The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The club was founded in Boston,Massachusetts,in 1871 as the Boston Red Stockings. The Braves are one of two remaining National League charter franchises that debuted in 1876 and are the oldest continuously operating professional sports franchise in North America. The franchise was known by various names until it adopted the Boston Braves name in 1912.
Gregory Alan Maddux,also known as "Mad Dog" and "the Professor," is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB),primarily with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. He won the 1995 World Series with the Braves over the Cleveland Indians. Maddux was the first pitcher in MLB history to win the Cy Young Award four consecutive years (1992–1995),matched by only one other pitcher,Randy Johnson. During those four seasons,Maddux had a 75–29 record with a 1.98 earned run average (ERA),while allowing less than one baserunner per inning.
John Andrew Smoltz,nicknamed "Smoltzie" and "Marmaduke",is an American former baseball pitcher who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009,all but the last year with the Atlanta Braves. An eight-time All-Star,Smoltz was part of a celebrated trio of starting pitchers,along with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine,who propelled Atlanta to perennial pennant contention in the 1990s,highlighted by a championship in the 1995 World Series. He won the National League (NL) Cy Young Award in 1996 after posting a record of 24–8,equaling the most victories by an NL pitcher since 1972.
Thomas Michael Glavine is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball,for the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets (2003–2007).
Kevin Austin Millwood is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves,Philadelphia Phillies,Cleveland Indians,Texas Rangers,Baltimore Orioles,Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners.
Doyle Lafayette Alexander is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers,Baltimore Orioles,New York Yankees,Texas Rangers,Atlanta Braves,San Francisco Giants,Toronto Blue Jays,and Detroit Tigers.
The 1998 National League Championship Series (NLCS),to determine the champion of the National League in Major League Baseball’s 1998 postseason,was played from October 7 to 14 between the East Division champion and top-seeded Atlanta Braves and the West Division champion and third-seeded San Diego Padres.
The 1996 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1996 season. The 92nd edition of the World Series,it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Atlanta Braves and the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees. The Yankees defeated the Braves four games to two to capture their first World Series title since 1978 and their 23rd overall. The series was played from October 20–26,1996,and was broadcast on television on Fox. Yankees relief pitcher John Wetteland was named the World Series Most Valuable Player for saving all four Yankee wins.
Greggory William Olson is an American former professional baseball player,coach,scout and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a right-handed pitcher from 1988 through 2001,most prominently as a member of the Baltimore Orioles where he established himself as one of the premier relief pitchers in the American League (AL). Olson was named the AL Rookie of the Year in 1989,his first full season in the major leagues and,the following season was named to his only American League All-Star team. He set an Orioles team record of 41 consecutive scoreless innings and,he holds the team record for career saves.
Raymond Roger Miller was an American pitching coach and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). A highly regarded pitching coach,he was known for bringing improvement to the pitchers he coached at many stops over his career. His successes as a pitching coach twice led him to be promoted to manager,where he was much less successful. He managed the Minnesota Twins (1985–86) and the Baltimore Orioles (1998–99),each for less than two seasons and with a losing record each time,compiling an overall managerial record of 266–297 (.472).
The 1997 National League Championship Series (NLCS) was a semifinal series in Major League Baseball’s 1997 postseason that pitted the Florida Marlins against the Atlanta Braves. The Marlins won the series,4–2,and went on to defeat the Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series.
Brad Lynn Komminsk,is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He attended Shawnee High School in Lima,Ohio,where he played basketball and baseball and was an all-state linebacker in football. He received athletic scholarship offers from Ohio State,Nebraska and Clemson. On June 5,1979,he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the fourth pick in the 1979 amateur draft and received a US$70,000 signing bonus.
William Oliver O'Dell,known as Billy O'Dell and also as Digger O'Dell,was an American professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues in thirteen seasons:1954 and from 1956 to 1967. He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent in 1954,and was a bonus baby,never spending a day in the minors. He did not play in 1955 due to service in the military.
Ronald Lee Reed is an American former professional baseball and basketball player. He spent two seasons as a power forward in the National Basketball Association with the Detroit Pistons before spending nearly two decades as a Major League Baseball pitcher.
The 2006 Baltimore Orioles season was the 106th season in Baltimore Orioles franchise history,the 53rd in Baltimore,and the 15th at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. They failed to improve on their 74–88 (.457) record from the previous year with a 70-92 record,and missed the postseason for the 9th straight season.
The 1996 Atlanta Braves season was the 126th season in the history of the franchise and 31st season in the city of Atlanta. They secured a regular season record of 96–66 and reached the World Series,where they lost to the underdog New York Yankees in six games,failing to defend its championship in 1995. Heavily favored and seen as one of the greatest Braves teams in history and despite taking a 2–0 lead,the Braves unexpectedly lost the next 4 games. This World Series appearance was their fourth appearance in the last 5 years as a franchise,excluding the strike shortened season. Atlanta won its seventh division title and its fifth in six years. In the previous round,Atlanta completed a miraculous comeback. After trailing in the NLCS to St. Louis three games to one,Atlanta outscored St. Louis 32–1 in games five through seven to complete the comeback. The collapse was remembered as one of the largest in North American sports history.
The 1998 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 33rd season in Atlanta and 128th overall. The Braves entered the season as defending National League runner ups. They went on to win their fourth consecutive division title,taking the National League East title by 18 games over the second place New York Mets.
The 2002 Atlanta Braves season marked the franchise's 37th season in Atlanta and 132nd overall. The Braves won their eighth consecutive division title,finishing 19 games ahead of the second-place Montreal Expos. The Braves lost the 2002 Divisional Series to the eventual NL Champion San Francisco Giants,3 games to 2. This would be the first of four consecutive NLDS losses in as many years,and the first of three consecutive years to do so by losing the deciding Game 5 at Turner Field.
This article details the history of the Atlanta Braves,which concerns the evolution of the Major League Baseball team Atlanta Braves over time.
The Big Three was a trio of Major League Baseball starting pitchers for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 2002 which consisted of Greg Maddux,Tom Glavine,and John Smoltz. The Big Three combined to win seven National League Cy Young Awards in the 1990s and helped lead the Atlanta Braves to a 1995 World Series win. Each member of the Big Three has had their jersey retired by the Atlanta Braves and were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
