The Tomahawk Times The Official Newsletter of the Braves 400 Fan Club

Transcription

1 The Tomahawk Times The Official Newsletter of the Braves 400 Fan Club October 2014 By Dave Badertscher The Braves 400 Fan Club s annual Call-Up Luncheon was held on Wednesday, September 17, in the 755 Club at Turner Field. We were pleased to welcome pitchers Juan Jaime, Gus Schlosser, and Chasen Shreve, who were called-up to the Atlanta Braves for the remainder of the 2014 season. Fan Club President Rick Wheeler led us through a lively and entertaining program. Enjoying lunch with Braves pitcher Chasen Shreve (center) Juan Jaime, Chasen Shreve, Gus Schlosser with Braves 400 Fan Club President Rick Wheeler Following lunch Rick introduced each of the three players, highlighting their baseball accomplishments and statistics. He asked Chasen, Gus, and Juan to participate in a Q&A session, which included lots of queries from the audience. The initial focus was on the call-up experience, their biggest surprises, and good-natured rookie hazing. Things took off from there. Here s a sample of what we learned: Gus said that you have to be prepared to be called-up at the drop of a hat and when you least expect it (he s been called-up four times). In his Major League debut in July, Chasen was informed by Bullpen Coach Eddie Perez that he would have to go out and face Ryan Howard. Freddie Freeman and Chris Johnson told him Good luck! Chasen went on to strike Howard out. The clubhouses are a LOT cleaner in the Big Leagues! Their favorite players growing up: Gus (Ken Griffey, Jr.), Chasen (Andruw Jones), Juan (Pedro Martinez). Concerning hazing, it was revealed that the players had the opportunity to dress up: Gus Bat Girl, Juan Ninja Turtle, Chasen fairy. Aaron Harang was allegedly in-charge. This left us time for individual conversations, autographs, and photos with Jaime, Gus, and Chasen. All three of them were very personable and friendly. No doubt, a number of 2014 Call-Up Luncheon attendees will be rooting a little harder for these players to have successful Major League careers.

2 The Tomahawk Times October 2014 Issue Page 2 Chasen Shreve signs Braves cap Gus Schlosser signs Ann Rainey and Chasen Shreve To view more photos from the 2014 Call-Up Luncheon and other Club events, visit the Photo Gallery on our website at: By Rick Wheeler, President, Braves 400 Fan Club The end of the Braves baseball season signals the start of the busiest time of year for the Braves 400 Fan Club Board of Directors. For the next three months we will be consumed with planning for the 2015 Eddie Glennon Gameboree. As most of you know, this event marks the unofficial start of the next baseball season. For us, next year s Gameboree on January 24 th will be very special. The theme will be Golden Anniversary - 50 Years Supporting Braves Baseball. Believe it or not, next year will be the Golden Anniversary of our Club. There are at least two people in the Atlanta area who have been active with the Fan Club for all 50 years. Plan on attending, so you can find out who they are. I ll see you at the Gameboree! Here s something else to add to your calendar and look forward to. With the release of the Braves 2015 schedule and input from our membership, I am happy to report that our 2015 Major League Road Trip will be to Pittsburgh the weekend of June So, mark your calendars now and watch for trip details early in We would like to extend our thanks to Frank Wren for his support of the Braves 400 Fan Club during his seven years as General Manager. Frank willingly gave of his time during one of the busiest times of the year to speak at our annual High School All-Star Luncheon. No doubt he inspired many young players and their parents with his insightful talks. He was also a frequent guest at our annual Gameboree. We look forward to continuing this type of relationship and support with the team's next General Manager. On a sad note, just as we were getting ready to go to press, we learned that Walter Victor passed away. Walter was a highly decorated World War II veteran who went on to be the Braves official photographer for 40 years. Many of his photographs are in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Walter was a long-time member and supporter of the Braves 400 Fan Club. In 2002 he received the Ivan Allen, Jr. Mr. Baseball award from us. We will miss him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Ruth, and his family.

3 The Tomahawk Times October 2014 Issue Page 3 By Wayne Coleman, 2015 Gameboree Chairman Our January 24, 2015 gala banquet, the Eddie Glennon Gameboree, will salute 50 years of the Braves 400 Fan Club, Our Club formed a full year before the Braves move to Atlanta, and original Club members served as Braves booster representatives by helping create community interest in the team, encouraging ticket sales and providing support services to the Braves organization. At our upcoming banquet, the lead story in the deluxe souvenir program will be a history of the Braves 400 Fan Club. This is where you can help. How long have you been a member of the Braves 400 Fan Club? If you ve been a member for 15 years or more, please let us know how many years so that we can give you recognition. Whether you ve been a member for five years or all 49 to date, your photos of past Club events will help document our fascinating history. When was your first trip with the Club? Your first Gameboree? Your most memorable luncheon? Meeting a player(s) at a Club function? A minor league trip or other Club activity? We d love to borrow your photos and hear your recollections. Please send all memories and e-photos to Gameboree@braves400.org. Mail hard photos to the Club at Braves 400 Fan Club, P.O Box 7689, Atlanta, GA and we will return your photos after scanning them. History is in your hands. Please help us with your photos and your memories! Their photos do not appear on any U.S. currency, but they are our forefathers, people who helped create and nurture the Braves 400 Fan Club. As part of our 50 th anniversary celebration all past Braves 400 Fan Club presidents are receiving invitations to the January 24, 2015 Gameboree. Being a volunteer organization, however, our records are incomplete. We do not have contact information for a number of them, and we know that some are deceased. Enjoy perusing this list of our hardworking forefathers. Please contact us if you can provide updates or contact information for any gentlemen prior to us at Gameboree@braves400.org. Year(s) President Joe Gerson Steve Schmidt J.L. Jerden William Bass Al Thompson Archie Yawn Jerry Fields Robert Eskew Raymond Wainwright Otis Viall Dan Ehrlich Charlie Brown Julian Asher Bob Hope Sidney Tourial Rene Maynard William Tuggle Hugh Pierce Don Schubele Ed Koons Wayne Coleman Tom Hufford Bernie Marino Judy Messer Gary Novak Michael Marcey Johnny Tallant John Padgett Wayne Coleman Coleman/Marino Rick Wheeler Bob Messner Rick Wheeler

4 The Tomahawk Times October 2014 Issue Page 4 For the second year in a row Braves 400 Fan Club members worked as volunteers at the Atlanta Braves Youth Baseball Classic presented by Bank of America during Labor Day Weekend. This year the tournament expanded to a record 72 teams consisting of players from ages 6-16 drawn from throughout the Southeast. It was once again held at Wills Park in Alpharetta. Fan Club volunteers were Dave Badertscher, Arlene Langer, and Lynn Walley. Our duties included working at the registration desk, keeping score for assigned games, and acting as field manager. We worked along with groups of volunteers from Bank America and Fort Gordon. It was quite an undertaking to coordinate all of the tournament activities. Ericka Newsome, Janet Sevilla, and the other members of the Braves Community Affairs staff did a nice job of keeping things on schedule. Arlene and Dave reported for duty at 6:00 AM on Saturday with the games beginning promptly at 7:00. A very full day of baseball activities followed. The games themselves ran from 45 minutes to an hour and a half depending on the age group. The tournament had a good mix of recreational teams and travel teams. Skill levels varied, but good sportsmanship and coaching were on display throughout, as well as an ample supply of youthful energy on a hot day. One of the highlights for each team was the photo session with Braves third baseman, Chris Johnson, during the noon break. At the end of the day, the teams headed for Turner Field where they saw the Braves vs Marlins and participated in a pre-game parade. On Sunday Lynn kept score of four games for 9 year-olds. Lynn was particularly impressed by a girl player on the Acworth team. The girl played a mean shortstop and was very talented. One of her family members sat with Lynn in the scorer s booth and said she lives, sleeps, eats, and breathes baseball. Andrelton Simmons is her favorite player and she proudly wears #19. For those bemoaning the lack of youth participation and enthusiasm for baseball nowadays, it should be reported that baseball was very much alive and well on the Wills Park diamonds at the 2014 Braves Youth Baseball Classic. Ericka Newsome welcomes players, coaches, and parents The Braves batting cage was a big hit!

5 The Tomahawk Times October 2014 Issue Page 5 The 8 th Annual Atlanta Braves Breast Cancer Awareness Day was held on Sunday, September 21 st. The day-long celebration honors breast cancer survivors in the community, raising awareness and funds to support research, education, and advocacy for cancer patients and their families. Braves 400 Fan Club members Lynn Camp, Lynn Walley, Carole Brooks, Carol Magill, Nancy and Dave Badertscher answered the call for volunteers from Braves Community Affairs Manager Janet Sevilla. We assisted with registration and t-shirt distribution at the Braves Tent in Monument Grove. Several GSU Sports Administration students also helped. Each survivor received a ticket to the Braves vs Mets game that afternoon, a commemorative Breast Cancer Awareness Day t-shirt, a pre-game reception, and participation in the Walk in the Park on-field ceremony. 266 survivors were honored on the field, followed by a touching release of pink balloons over Turner Field. Registering cancer survivors Survivor Erma Killings (third from left) Releasing balloons at Turner Field By Lynn Walley The Braves 400 Fan Club welcomed about 30 youth chaperoned by police officers from the Police Athletic League (PAL) to Turner Field for our fourth Reach Out, Be Our Guest event of the year. The group attended the Braves vs Dodgers game on Monday, August 11 th. Club participants were: Carole Brooks, Sally and Dick Doster, Howard Evans, Carol Magill, and Lynn Walley. PAL is a non-profit, public benefit corporation whose mission is to provide a safe environment for youth to reach their full potential through partnerships with the police and community utilizing athletics and other programs. PAL was created in 1971 by NYC Police Lt. Ed Flynn, who recognized that young people hanging out on the street corners crave structure and guidance. Through PAL s cooperative efforts, less privileged youth learn that they have the mental and physical resources to overcome any obstacle to achieve success. The group watched the Braves take batting practice and was visited by Braves player, Ramiro Pena, who signed autographs. After batting practice, they were escorted to the Club Level of the stadium where they were enjoyed a complimentary meal courtesy of Chick-fil-A. Then it was off to their seats to enjoy a fun evening of Braves baseball! Ramiro Pena

6 The Tomahawk Times October 2014 Issue Page 6 By Lynn Walley For the final Reach Out, Be Our Guest event of the 2014 season, and in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Braves 400 Fan Club welcomed ten incredible young cancer warriors and their families from Rally Foundation to Turner Field for the Braves vs Nationals game on Tuesday, September 16 th. Fan Club attendees were Carole Brooks, Mary Lou Brooks, Lynn Camp, Sally and Dick Doster, Alma Lewis, Carol Magill, Tom Millin, Lynn Walley, and Rick Wheeler. Rally Foundation began nine years ago in response to a mother s call for help to raise money for childhood cancer research and fund the best cancer research available. This came after her son, a talented pitcher on an 8 th grade baseball travel team, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He endured eighteen grueling months of treatment, went into remission with a good prognosis, and then suffered a relapse eighteen months later. Since 2005, Rally Foundation has given $5.25+ million in research grants, funding 75 cutting-edge projects across the country. It has earned the Charity Seal of Excellence and received the highest available ranking on GuideStar. The outing began with Braves batting practice. Braves pitcher Kris Medlen, one of the local spokespersons for Rally Foundation, sat in the bleachers with the children and their families during batting practice. Kris posed for numerous pictures, signed autographs, and talked with the kids, letting them sit on his lap and try on his glove! Kris Medlen and Peyton Kris with more Rally friends Kathryn Bennett & friend Audrey

7 The Tomahawk Times October 2014 Issue Page 7 Following batting practice, the group went to the Hank Aaron Room for a special party, which included a meal provided by Chick-fil-A and desserts provided by members of the Braves 400 Fan Club. Braves 400 Fan Club President Rick Wheeler conducted a Braves trivia game. Prizes awarded for the correct answer included autographed baseballs, photos, and caps. Everyone was also privileged to hear the amazing testimony from Audrey, a 12 year-old cancer survivor, who was giving her story a test run before presenting it to Governor Deal the next day! What a special and humbling experience to witness these families enjoy a very rare time of visiting with one another and watching their kids play and just be kids! Don Crabtree, Miamisburg, OH The Braves 400 Fan Club s Annual Election Luncheon will be held Saturday, November 15 th at noon. Elect and meet the Fan Club s new officers, talk baseball with fellow club members, and enjoy a guest speaker (TBD). Always a fun event. When: Saturday, November 15, 2014, noon Where: Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center Guest Speaker: TBD Cost: $25 Details and registration information are posted at And from longtime Braves 400 Fan Club member, Mil Fisher, comes news of the Magnolia SABR Chapter s Fall Banquet later that evening. Find out how to register below. When: Saturday, November 15, 2014, 6:30 PM Where: Doubletree by Hilton Atlanta Northlake Guest Speaker: John Smoltz Cost: $50 per person Details: Are you a real Braves baseball fan? Then why not make it a November doubleheader?

8 The Tomahawk Times October 2014 Issue Page 8 It was a day of torrential downpours. One of the local radio personalities described it as the worst Atlanta commute since last January s notorious Snowmageddon. Six hearty Braves 400 Fan Club members weathered the storm to celebrate the 22 nd anniversary of Sid Bream s game winning slide in Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS. Unlike last year s gathering, we had the Green Lot at Turner Field on the site of old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium all to ourselves. With a clear view from home plate out to where the left field fence once resided, only a bit of imagination was required to turn back the clock those 22 years or even longer. We ate lunch under the shelter of Wayne Coleman s tent and enjoyed a healthy slice of the anniversary cake. For a little while the weather cut us a break. Of course, the best part was listening to Skip s play-by-play call of Frank s hit and Sid s slide on tape. Swung, line drive left field Braves win! Braves win! Listening to that final play never gets old or fails to raise goose bumps. Let s do it again next year! The Braves 400 Fan Club salutes Sid s Slide Cutting the cake near home plate By Dave Badertscher In this issue of The Tomahawk Times, you ll read about the Fan Club s impressive list of activities over the past couple of months. We held two events, our September Call-Up Luncheon and our annual Sid Slid Celebration, as well as volunteering for the Braves Youth Baseball Classic, Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and completing another rewarding year of Reach Out, Be Our Guest. More Club members got involved in giving back this year always great to see! Most everyone agrees that 2014 was a disappointing season for the Braves. Were you there for the team s final home game against the Pirates on a Thursday night? Good crowd, but it didn t go well for us. In the eighth inning with the score 10-0 Pirates, I looked around the Turner Field stands. The usual Braves 400 Fan Club faithful were in their seats no surprise there. But why were so many others still there? After all, the game was already three hours old with the Braves down impossibly at the end of a long season. What about work and school early the next morning? When Jason Heyward scored our only run in the bottom of the ninth, many of those remaining cheered and chopped wildly, clearly into the game. They still cared. So much for fair-weather Atlanta fans. Hopefully the players on the field noticed. Something to build on for next year.