Atlanta Braves Leaving Futlon County: Going Back to Fulton County, Part 1
By Dan Horton
For the First Time in Over 20 Years, I’m Going Back to Fulton County
I’ve been an Atlanta Braves fan as long as I can remember. I haven’t been to Atlanta since June 14th, 1994. I was 13 years old, about to be 14 in a month. That night was a surprise to me because I had no idea I would be going.
It was an early birthday gift. I had seen games at Fulton County Stadium before, a handful of times. I saw guys like Phil Niekro, Bruce Benedict, Bob Horner, Steve Bedrosian, Claudell Washington, and others play at Fulton County before.
I even saw my boyhood hero and favorite player, Dale Murphy, play at The Launching Pad.
Murphy was my favorite player of all time. Still is. Next to that is Tom Glavine. He was a lefty, like I was, and I always tried to mimic his demeanor on the mound when I played.
The absence of expression was what I loved watching most about Glavine. He was so resolute and stoic on the hill. And it wasn’t until recently, that I learned Murphy, too, is a lefty like I am. He writes left-handed.
However, in a time when being left-handed was frowned upon, because not many knew how to coach lefty’s, he was taught to hit and throw right-handed.
Of all the times I got to see my hero play, I never had the pleasure nor the honor of actually meeting him, at least, not that I remember. I’ve got autographs from Murphy, but not one of them were from my own efforts.
Family, friends, and Ebay have provided the means to which my acquisitions have come to my possession. Just once, I’d give my left arm to be the one standing there, holding out the ball, bat, or cap for the signature.
In 1994, I was surprised with tickets to Fulton County Stadium to see the Braves take on the Rockies. But the difference this night was that it was the night the Braves immortalized Dale Murphy forever in Braves history.
No other player would ever wear number 3 again for the Braves. And I was going to be there to see it. The tickets were the hook, the game was the line, and witnessing the Braves retire #3 was the sinker.
The stands were jammed packed. I remember the Braves wound up losing that night to the Rockies, and I was genuinely disappointed. Not because they lost, but because they lost on Dale Murphy Night at Fulton County Stadium.
This was my last trip to Atlanta. The last time I would see Dale Murphy stand on the diamond again, in person. That is until a little over a week from now, when I’ll be on my way to Turner Field, for my first and last time.
When the announcement was made that The Braves would be leaving Fulton County for Cobb County in 2017, I wanted to … no, I needed to see the Braves play before the move occurred. So, I looked at the schedule.
The promotional schedule was released prior to single game tickets going on sale. I looked at that too. I saw that this particular weekend, July 30th, 2016, was Alumni Weekend. I jumped on it. At 37, over 20 years from the last time I left Fulton County, I’m going back.
And on top of it all, Saturday the Braves are giving away replica, 1991 “Worst to First”, NL West Championship rings. I’m not missing this. Saturday is also the Alumni Softball game.
The 1991 team will play the other Braves Alumni. I’ll get one last opportunity to see my hero, hopefully, in a Braves jersey one more time. And I couldn’t be any more excited about it.
I’m guessing that once my weekend is over, I’ll have a new best memory to talk about and share.
And maybe, if the baseball gods are feeling gracious, a chance to be up close and personal with my boyhood hero is possible. That is, of course, if the stars align.