I saw on MLB.com a section where everyday fans can write baseball articles and they post a new one every week. This is the one I wrote.
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Growing up a few houses down from an Atlanta Braves scout was always fascinating to me. When I was younger, he succeeded in getting my mother, my younger brother and I hooked on Atlanta Braves baseball.The sport fascinated me and I was absolutely hooked on the Braves. The crack of the bat, the sound of the fans cheering, and the sight of the players on the diamond made me wrapped up in being a fan. I cannot remember a time that I was not a Braves fan.
It did not take long to realize that I was hands down the minority in my area, which was filled with fans of the Philadelphia Phillies. I to this day take a lot of heat for cheering on rivals of the home team, but it does not get to me.They think it does, so they continue with trying to convert me into the "right team". But I never once considered it. I stuck to my guns. I get accused of being a bandwagoner after the Braves won the 1995 World Series, but I was a fan even before that. The Braves have been my team since I began watching the sport. To this day, I can name almost any former Braves player since about 1994, and name their number, postion and about how long they were with the Braves.
Being a Braves fan, you hear them being called many things, most commonly, "The Team of the 90's". The 1990's are over and done with but to any diehard Braves fan, they are still number one, despite the decade.
I was twelve years old the year that Atlanta Braves beared their World Series rings, but the memories will never fade. To this day I can see catcher,Charlie O'Brian, runni ng to greet Mark Wohlers on the mound as the benches cleared and the crowd went wild, and a dejected Cleveland Indians team hung their heads low. Some images you do not ever forget. There are players you do not forget either.Whether they were a "big star" or a player who was with us for just a short while, memeories usually do not fade.
If you are a long time Braves fan,you may remember players such as Mark Wohlers, the closer with a rocket for an arm ,who could send a fastball at 100+ MPH at you and leave your head spinning in circles. Or little remembered Jeff Blauser who was a hero in the 1995 World Series win. Who can forget the "Four Aces" team of starting pitchers that the Braves had in Steve Avery,Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz? Denny Neagle who replaced Steve Avery as one of the "Four Aces", was a key to the Braves pitching success in the 1990's.
Remember the night where Rafael Belliard, the little known infielder,who launched a home run when he came into the game as a pinch hitter? Belliard only had one career home run coming into that night and it was ten years before that night.
As for more pitchers, I wonder if anyone remembers relievers Mike Cather, Rudy Seanez, and Kerry Lightenberg. I remember when they came up to Atlanta from AAA Richmond and they were as feared relievers as any veteran you could find out there. John Rocker was the new closer in town once Mark Wohlers had injuries. He is most remembered for his comments about New York citizens and players, and no one even wanted anything to do with him after that. But he still had an arm to beat.
My favorite memory of the Braves was when I saw my first game and my mother asked me who my favorite would be and I did not know. I forget who my momther and brother chose, but I chose the catcher, Javier "Javy" Lopez. He has been my hands down favorite ever since I can remember. I began an exstensive baseball card collection of him in the mid 90's and now the card collection is over 150+ cards and going. Hearing that he got picked up as a free aget by the Baltimore Orioles brought me to tears. I did not realize how much having him as a Braves player meant to me until then. It still has not sunk in. I still collect his cards, follow his career, and despite being a Braves fan till the day I die, I will always have him as my favorite MLB player. Knowing he went the team in the AL that I like the most makes me feel slightly better, but not quite. Now the Braves have Eddie Perez wearing Atlanta colors once again. Perez was Lopez's backup catcher for many years and now he is abck so it feels better knowing a familiar face will once again be wearing the team colors.
I no longer live a few houses down from the man who gave me the love of the Braves, but he is still nearby. I saw him over Christmas, and he gave me the most wonderful present. When he began scouting for Atlanta in the 70's the head of the organization gave him a beautiful gold necklace with a small charm of a baseball player for his wife, who passed away a few years ago. She wore that necklace everyday and when I wear the necklace, I know that even though I live where the "Fightin' Phils" are number one, that I am true to who my team is. And nothing feels much better than that.
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~da2kokib~
julie :)