Braves In Cooperstown Are Not Necessarily In Team’s Hall of Fame

By Dan Schlossberg

Baseball Hall of Famers who played for the Atlanta Braves are not necessarily members of the team’s Hall of Fame.

Say what?

Of the 35 people elected to the team’s Hall of Fame since its founding in 1999, 15 are also in Cooperstown, though broadcaster Don Sutton got there as a pitcher for the Dodgers.

Four significant members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame made major contributions to the Braves but didn’t last long enough to qualify for the team’s Hall. That requires at least three years with the Braves’ organization.

So Red Schoendienst, the second baseman whose arrival from St. Louis helped turn the 1957 Milwaukee Braves into World Champions, is not in the Braves Hall of Fame.

Neither are first baseman Orlando Cepeda or knuckleballing relief pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm, both of whom were key reasons the 1969 Braves became champions of the National League West (don’t ask why the team languished in the wrong division for 25 seasons).

Bruce Sutter, who never started a game, made it to Cooperstown mainly for his work with the Cubs and Cardinals, though he was one of the first major free-agent signings by the Braves. He just didn’t last that long in his contract, though his deferred-money contract far outlasted the pitcher’s tenure.

It’s also likely that Gary Sheffield will join this unique group — once the Eras Committee gets to vote on his Cooperstown candidacy.

Andruw Jones held the Braves franchise record for home runs with 51 before Matt Olson hit 54 last year.Photo byWikipedia

Another contender for the Hall of Fame, Andruw Jones, is already in the Braves Hall but not the one in Cooperstown. That should change within the next year or two, as he slowly approaches the 75 per cent minimum he needs for election.

Like Jones, innovative owner Ted Turner — who saved the Atlanta franchise — is in the team’s Hall of Fame but not the one in Central New York. Not yet anyway.

Same goes for Lew Burdette, MVP of the only World Series won by the Milwaukee Braves and long-time sidekick of Warren Spahn. Only the team enshrined him, though his No. 33 (now worn by Greg Minter) should be retired alongside the No. 54, now worn by Max Fried, of legendary pitching coach Leo Mazzone. If ever the big Hall of Fame decided to consider enshrining coaches, he could be first choice (he and Terry Pendleton are the only coaches in the Braves Hall of Fame).

Then there’s Milo Hamilton, Voice of the Braves from 1966-1975 and winner of the Ford C. Frick Award given annually for excellence in broadcasting. He’s in Cooperstown, as he should be, but not in the team’s Hall of Fame — even though fellow broadcasters Skip Caray, Pete Van Wieren, Ernie Johnson, Sr. and even Joe Simpson are included.

Also on the outside looking in is Donald Davidson, whose tenure with the Braves started in Boston and lasted through the Milwaukee years and into Atlanta. Vertically challenged, Davidson began as a batboy for the Boston Braves and worked his way up — literally — to publicist and traveling secretary despite a penchant for pranks and cursing that made him a true character of the game.

Bob Hope should be in the Braves Hall of Fame too. Not the comedian but the guy with 1,001 ways to bring fans out even when the team is terrible. During the early years of the Ted Turner ownership, Hope convinced the maverick owner there was always hope — at least in such zany ideas as ostrich races and wet T-shirt nights.

Curious about the 15 Braves Hall of Famers residing in Cooperstown?

They are Hank Aaron, Bobby Cox, Hugh Duffy, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux, Rabbit Maranville, Eddie Mathews, Kid Nichols, Phil Niekro, John Schuerholz, John Smoltz, Don Sutton, Warren Spahn, and Joe Torre.

The Braves have not yet announced their Class of 2024.

Former AP sportswriter Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ covers baseball for forbes.com, Memories & Dreams, USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, Here’s The Pitch, and many other outlets. The author of 41 books, including a new Hank Aaron biography, can be reached via ballauthor@gmail.com.