I have been an Atlanta Braves fan primarily since 1974. That was the year that Hank Aaron hit his milestone home run. I remember reading the Birmingham News avidly on Thursday, April 4, 1974, the day after the Jumbo day tornado outbreak. Everyone was wondering if Aaron would break the home run record in Cincinnati, or would it wait until he got home until Atlanta.
In March of 1975, the Braves came to Birmingham to play an exhibition game with the Baltimore Orioles. Knowing how much that I liked baseball, my dad got tickets for us and we went to Rickwood Field for the exhibition game.
My dad encouraged me to go down to the first base dugout to collect autographs during batting practice. I was very pleased to get autographs from such superstars as Henry Aaron, Phil Niekro, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Boog Powel..
I was minding my own business, waiting patiently for another autograph from another Brave like Ralph Garr or Buzz Capra when this hand came out of nowhere and grabbed my souvenir program. It was handed back to me with a huge scrawl of an autograph written in big black marker on the cover. There with Darrell Evans, Biff Pocoroba and Dusty Baker was an autograph I did not want...Milo Hamilton at the time. I wish that I had that program today. It was lost over the years.
Now, Milo Hamilton is a Hall of Fame announcer for the Houston Astros. He is my favorite baseball announcer anywhere. It will be sad to see him retire at the end of the year.
In March of 1975, the Braves came to Birmingham to play an exhibition game with the Baltimore Orioles. Knowing how much that I liked baseball, my dad got tickets for us and we went to Rickwood Field for the exhibition game.
My dad encouraged me to go down to the first base dugout to collect autographs during batting practice. I was very pleased to get autographs from such superstars as Henry Aaron, Phil Niekro, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Boog Powel..
I was minding my own business, waiting patiently for another autograph from another Brave like Ralph Garr or Buzz Capra when this hand came out of nowhere and grabbed my souvenir program. It was handed back to me with a huge scrawl of an autograph written in big black marker on the cover. There with Darrell Evans, Biff Pocoroba and Dusty Baker was an autograph I did not want...Milo Hamilton at the time. I wish that I had that program today. It was lost over the years.
Now, Milo Hamilton is a Hall of Fame announcer for the Houston Astros. He is my favorite baseball announcer anywhere. It will be sad to see him retire at the end of the year.
on April 21, 2006, 9:28 pm
.....It's a fine thing that 33-40 does, and I really enjoy it! Yeah, I'm an old-time Braves fan, and I used to listen on my old 9-vold american flag transistor AM radio to the Braves, usually past my bedtime! Knuckle-ball Phil Niekro was my favorite! And Gene Garber. Man, they called on him every game!
.....We Braves fans are in Heaven after a decade and a half of constant playoff appearances!
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