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Alabama ties to the Atlanta Braves big win
Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! After 26 years, The Atlanta Braves have won the World Series again. Keep reading to learn how the team has shaped the lives of iconic Alabama baseball pros and one Bham Nower from A-Town.
A historic win
As an Atlanta native and fan of Atlanta sports teams, I’ve come to accept heartbreak as a part of life. The Atlanta Falcons have never won a Super Bowl (we try our best to forget February 5, 2017) and the Hawks have never won the NBA Finals. The sun finally shined on us in 1995 when the Atlanta Braves won the World Series and once again in 2018 when United won the MLS Cup. Now, the sports gods have shown us favor once again. After 26 long years, the Braves have finally brought home another Commissioner’s Trophy (the first in my lifetime). To honor this historic win, let’s remember the ways the Braves have touched Alabama.
Huntsville’s own Kyle Wright
You may not have known but, we had an Alabama native in the World Series! Kyle Wright is from Hunstville, Alabama, and graduated from Buckhorn High School before attending Vanderbilt University. Wright was the fifth pick of the first round in the 2017 MLB draft and has since played for both the Gwinnett Stripers (the Braves minor league affiliate) and the Atlanta Braves.
Legends of yesterday
Hank Aaron
During the Atlanta games of the World Series, you may have seen the number 44 emblazoned on the outfield. This number represented one of the Braves’ (and the entire MLB’s) most iconic figures—Hank Aaron. Hailing from Mobile, Alabama, Hammerin Hank played for the Boston Braves’ minor league teams, the Milwaukee Braves and the Atlanta Braves, making him one of the only players to play under the Braves in all franchise locations (the only player to play for all three major league Braves teams was Eddie Mathews). Throughout his career, Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record, stood strong in the face of racism and helped the organization win a World Series. If you ever wonder how powerful Hank Aaron was, just remember Muhammad Ali called him the only man he idolizes more than himself.
Don Sutton
Clio, Alabama native Don Sutton played for five Major League Baseball teams during his career including the Houston Astros. After retiring from the game, Sutton began broadcasting for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves in 1989. By 1990, Sutton was a full-time broadcaster for the Braves and after a brief three-year stint with the Washington Nationals, Sutton came back home. In July of 2015, Sutton became the fourth broadcaster inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame.
Both Hank Aaron and Don Sutton passed in January but we’re sure they’re looking down on their team with pride.
A proud fan
The Rickwood Field dugout. Photo via Nathan Watson 
A birdeye view of Rickwood Field. Photo via Katiana Banks 
Rickwood Field entrance. Photo via Katiana Banks 
The Banks cousins catching a game at Truist Park. Photo via Katiana Banks
As an Atlanta native and baseball fan, I just want to say this is one of the happiest days of my life. I’ve attended Braves games and cried at our losses. Recently in Birmingham, I visited America’s oldest baseball field—Rickwood Field. Here, Hank Aaron and Dusty Baker (former Atlanta Brave and current Houston Astros manager) played in 1973 and 1974 along with many other baseball heroes. Tuesday night, I finally got to cheer on my team as they brought home the Commissioner’s Trophy for the first time in my life. It’s a great day to be an ATLien.
