The Mississippi Braves,or M-Braves as they are referred to locally,are a Minor League Baseball team based in Pearl,Mississippi,a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and plays in the Southern League. The team is owned and operated by Diamond Baseball Holdings,which purchased the Braves from Liberty Media in 2022.
Robert Joe Cox is an American former professional baseball third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Cox played for the New York Yankees and managed the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays. He is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He recorded a 100-win season six times,a record matched only by Joe McCarthy.
James David Bristol is an American former manager in Major League Baseball in the 1960s and 1970s. He managed the Cincinnati Reds,Milwaukee Brewers,Atlanta Braves,and San Francisco Giants during this period.
Jeffrey Braden Francoeur,nicknamed "Frenchy",is an American former professional baseball right fielder,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves,New York Mets,Texas Rangers,Kansas City Royals,San Francisco Giants,San Diego Padres,Philadelphia Phillies,and Miami Marlins. When his playing days ended,he became a broadcaster;Francoeur is currently the lead television analyst for Atlanta Braves games.
Michael Ross Borzello is an Italian-American professional baseball coach who has worked for the New York Yankees,Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock,Jr. is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a third baseman from 1973 to 1987. Madlock is notable for being a four-time National League batting champion. His four batting titles as a third baseman was a record until Wade Boggs attained his fifth in 1988. Since 1970,only Tony Gwynn has won more National League batting titles (eight). Madlock is also one of only three right-handed hitters to have won multiple National League batting titles since 1960,Roberto Clemente having also won four and Tommy Davis having won back-to-back titles in 1962 and 1963.
Charles Herman Williams was an American baseball umpire who officiated in the National League from 1978 to 1999,and in both leagues from 2000 to 2001. He was the fourth African American to serve as a full-time MLB umpire,and in 1985 became the first Black umpire of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In 1993 he became the first African American umpire to work behind home plate in a World Series game. He wore uniform number 25.
Robert Randall Bragan was an American shortstop,catcher,manager,and coach in Major League Baseball and an influential minor league executive. His professional baseball career encompassed 73 years,from his first season as a player in the Class D Alabama–Florida League in 1937,to 2009,the last full year of his life,when he was still listed as a consultant to the Texas Rangers' organization.
John Patrick McSherry was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1971 until his death. McSherry wore uniform number 9 when he entered the National League,then wore number 10 from 1979 through the rest of his career. A respected arbiter,he was one of several umpires who were noticeably obese. McSherry was officially listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 328 pounds (149 kg). On April 1,1996,the opening day of the 1996 Major League Baseball season,McSherry suffered a fatal heart attack while calling a game in Cincinnati.
Vernon Fred "Vern" Rapp was a Major League Baseball manager and coach. A career minor league catcher and a successful skipper in the minors,Rapp had two brief tours of duty as a big league manager.
Joseph Mikulik,born October 30,1963,in Weimar,Texas,is a former minor league baseball player and the former manager of the Asheville Tourists,Myrtle Beach Pelicans and the Frisco RoughRiders minor league baseball teams. The 5' 11" right-handed outfielder never rose above AAA baseball,but was a key player in the Tucson Toros' first Pacific Coast League championship in 1991. During 2007,his eighth season with the Tourists,Mikulik,who already held the team record for most games managed,became the team's all-time leader in managerial wins.
Randall Max Ready is a former professional baseball player and former manager for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. Ready played in the major Leagues primarily as a utility player from 1983 to 1995. He also played one season in Japan for the Chiba Lotte Marines in 1996. He was a minor league coach for the Detroit Tigers and served as a minor league coach for the Padres.
Douglas Craig Dascenzo is an American professional baseball coach. The former Major League Baseball outfielder played for the Chicago Cubs,Texas Rangers,and San Diego Padres,where he began his coaching career. He spent 2014 as a third base coach for the Atlanta Braves,and is currently a coach for the Chicago Cubs affiliate Tennessee Smokies.
Michael John Winters is an American former umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1988 to 1999 and throughout both major leagues from 2000 to 2019,wearing number 33. For the 2011 season,Winters was named a crew chief following the retirements of Jerry Crawford,Mike Reilly,and Chuck Meriwether.
John William Russell is an American former catcher and outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB),and former manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played 10 seasons from 1984 to 1993 with the Philadelphia Phillies,Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers,mostly as a platoon or reserve player.
The 1978 Atlanta Braves season was the 108th season for the franchise and their 13th in Atlanta.
Scott Adam Barry is currently an American umpire in Major League Baseball (MLB). Scott made his debut as an MLB reserve umpire in 2006,and 2011 was his first full-time season as an MLB umpire. He lives in Quincy,Michigan.
Gerald William Meals is an American retired Major League Baseball umpire. After serving as an NL reserve umpire from 1992 to 1997,he became a full-time umpire in 1998. Meals was promoted to crew chief in 2015,and worked the World Series in 2014 and 2020. He retired following the 2022 season.
Todd Frederick Tichenor is an American professional baseball umpire. He became a Major League Baseball reserve umpire in 2007 and was promoted to the full-time MLB staff in 2012. He wore number 97 until the 2014 season,when he switched to number 13.
Samuel Woodford Holbrook is an American retired Major League Baseball umpire. He made his MLB debut in 1996 and was promoted to crew chief in 2017. Holbrook worked the World Series in 2010,2016,and 2019. He retired following the 2022 season.
