Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame facts for kids
The Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame was a special place that honored important players, coaches, and others who were part of the Atlanta Braves baseball team. It celebrated their history from when the team played in Boston (1871–1952), Milwaukee (1953–1965), and Atlanta (1966–present). The museum was named after a former mayor of Atlanta, Ivan Allen Jr.. It was located at Turner Field and opened in 1999.
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What Was Inside the Museum?
Braves Hall of Fame
The Braves Hall of Fame honored 35 people who made a big difference to the team over its many years. These included players, managers, broadcasters, and even owners.
Famous Members of the Hall of Fame
Many legendary figures were inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame. Some of these heroes are also in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which is the biggest honor in baseball!
Here are some of the famous people who were honored:
- Hank Aaron (inducted 1999): A legendary outfielder who broke many home run records.
- Warren Spahn (inducted 1999): A fantastic pitcher for many years.
- Phil Niekro (inducted 1999): Known for his tricky "knuckleball" pitch.
- Eddie Mathews (inducted 1999): A powerful third baseman.
- Ted Turner (inducted 2000): The team's owner for many years.
- Dale Murphy (inducted 2000): A popular outfielder.
- Greg Maddux (inducted 2009): A brilliant pitcher known for his control.
- Tom Glavine (inducted 2010): Another amazing pitcher, part of a famous trio.
- Bobby Cox (inducted 2011): A very successful manager for the Braves.
- John Smoltz (inducted 2012): A pitcher who was great as both a starter and a reliever.
- Chipper Jones (inducted 2013): A star third baseman who played his whole career with the Braves.
- Andruw Jones (inducted 2016): A fantastic center fielder known for his defense.
City Exhibits: A Trip Through Time
The museum had special sections for each city where the Braves played. These "city" exhibits showed items and information from the team's time in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta.
- Boston Exhibit: You could learn about Babe Ruth when he played for the Braves and see items from the 1914 World Series.
- Milwaukee Exhibit: This section included a piece of an old train car and celebrated the 1957 World Series win.
- Atlanta Exhibit: This exhibit featured Hank Aaron's 715th home run, which broke a huge record. It also displayed replica rings and the Commissioner's Trophy from the 1995 World Series.
Braves in Cooperstown
This exhibit showed photos of all the players who played for the Braves and later became members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Being in the Hall of Fame is one of the highest honors a baseball player can receive.
How Turner Field Was Built
Another exhibit, called "The Transformation of Turner Field," showed how the stadium changed. It explained how the Centennial Olympic Stadium was turned into Turner Field after the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Braves Leaderboard
The museum also had a large scoreboard. This "Braves Leaderboard" kept track of how current players were doing. It showed their progress toward breaking team records for pitching and hitting.
Moving to Truist Park
When the Braves moved to their new home, Truist Park, they decided not to build a new museum. Instead, they spread out all the cool memorabilia and historical items throughout the new ballpark for everyone to enjoy as they walked around.
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