www abdopublishing com Published by Abdo Publishing a division of ABDO PO Box 398166 Minneapolis Minnesota 55439 Copyright 2015 by Abdo Consulting Group Inc International copyrights reserved in all countries No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher SportsZone is a trademark and logo of Abdo Publishing Printed in the United States of America North Mankato Minnesota 052014 092014 Editor Chrös McDougall Copy Editor Nicholas Cafarelli Interior Design and Production Carol Castro Cover Design Christa Schneider Photo Credits Chris Bernacchi AP Images cover AP Images 1 4 7 9 15 16 18 21 25 31 42 middle and bottom 43 top George H Hastings 10 42 top Bain News Service Library of Congress 12 Harry L Hall AP Images 22 RHH AP Images 26 File AP Images 28 Rusty Kennedy AP Images 32 Jim Mone AP Images 35 Doug Mills AP Images 37 Ed Reinke AP Images 38 43 middle John Bazemore AP Images 41 Curtis Compton Atlanta Journal Constitution AP Images 43 bottom Jeff Roberson AP Images 44 Ric Feld AP Images 47 Library of Congress Control Number 2014932909 Cataloging-in-Publication Data Howell Brian 1974 Atlanta Braves by Brian Howell p cm Inside MLB Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 978-1-62403-461-9 1 Atlanta Braves Baseball team History Juvenile Literature I Title GV875 A8H69 2015 796 357’6409758231 dc23 2014932909
TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Hammerin Hank 4 Chapter 2 Born in Boston 10 Chapter 3 Moving West Then South 18 Chapter 4 Finding a New Home 26 Chapter 5 Years of Dominance 32 Timeline 42 Quick Stats 44 Quotes and Anecdotes 45 Glossary 46 For More Information 47 Index 48 About the Author 48
CHAPTER 1 HAMMERIN HANK
G rowing up in Alabama Henry Hank Aaron always found a way to play baseball even when he did not have a bat and ball He would hit bottle caps with a broomstick if he had to and he and his brothers found creative ways to make baseballs We’d make our own base balls by wrapping nylon hose around an old golf ball or just use old rags tied together or handlebar grips or tin cans crumpled up he said Hank had chores to do also but his focus was often on base ball When I look back on my life I can see that all through my childhood I was being pre pared to play baseball he said High Praise High Praise Joe Adcock who played for the Joe Adcock who played for the Joe Adcock who played for the Braves from 1953 to 1962 was al o Braves from 1953 to 1962 was also Braves from 1953 to 1962 was also a very good hitter He was quite a very good hitter He was quite impressed with Hank Aaron how impressed with Hank Aaron how www ever Trying to sneak a pitch past t ever Trying to sneak a pitch past ever Trying to sneak a pitch past Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak Hank Aaron is like trying to sneak the sunrise past a rooster he said the sunrise past a rooster he said Hank Aaron played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves from 1954 to Hank Aaron played for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves from 1954 to 1974 He was an All-Star in all but his first season with the Braves 1974 He was an All-Star in all but his first season with the Braves HAMMERIN HANK 5
