse in September and missed the playoffs. The team played better in 2012. They returned to the playoffs in Chipper Jones' final season. The Braves won 94 games in 2012. But they didn't win the NL East. So, they played the St. Louis Cardinals in the first-ever Wild Card Game. Chipper Jones' last game was memorable. The Braves lost the one-game playoff 6–3. The game is remembered for a controversial call that hurt a Braves comeback.

Truist Park and Another World Series Win

Truist Park before its first regular-season game.

In 2017, the Atlanta Braves started playing at Truist Park. This new stadium replaced Turner Field. After an MLB investigation into signing rules, general manager John Coppolella resigned. He was banned from baseball. Alex Anthopoulos became the new general manager. The team's chairman, Terry McGuirk, apologized for the scandal. He trusted Anthopoulos to lead with honesty. A new mascot named Blooper was introduced before the 2017 season. Under Anthopoulos, the Braves made the playoffs in six of his first seven seasons. In 2020, the Braves reached the National League Championship Series. But they lost to the Dodgers after leading 3–1.

President Joe Biden hosts the 2021 World Series Champion Atlanta Braves on September 26, 2022, at the White House.

In the 2021 season, the Braves won the National League East. They had an 88–73 record. In the playoffs, they quickly beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3–1. The Braves faced the Dodgers again in the 2021 NLCS. They won in six games. This gave Atlanta its first National League championship since 1999. The Braves then went to the World Series. They beat the Houston Astros in six games. This was their fourth World Series title!

Team Logos and Uniforms

The Braves' logos have changed over time. From 1945 to 1955, they had a Native American warrior. From 1956 to 1965, it was a laughing Native American with a mohawk and feather. The current logo, from 1987, has the word "Braves" in cursive with a tomahawk below it.

Uniforms changed in 1987. The team started using uniforms like their classic 1950s look. For the 2023 season, the Braves had four uniform types. These included classic white home and gray road uniforms. They also had a navy blue road jersey for some games. For home games, they had two alternate uniforms. A red one for Friday nights and a "City Connect" uniform for Saturdays. The City Connect uniform honors Hank Aaron. It has "The A" on the chest. The cap has an "A" logo and colors from the 1974 uniform.

World Series Wins

The Braves franchise has won four World Series Championships. This is over 120 years of the World Series. The Braves are the only team to win a World Series in three different cities.

Braves' Home Fields

Truist Park

Truist Park has been the Atlanta Braves' home stadium since 2017. It is about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of downtown Atlanta. It is in Cumberland, in Cobb County, Georgia. The team played at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium from 1966 to 1996. Then they played at Turner Field from 1997 to 2016. The Braves opened Truist Park on April 14, 2017. They swept the San Diego Padres in a four-game series. People liked the park a lot. Woody Studenmund called it a "gem." He liked its "compact beauty" and how it mixed baseball with other activities. J.J. Cooper praised the "excellent sight lines for pretty much every seat."

CoolToday Park

Since 2019, the Braves have played spring training games at CoolToday Park. This park is in North Port, Florida. It opened on March 24, 2019. The Braves won their first game there 4–2 against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Braves moved from Champion Stadium. That was their old Spring Training home near Orlando. They moved to be closer to other teams' facilities. CoolToday Park is also where the Braves' players recover from injuries all year.

Fan Attendance

(*) – No fans were allowed in MLB stadiums in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Main Rivalries

New York Mets

The Mets swept the Braves in the 1969 NLCS. But their rivalry didn't get really intense until 1994. That's when both teams were put in the National League East division.

The Braves played the Mets in the 1999 National League Championship Series. The Braves took a 3–0 lead. It looked like they would sweep. But the Mets fought back in Game 4 and Game 5. Even with the Mets' strong comeback, the Braves won the series in Game 6. Andruw Jones got a dramatic walk-off walk. This earned the Braves their 5th National League championship of the decade. In 2022, both the Braves and Mets finished with 101 wins. The NL East title came down to a key three-game series at Truist Park. The Mets had a small lead. But the Braves swept the series. Atlanta won the NL East division title and a first-round bye. They won the season series against the Mets.

Nationwide Fanbase

The Braves have many fans in Atlanta and Georgia. They are also called "America's Team". This is because their games were shown nationally on TBS from the 1970s to 2007. This gave the team fans all over the country.

The Braves have strong support in the Southeastern United States. This includes states like Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Florida.

Tomahawk Chop Discussion

The Atlanta Braves encouraged fans to do the "Tomahawk Chop." They gave out foam tomahawks at games.

In 1991, Atlanta Braves fans started doing the "tomahawk chop" during games. They would use foam tomahawks. Some Native American groups said this was disrespectful. They felt it was demeaning. But the Braves' public relations director said it was a "proud expression of unification and family." The discussion came up again in 2019. Cherokee Nation member and St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Ryan Helsley found the chop insulting. The Braves then changed how they did the chop during games. They talked with Native American representatives. In 2020, people pressured the Braves to change their name. The Braves said they were still talking about the chop. But they said the team name would not change.

The debate about the tomahawk chop continued in 2021. Some Native American leaders, like Richard Sneed, the Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, said they personally didn't mind it. They saw it as recognizing Native American strength. But others strongly disagreed. Sneed said there were bigger issues for Native American communities. He questioned why the chop was such a focus. The Eastern Cherokee Band of Indians and the Braves started working together. They wanted to add Cherokee language and culture to the team's activities, stadium, and merchandise. This was to show more cultural understanding.

Achievements

Awards

Team Records

Retired Numbers

The Braves have retired eleven numbers in their history. Most recently, Andruw Jones' number 25 was retired in 2023. Chipper Jones' number 10 was retired in 2013. John Smoltz's number 29 was retired in 2012. Bobby Cox's number 6 was retired in 2011. Tom Glavine's number 47 was retired in 2010. Greg Maddux's number 31 was retired in 2009. Also, Hank Aaron's 44, Dale Murphy's 3, Phil Niekro's 35, Eddie Mathews' 41, and Warren Spahn's 21 are retired. Jackie Robinson's number 42 is retired for all of baseball. Six of these eleven numbers (Cox, Jones, Jones, Smoltz, Maddux, and Glavine) were on the Braves at the same time. All eligible players whose numbers are retired have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The only exceptions are Dale Murphy and Andruw Jones. The colors and design of the retired numbers on signs in the stadium match the uniform design from when the player was on the team.

Dale Murphy OF Retired June 13, 1994 Bobby Cox Mgr Retired August 12, 2011 Chipper Jones 3B Retired June 28, 2013 Warren Spahn P Retired December 11, 1965 Andruw Jones OF Retired September 9, 2023 John Smoltz P Retired June 8, 2012 Greg Maddux P Retired July 17, 2009 Phil Niekro P Retired August 6, 1984 Eddie Mathews 3B Retired July 26, 1969 Hank Aaron RF Retired April 15, 1977 Tom Glavine P Retired August 6, 2010 Jackie Robinson All MLB Honored April 15, 1997

Baseball Hall of Famers

Bobby Cox

Chipper Jones

Phil Niekro

P Greg Maddux, Hall of Famer

Braves Hall of Fame

2× MVP Dale Murphy, outfielder

3B Eddie Mathews, Hall of Famer

Braves Hall of Fame wall at Truist Park

Key

Year	Year inducted
Bold	Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
	Member of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a Brave
Bold	Recipient of the Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award

Braves Hall of Fame
Year	No.	Name	Position(s)	Tenure
1999	21	Warren Spahn	P	1942, 1946–1964
	35	Phil Niekro	P	1964–1983, 1987
	41	Eddie Mathews	3B Manager	1952–1966 1972–1974
	44	Hank Aaron	RF	1954–1974
2000	—	Ted Turner	Owner/President	1976–1996
	3	Dale Murphy	OF	1976–1990
2001	32	Ernie Johnson Sr.	P Broadcaster	1950, 1952–1958 1962–1999
2002	28, 33	Johnny Sain	P Coach	1942, 1946–1951 1977, 1985–1986
	—	Bill Bartholomay	Owner/President	1962–1976
2003	1, 23	Del Crandall	C	1949–1963
2004	—	Pete Van Wieren	Broadcaster	1976–2008
	—	Kid Nichols	P	1890–1901
	1	Tommy Holmes	OF Manager	1942–1951 1951–1952
	—	Skip Caray	Broadcaster	1976–2008
2005	—	Paul Snyder	Executive	1973–2007
	—	Herman Long	SS	1890–1902
2006	—	Bill Lucas	GM	1976–1979
	11, 48	Ralph Garr	OF	1968–1975
2007	23	David Justice	OF	1989–1996
2009	31	Greg Maddux	P	1993–2003
2010	47	Tom Glavine	P	1987–2002, 2008
2011	6	Bobby Cox	Manager	1978–1981, 1990–2010
2012	29	John Smoltz	P	1988–1999, 2001–2008
2013	10	Chipper Jones	3B/LF	1993–2012
2014	8	Javy López	C	1992–2003
	1	Rabbit Maranville	SS/2B	1912–1920 1929–1933, 1935
	—	Dave Pursley	Trainer	1961–2002
2015	—	Don Sutton	Broadcaster	1989–2006, 2009–2020
2016	25	Andruw Jones	CF	1996–2007
	—	John Schuerholz	Executive	1990–2016
2018	15	Tim Hudson	P	2005–2013
	—	Joe Simpson	Broadcaster	1992–present
2019	—	Hugh Duffy	OF	1892–1900
	5, 9	Terry Pendleton	3B Coach	1991–1994, 1996 2002–2017
2022	9	Joe Adcock	1B/OF	1953–1962
	54	Leo Mazzone	Coach	1990–2005
	9, 15	Joe Torre	C/1B/3B Manager	1960–1968 1982–1984
2023	25, 43, 77	Rico Carty	LF	1963–1972
	—	Fred Tenney	1B	1894–1907, 1911

Team Roster

Minor League Teams

The Atlanta Braves have six minor league teams. These teams help new players get ready for the major leagues.

Radio and TV Broadcasts

Bally Sports Southeast shows the Braves' regional games. Brandon Gaudin is the play-by-play announcer for Bally Sports Southeast. He works with lead analyst C.J. Nitkowski. Jeff Francoeur and Tom Glavine also join for some games. Peter Moylan, Nick Green, and John Smoltz also appear as analysts for certain games.

The radio team has play-by-play announcer Ben Ingram and analyst Joe Simpson. Braves games are heard across Georgia and seven other states. They are on at least 172 radio stations. This includes 680 The Fan in Atlanta. Stations as far as Richmond, Virginia, and Louisville, Kentucky, also carry the games. At least 82 radio stations in Georgia broadcast the games.

See also

In Spanish: Atlanta Braves para niños