There were five legendary outfielders in Major League Baseball during the Golden Age of Baseball from 1951 to 1976…..to include Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Roberto Clemente, Duke Snyder and Hank Aaron…..who between them set a standard of excellence that has not been seen either prior to or since they graced the outfields of MLB…..as each one was…
Actor Kirk Douglas spins a wonderful tale about what baseball meant to kids all over America in 1985 in his introduction to this WTBS Sports program, Baseball Behind The Seams…..for you can tell from the very start that although Douglas had not played a lot of the game…..he still had that “glow in his eye” and…
The 1985 Atlanta Braves season was the 20th in Atlanta….and the 115th season in franchise history. The Braves failed to qualify for the postseason for the third consecutive season. Joe Torre had managed the Braves to the 1982 National League West Division title….then to a second-place 1983 finish….but his 1984 Braves fell below the .500 mark…..and 12 games behind the division-champion San Diego Padres….so, Torre was fired…
Bruce Edwin Benedict (born August 18, 1955) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and scout….who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1989…..after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 5th round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft…..when he made his major league debut on August 18, 1978, his 23rd birthday. Benedict led National League catchers in 1981 with 73 assists and 48 base runners caught stealing….as his defensive…
The 1985 Atlanta Braves season was the 20th in Atlanta and the 115th season in franchise history. The Braves failed to qualify for the postseason for the third consecutive season….so, during the off-season, the Braves would hire former Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Chuck Tanner as their 1985 manager. In addition to a new manager, the 1985 Braves had a new relief ace in Bruce Sutter…..and they also had…
In Major League Baseball (MLB), spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season….which allows new players to try out for roster and position spots….and gives established players practice time prior to competitive play. Spring training has always attracted fan attention….while drawing crowds who travel to the warm climates of Arizona and Florida to enjoy the weather….and watch…
Terry Jay Forster (born January 14, 1952) is a retired left-handed relief pitcher who played for 16 seasons in the Major Leagues….as he played for five teams in his career and recorded 127 saves during his time in the majors. Forster became a free agent and signed with the Atlanta Braves for the 1983 season. He had an efficient three seasons, compiling…
In 1985, WTBS aired a weekly baseball television special call Baseball Behind The Seams….which was hosted by actor Kirk Douglas….who really loved baseball….and in this episode, Spartacus explores the relationship between the ballplayer and the journalist….with lots of focus on the “interview”…..as this is as much a part of baseball as what goes on in the fields of play. …
DOG ASIDE: Henry Louis Aaron (born February 5, 1934), nicknamed “Hammer“ or “Hammerin’ Hank“, is a retired American Major League Baseball (MLB) right fielder who serves as the senior vice president of the Atlanta Braves today in 2018….who played 21 seasons for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL)….with two seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers in the American League (AL), in his career from 1954 through 1976. …