[RetiredArmy]

I saw my first big league game in old Atlanta Stadium back in 1966 when the Braves came to Atlanta. The Giants and Braves played a day-night double header. I saw Willie Mays hit a dinger, Hank Aaron go deep, Joe Torre was the Braves catcher, Gaylord Perry pitched for the Giants in one game and Tony Colonger (spell?) threw for the Braves. The Braves 2d string catcher, Gene Oliver hit 3 dingers in game two. It was a full house and a great day at the park. I got to see Sandy Koufax, Phil Niekro, Roberto Clemente, Bob Gibson, Larry Dierker, Jimmy Wynn, and Rusty Staub of the Astros, and tons of other greats over there. The south did not have baseball till the Braves came in. Houston to the west, Cincinnati north of us or Baltimore were the nearest teams. I grew up a Mickey Mantle fan. I have saw hundred upon hundreds of games on TBS. The Braves were a really bad team in the 1970s and part of the 1980s. But, they were the first Western Div. champs when the league went into the division set up from the one league standings. The Mets and Seaver went to the series after beating the Braves in the first NL play offs of the East and West. How Atlanta first got in the west was a real mystery. TBS brought baseball into homes around the country during the week when ESPN was not around. You only had the Saturday Game of the Week back in those days.

[fkabuckeyesrule]

****But, they were the first Western Div. champs when the league went into the division set up from the one league standings. The Mets and Seaver went to the series after beating the Braves in the first NL play offs****

That was 1969 my first year that I remember following baseball. Hank Aaron hit a HR in all three games but the braves lost all three 9-5, 11-6 and 7-4.