Glavine’s No. 47 unveiled on left field facade – updated
For the master of the change-of-pace, Tom Glavine got one of his own Friday night.
With the unveiling of his No. 47 on the left field upper deck façade at Turner Field, on the day he was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame, Glavine heard nary a boo from some 40,000 Braves fans.
His relationship with the Braves faithful over the years has been complicated, from his time as a representative for the players’ union, five years spent with the NL East rival Mets and ultimately a contentious release from the Braves in his comeback attempt last June.
But on Friday it was simple. Braves fans showered him with adoration, and Glavine responded with rare emotion for a pitcher who had hidden behind a stony-faced exterior on the mound for so many years.
Sitting on a temporary stage just a few feet from the mound in a pre-game ceremony, Glavine’s eyes reddened as his No. 47 was unveiled.
He became only the seventh Brave to have his number retired. His No. 47 is situated, appropriately, to the left-hand side of Greg Maddux’s No. 31.
While the second winningest left-hander in Braves history took the podium, now with gray flecks in his hair to match his gray suit, Glavine let the emotions flow.
“I’m in awe,” he said. “I’m stunned. I really am. There are not many moments when I’ve been this emotional and this speechless, but this is one of them.”
He thanked his mother and father, sisters and brothers, wife and children, manager and teammates, and then turned to address the fans.
“I hope at the end of the day whether you watched the game here at the stadium or on TV, when you saw No. 47 walk to the mound, you knew I was going to give you everything I had,” Glavine said.
He said something more, but it was drowned out by cheers.
That’s how the day started for Glavine. He was welcomed into the Braves Hall of Fame with a standing ovation from 830 fans at a sold-out luncheon at the Omni Hotel. Shaking hands with Braves president John Schuerholz, Glavine took his place as the 22nd member of the Braves Hall of Fame.
“This is the right place for me to be,” Glavine said shortly after being inducted. “This is the way this thing should have all ended.”
Glavine won his 300th game in 2007 as a Met. He didn’t so much retire as a Brave as got released. But for the next big occasion, he felt like he was back home.
“Obviously me and the organization have had our rifts over the years, unfortunately, but that’s a part of the business,” said Glavine, now 44 and working as a part-time Braves broadcaster and special assistant to Schuerholz. “I’m just thankful and fortunate when all was said and done, we were all able to be big boys and put our differences aside and get things back to where they belong.”
Glavine was the only home grown member of the “Big Three” of Maddux, Glavine and John Smoltz. He was drafted and signed by Braves scouts Paul Snyder and Tony DeMacio 26 years ago.
Glavine remembered the butterflies he felt as an 18-year-old flying to Bradenton, Fla., for rookie ball and the struggles when he lost 17 games in 1988 his first year in the big leagues. He won the National League Cy Young in 1991 to lead the Braves from worst-to-first.
Glavine was the man on the mound for one of the most spine-tingling nights in Atlanta sports history, when he shut out the Cleveland Indians for eight innings in the clinching game of the 1995 World Series, which the Braves won 1-0 on David Justice’s solo homer.
As stoic as Glavine always was on the mound, former pitching coach Leo Mazzone gave some insight into how intense he was during the course of a game, especially that Game 6.
“Tommy came in after fifth inning, it was 0-0, he said, ‘Would somebody score a bleeping run because they’re not?’” Mazzone said in a storytelling session at the luncheon with Chipper Jones and former Brave Javy Lopez.
The program included video messages from Steve Avery, Maddux and Smoltz.
“You did a lot for the game, a lot for the people around you,” Maddux said. “You made your teammates better, the sign of a true pro. What can I say, dude, 300 games, congratulations. That was awesome.”
Glavine won 305 games for his career, good for 21st all-time. He’s second in wins by a Braves left-hander only to Warren Spahn. He won 20 games five times. He won two Cy Youngs, four Silver Sluggers and a World Series MVP.
He’s headed for the Baseball Hall of Fame, but in ways, this induction was more poignant that Cooperstown could ever be.
At times, in recent years, his family wasn’t comfortable coming to Turner Field, Glavine acknowledged. His son Peyton struggled when hearing boos from Braves fans when he was with the Mets. But that’s changed now.
“I want my kids to be Braves fans,” Glavine said. “I want my kids to want to go down to the ballpark. And for a little while there that wasn’t happening. Now it is. You feel like you’ve come full circle.”
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Guides
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
116 comments Add your comment
jesse james
August 6th, 2010
2:23 pm
Congratulations Tom!
LizDawg
August 6th, 2010
2:26 pm
I still consider Tommy G a traitor for going to the hated Mets!
bravos850
August 6th, 2010
2:27 pm
greatest lefty the braves have ever had or will have.
Kentavo
August 6th, 2010
2:30 pm
His Mets years are irrelevant; We smacked him around pretty good; so who cares?
All I’ll remember is the ‘95 decding game of the World Series.
Thanks, Tom!
birdbrain
August 6th, 2010
2:30 pm
Guess you forgot about Warren Spahn…
Arcadio
August 6th, 2010
2:32 pm
One of the best pitchers in the history of the game. Along with Maddux and Smoltz, hands down the best 1-2-3 rotation of Braves. Congratulations to Glavine!
hoho
August 6th, 2010
2:32 pm
Amen bravos850. Hope there is no BS involved in the ceremony Fri. Fans should be on their feet and cheering. He was on the mound for the Braves only WS clinching game, ’nuff said. Forget the rest.
Voice of Reason
August 6th, 2010
2:32 pm
@Lizdawg If our ownership actually paid players what they were worth Tom never would have left. I dont blame any player for taking a better offer when our pathetic ownership refuses to pay for good players.
BravesFan
August 6th, 2010
2:33 pm
Congrats to Tommy. Next up, Smoltz and the trio will be complete.
BravesFan
August 6th, 2010
2:34 pm
Never has been and never will be a better 1-2-3 combination than Maddux, Glanvine and Smoltz.
Bama brave
August 6th, 2010
2:35 pm
Please Fans show up Tonight. Tom Glavine is A Brave now and forever!
Tami
August 6th, 2010
2:36 pm
I choose to remember Glav’s career as a whole, the bulk of it being with the Braves. And he’s expected to be inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown — first ballot (I hope) — the class of 2014 — as a Brave. Not the 1994 strike-shortened season, which was 16 years ago. Not when he left the Braves for the division rival Muts. And, not just for the 1995 World Championship season. He is an otherwise classy guy, that pitched his heart out for the Braves. And what a run the Braves had! Congratulations, Glav!!! It makes me proud to be a Braves’ fan!
Judy
August 6th, 2010
2:36 pm
Thank you Tom for all the fabulous years! And thanks for being part of the announcing team!!!
Melky Way
August 6th, 2010
2:37 pm
Thank you voice of reason,well said. congrats T Glavin Ilook forward to you entering the HOF!
MitchC
August 6th, 2010
2:40 pm
I’ve forgiven Glavine for going to the Mets. We got our revenge against him then by beating him a bunch of times. The bottom line is, the guy won 244 games for us, finished his career a Brave, and pitched brilliantly in the most important game in Braves history,. Game Six of the wonderful 1995 World Series.
Congratulations, Tom. You deserve it. You are one of the greatest pitchers ever to play the game of baseball, and, in a few years, you will take your place with all the other greats in history, at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
KnightInATL
August 6th, 2010
2:40 pm
Should be a great night, tonight. 47 will go up on the left field facade…and how bout the Braves putting up double digits tonight?
KnightInATL
August 6th, 2010
2:43 pm
And yeah, Spahn was our greatest lefty. Nice try though.
Voice of no reason
August 6th, 2010
2:44 pm
I lost a lot of respect for both Smoltz and Glavine with the crap they pulled last year. Remember how Maddux left when the Braves couldn’t pay him. Not a word, he understood that he was not as good as he once was and his salary should be reduced. The other two got their butts handed to them last year when they badmouthed the Braves. Interesting how both have come back with hat in hand and are announcing games. Has Glavine offically retired?
NickD
August 6th, 2010
2:44 pm
I most admire Tom Glavine for being honest, thoughtful, intelligent, and putting his responsibilities and principles above all else, including popularity. He is a fine role model. I and my son Tom will be there this evening to honor him for all these things.
Steve
August 6th, 2010
2:45 pm
Carroll never mind regarding the e-mail I sent. I see it will happen around 7:30. Thanks!
Voice of no reason
August 6th, 2010
2:45 pm
I thought there were a couple of teams still interested in Glavine. Yeah, right.
THEX
August 6th, 2010
2:48 pm
Voice of No Reason – Idiot.
Congrats, Tom! You’re a great player and a great person.
Voice of no reason
August 6th, 2010
2:49 pm
Sorry, I am too harsh. I did love watching both pitch. I guess when somebody gets paid $175 million, I think they should have a little loyalty. It’s not like the Braves didn’t make a strong offer. I think with tax implications, the offers were fairly similiar.
Voice of no reason
August 6th, 2010
2:50 pm
Tom, I just found your two front teeth. They’re in a cab in New York.
Voice of no reason
August 6th, 2010
2:51 pm
THEX = idiot
Voice of no reason
August 6th, 2010
2:51 pm
I think that’s what you meant to type.
Let's Go Bravos!
August 6th, 2010
2:51 pm
So who else’s numbers are we going to retire? Smoltz, Cox, Chipper, anyone else?
Voice of no reason
August 6th, 2010
2:53 pm
Greg Norton
Mr. Met
August 6th, 2010
2:54 pm
So proud to be a Met’s fan, where Tommy G recorded his 300th win. I don’t blame Tommy for wanting to play for the Mets. Go Mets!
YA Tittle
August 6th, 2010
2:55 pm
Whuh?
Stuart
August 6th, 2010
2:55 pm
Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz were the best… they pitched with ERAs as low as or lower than the top pitchers today, and they did it right in the middle of the steroid era… quite impressive.
Let's Go Bravos!
August 6th, 2010
2:55 pm
I agree that Norton was a big contributor to the Braves last year batting about .098. I think his last contribution to the team was to give McClouth some hitting lessons.
Georgia Justice
August 6th, 2010
2:55 pm
There is a good chance that severe thunderstorms will do to tonight’s ceremony Glavine and the Baseball Players’ Union did to the 2004 Season and the pure love of the game the child in all of us had at that time.
Georgia Justice
August 6th, 2010
2:57 pm
CORRECTION:
There is a good chance that severe thunderstorms will do to tonight’s ceremony WHAT Glavine and the Baseball Players’ Union did to the 2004 Season and the pure love of the game the child in all of us had at that time.
Burn with Ted Kennedy, Glavine !
Mr. Enigma
August 6th, 2010
2:57 pm
Even though he wasn’t very effective when he came back in 2008, I will never forget how awesome it was to see Glavine back wearing the tomahawk.
I’ll never forget his one shining moment in 2008: his utter domination of the Mets at Turner Field. He absolutely carved them up. Vintage Glavine.
Congrats, 47.
TomSeaver
August 6th, 2010
2:58 pm
Good job Tommy! You’ve been a great ambassador for the Braves all throughout your career both on the field and now in the broadcast booth. Your career had hall of fame written all over it from the time you were a rookie in the league. You will allways be remembered as the key person who gave the Braves their lone world series championship back in 1995. Justice hit the home run but you pitched a steller, lights-out game and without you we couldnt have done it. Thank you Tommy for coming back to Atlanta after your career with the Mets was over.
PMC
August 6th, 2010
3:07 pm
Thanks Tommy. Lots of fond memories with you on the hill for the Braves. Not to mention the excellent performance in the 95 world series victory.
Steve
August 6th, 2010
3:07 pm
Georgia Justice you sound like a moron.
StingerSplash
August 6th, 2010
3:09 pm
Thrashers still need some scoring punch.
Lace em up, Tommy.
Ja-Hey the Hero
August 6th, 2010
3:10 pm
Since they’re having the ceremony, they might as well go ahead and retire #22.
NickD
August 6th, 2010
3:13 pm
Georgia Justice: Yeah, the owners are a bunch of Princes.
Let’s Go Bravos: Hard to think of anyone who was so associated with the Braves for long enough and did well enough. Gant: stats not quite good enough. Justice: played a long time with other teams and anyway his lifetime stats aren’t that great. Bream: spent a long time with the Pirates before coming here. Pendleton: ditto the Cardinals. McGriff: ditto the Padres (was it the Padres?) Andruw Jones: maybe if he had stayed on his initial trajectory and his production hadn’t fallen off a cliff inexplicably.
Definite candidate down the road: McCann. If he has a few more good years left in him: Hudson.
Blade
August 6th, 2010
3:15 pm
Tommy will forever be remembered as the guy who left for more money to a HATED division rival!! Tom you were great while you were here but you stabbed our city in the back! Congrats to you and your family!
eric the elder
August 6th, 2010
3:17 pm
georgia justice, I thought you were expressing a reasonable point of view until I got to your last sentence, which shows you are nothing but a hateful ideologue nut case. Too bad.
Chuck Carswell
August 6th, 2010
3:17 pm
Tommy is a great and nothing should spoken poorly about him. That said, Warren Spahn is the Braves best lefty. They are comparable in many categories with Spahn leading most of them. The most glaring is the clearest sign of the changing role of a pitcher. Spahn had 382 complete games to Glavine’s 56.
Check out: http://www.baseball-reference.com/friv/scomp_pitch.cgi?I=spahnwa01:Warren%20Spahn&st=career&compage=&age=
JJ
August 6th, 2010
3:21 pm
Obviously Atlanta is going to retire Cox, Smoltz, and Chipper in the next few years. But what about Andruw Jones?
Jeff
August 6th, 2010
3:24 pm
I will be there to cheer him on tonight. I did boo him in a Mets uni, but all is forgiven.
Matt
August 6th, 2010
3:26 pm
Wow…there are a lot of dumb ass Braves fans! Congrats Tommy! I could care less he went to the Mets. He helped our city get a ring ass holes. Without him we would have 0!
bravos850
August 6th, 2010
3:31 pm
anyone else notice how ironic it is that the other tommy is pitching tonight. you know. the one who took his place last year when the braves screwed him.
AlabamaBrave
August 6th, 2010
3:31 pm
I hate to say it but the two things that I remember most about Glavine are: Game 6 in 1995 and (even more) his role in the 1994 strike. That wrecked the game for me any many others.. There was no reason for that strike to happen. Sorry, but I don’t believe pro athletes need a union.
bravos850
August 6th, 2010
3:34 pm
let me rephrase what i said…tom glavne is the best lefty the braves have ever had…in my lifetime.
bravesgrl4lifeeeeeeeee
August 6th, 2010
3:47 pm
Congrats, Tommy G!
Think about this people, Tommy helped us win against the Mets both when he wore the Tomahawk and when he wore the ugly Mets uniform.
Let's Go Bravos!
August 6th, 2010
3:55 pm
Andrew Jones?? Really?? No, the Braves will not retire his number unless he comes back to the Braves and puts up some incredible numbers. And I doubt that will happen.
Huh?
August 6th, 2010
4:03 pm
This is great for Glavine and the fans. That was a great time in Atlanta sports history and he needs to be recognized with the greats.
wjones
August 6th, 2010
4:05 pm
“AlabamaBrave
August 6th, 2010
3:31 pm
I hate to say it but the two things that I remember most about Glavine are: Game 6 in 1995 and (even more) his role in the 1994 strike. That wrecked the game for me any many others.. There was no reason for that strike to happen. Sorry, but I don’t believe pro athletes need a union.”
You need to go back and read some history, my friend, before you make a statement like that. Not only history about the 1994 strike (Glavine was the head of the player’s union–was he supposed to side with ownership??), but the history of baseball BEFORE there was a union. Even today, the richest player comes nowhere close to the wealth of the poorest owner. Think about that before making statements like that.
DaveinNEPA
August 6th, 2010
4:05 pm
Thank You Tom Glavine, for all the thrills you and your teammates provided for us over the years. This is one fan who won’t forget all your contributions.
Those Braves teams of the 90’s gave us more thrills and satisfaction than fans of any team deserved, and Tommy Glavine was a HUGE part of that. Now, on to the HOF in Cooperstown.
ABravesFan
August 6th, 2010
4:05 pm
Congrats to Glavine. His induction into the Braves HoF is well deserved.
I’m glad he was able to reconcile after the acrimonious departure from the organization last year. It’s kind of fitting that Tommy Hanson will be the one taking the mound tonight for the Braves.
BravesFan
August 6th, 2010
4:05 pm
Braves850, I think you are forgetting about Warren Spahn. 363 career wins makes him the best lefty the Braves have ever had. Tom runs a quick second but I still haven’t forgot 1994 and the strike!!!!!
FJ10
August 6th, 2010
4:08 pm
All you people complaining about the strike make your money your way and let others make theirs there way. Don’t go to games and boycott baseball instead of CONSTANTLY b*tching about it. Study baseball and you’ll see how for the first 110 years of baseball the owners ALWAYS had the upper hand. The 1990’s saw a record of 601 million people attend and the product wanted their worth. Baseball is the only sport where you truly have to earn your way to a big contract – I hope that every employee who earns less than you at your work resents you – unless of course you have worked and negotiated for your share of the profits.
wjones
August 6th, 2010
4:14 pm
Amen, FJ10. Very well put.
@ReanuKeeves
August 6th, 2010
4:23 pm
I stood on the first base line with a “Benedict Glavine” sign in his first Turner Field start with the Mets, but I have long since seen the bigger picture and will never lose my dearest appreciation for what he’s done and continues to do for this club and this city.
Cheers to Tommy Glavine. A class act all the way and a guy who gave everything to this organization and hopefully will continue to be a part of it for years to come.
A great day and well-deserved occasion. Can’t wait to raise a glass to no. 47 tonight at the Ted!
GO BRAVES!!!
NickD
August 6th, 2010
4:23 pm
Amen from me, too, FJ10.
Timbo
August 6th, 2010
4:24 pm
I ran into Tom Glavine and Pete Smith in Seaside, Florida 2 weeks ago. I talked to him a little bit, and my son got to meet him. He was extremely gracious, as he has been the other several dozen times I have met him. After reading the article here on the AJC yesterday, I was glad that I told him how much I enjoyed watching him pitch. He has already forgotten the conversation we had, but the encouragement he gave my 14 year old son will linger for a long time for both him and me. Thank you Tommy for the 20 years you gave to baseball. I am one of the 50,000+ fans that was there in Oct. 1995 (Section 336, Row 9, Seat 13) to witness your finest game, one that I will NEVER forget.
extremus
August 6th, 2010
4:46 pm
Congratulations and thank you, Tom Glavine. There have seldom if ever been starting pitching staffs the likes of which the Braves had in the 1990s, and a group like that will likely never work for as long together on the same team ever again in MLB due to the economics involved (no, not even the mercenary-laden Yankees). We were blessed, Atlanta.
hawkfan335
August 6th, 2010
5:11 pm
I think Smoltzie will be next and then Cox. Congratulations, Tommy.
BravesAllTheWay
August 6th, 2010
5:42 pm
Congratulations, Tom. Thanks for all the hard work and years you gave Atlanta. We’re proud to have you. I look forward to seeing you in the Hall of Fame soon.
mary
August 6th, 2010
5:43 pm
I’ll always remember Tom as the pitcher who was on the mound as we won the World Series! Congratulations!
Blueberry
August 6th, 2010
5:53 pm
Thanks for all you did for the Atlanta Braves, Tom. I’ll always remember you, Maddux, Smoltz, Avery and Millwood as the greatest rotation in baseball—ever. I’m proud of all your accomplishments!
paulfromatlanta
August 6th, 2010
5:56 pm
Glavine speaks as though the problem was with the organization. The major problem was his behavior toward the fans during the strike.
Walt
August 6th, 2010
6:04 pm
Tom- My dad and I were at game 6 in 1995. Because of your performance that night, the curse of an Atlanta sports never winning a championship was broken. Hats off my friend for a job well done. Dad is gone now but that night makes me remember all the good times we shared. Good luck with all those kids. Two more and you can have your own team!
Brother John
August 6th, 2010
6:11 pm
Tom Glavine is in the top 20 Braves of all time — and in the top five Braves in my lifetime. The stats don’t lie, people. Comparing him to Sphahn is apples and oranges. Warren’s is the number my 15 year old son choses to wear Yes, he’s a lefty! Wants that #21 on his back. Tom will probably eventually get all of that kind of stuff with the coming generations. Congratulations Tom! Atlanta will NEVER forget all the wonderful work you performed for us — “even if’n — you weren’t from around here!” Thank you, sir.
wjones
August 6th, 2010
6:13 pm
paulfromatlanta
“August 6th, 2010
5:56 pm
Glavine speaks as though the problem was with the organization. The major problem was his behavior toward the fans during the strike.”
Please enlighten us. How did Glavine behave? I do remember him making himself available via radio call-in shows to answer fan questions. And patiently taking abuse along the way.
AlabamaBrave
August 6th, 2010
6:15 pm
wjones
August 6th, 2010
4:05 pm
Don’t lecture me about history. These men get paid to play a game. No one forces them to. They can always do something else.
Spare me the richest player/poorest owner stuff. This is a free market situation where the players can play for what the owner is offering or look elsewhere.
Sorry if you disagree with the premise that the 1994 strike ruined the game for lots of people. The fact is it did.
Acting like these players were some abused employees like old-tie steel workers or coal miners is ridiculous.
KC
August 6th, 2010
6:41 pm
We are all human and must live and learn from our choices. Thanks Tom for some great Braves memories that you and your fellow teammates gave us. I was a nice run. I don’t think we will see anything like that in Atlanta for a long time to come.
aps
August 6th, 2010
6:53 pm
I remember Glavine’s finest moment. The 1994 World Series. Ooops, there was no series that year because Mr Union helped make it so.
Bob Horner
August 6th, 2010
7:11 pm
One heck of a blog Carroll…..my heart felt thanks…Congrats Tommy….you haters need counseling….if you can’t appreciate Tom’s night you’re screwed up….
AlabamaBrave
August 6th, 2010
7:17 pm
I appreciate his on the field accomplishments. But to ignore the way he left Atlanta in the first place and his role in the 1994 strike is disingenuous.
Rey
August 6th, 2010
7:18 pm
For some reason I just can’t get the lousy pitching performances by Glavine in the late 90’s during the playoffs out of my mind. Really ticked me off.
Anyways, good guy, congratulations.
Coach (2011 or Bust)
August 6th, 2010
7:19 pm
One has not to like the man but Tom Glavine the baseball player demands respect.
We may not all agree on his union activities or leaving to play for the Mets, just remember that very special day in October of 1995 when the old lefty gave us our World Championship.
Congratulations Tommy, you earned it and it was a privilege to have seen you play. See you in Cooperstown.
Nancy
August 6th, 2010
7:21 pm
Some of you are forgetting the huge contribution that Javy Lopez made in the World Series year, both as a carcher, and as a hitter. I think he should be in the Braves Hall of Fame some day
Nancy
August 6th, 2010
7:23 pm
Sorry for the typo—carcher should be catcher
AlabamaBrave
August 6th, 2010
7:24 pm
Coach (2011 or Bust)
August 6th, 2010
7:19 pm
One has not to like the man but Tom Glavine the baseball player demands respect.
I will absoutely agree with you on that
Carroll Rogers
August 6th, 2010
7:36 pm
Apparently the Glavine ceremony will start whenever the tarp comes off. (It’s still raining at the moment.) The ceremony is scheduled to last 10 minutes.
Darrin "The Vent King"
August 6th, 2010
7:45 pm
Man o man did it tear me up when you played for the Muts, er um Mets, but in the end you along with Avery, Pena, Wohlers, Mad Dog, and Smoltz gave me some of my fondest memories as a Braves’ fan. Now that your playing days are over, I will let bygones be bygones and say congrats TG….you were one of the best. And besides without your efforts my hometown wouldn’t have the one world championship it does own- can’t be mad at you for too long considering that. GO BRAVES!!!
Castrologist
August 6th, 2010
7:47 pm
Glavine is one of the best pure pitchers I’ve ever seen. Great quote by Chipper.
http://castrologist.tumblr.com
Don
August 6th, 2010
7:55 pm
PHILLIES ONE
METS ZERO
Phildo
August 6th, 2010
8:00 pm
Spahn was by far the better lefty. As far as I am concerned, Glavine was a good athlete and a sorry sack of human refuse. Too bad the HOF only takes into consideration athleticism, but then again, maybe not considering what happened to Pete Rose. Greg Maddux was a much better player and a class act. Too bad it didn’t rub off of Glavine the whiner.
Billy
August 6th, 2010
8:03 pm
Glad to see Tom Glavine’s number retired, even though I still dislike him for leaving for the Mets and (to a lesser extent) for the 1994 strike.
To all of those who want to crucify the owners for wanting to make money… Who do you think pays the salaries? If you had a “business”, how long would you keep paying top dollar to someone if the money going out is less than that coming in? Fans want to the owners to be “fans”, too. Sorry, but while that may be true to a certain extent, nobody is going to keep throwing money at something that doesn’t work. And for those that are so “pro-union”, I guess that you support the union’s attitude towards steroids and other testing? A lot of people need to realize that, without owners, sports are not going to exist. And owners need a reason to invest. And while unions can serve a purpose, simply being “union” doesn’t mean that they’re right. While I love sports, I laugh when I see lock-outs, because it means that the players are finally realizing what happens when they bite the hand that feeds them.
If you’ve got a job, do the best that you can. If you don’t like it, go somewhere else.
dcb
August 6th, 2010
8:04 pm
Sorry – but thanking and enshrining in the Braves Hall of Fame the likes of Glavine and Smoltz who followed the money trail and took shots at the Braves management for their lack of “appreciation” after leaving is to me, in the same category as awarding Jane Fonda a medal for her patriotism decades after her Hanoi debacle. And yes, I was and have been a Braves fan even before the Cox era. But you know, management is not always wrong. And the players are not always getting the short end of the deal. This is definitely not one of those cases where “what goes around, comes around!”. And Glavine should thank his lucky stars that he is the beneficiary.
Don
August 6th, 2010
8:12 pm
The lead will be down to one once tonight is over. Zito will smoke this pathetic offense and Hanson will get rocked.
ShaunC
August 6th, 2010
8:13 pm
Don is an idiot. Hanson has been dealing of late.
bobby
August 6th, 2010
8:15 pm
If anyone on here says that wouldn’t change jobs if they got a huge increase in pay, they are liars pure and simple.
Don
August 6th, 2010
8:16 pm
You will see tonight looza!
UGA75
August 6th, 2010
8:25 pm
Tom I never attended another Braves game after 94. I tore up or destroyed many Glavine Baseball Cards when you joined the Mets. Today, from my perspective all is forgiven. I respected your professionalism when I disliked you as a person, and today I have nothing but respect and admiration for what you did for the Braves and the city of Atlanta. You, Maddux and Smoltz were the three best pitchers on one club in Baseball History. Today, I say, Thanks for the Memories!!! Well done!!!
UGA fans are so ....
August 6th, 2010
8:27 pm
LizNeck shows her true colors. She probably feels the same way about Kirby Smart.
TM
August 6th, 2010
8:30 pm
I’ve read a lot of comments on here and it seems you either like TG or you do not.
I think everyone appreciates what TG brought to the Braves and appreciates how he pitched…
But, my problem with TG is how he handled the “leaving for the mets” situation and his overall a-hole attitude towards the Braves fans.
I could care less about the whole strike thing… Everything was in stages with TG:
-loved him as a young player.
-as a player rep, probably didn’t handle things as best he could. (okay)
-won us a world series! yeah.
-left for (phils) mets. Handled extremely poorly.
-late in career couldn’t understand why people were upset. or cared less.
Through out all of the above, TG attitude was poor or it was perceived by most Braves fans as poor.
So, sorry i can’t rejoice for TG because he became someone I could not root for because of his attitude.
I’m sure i’m not alone in my thoughts.
"Chef" Tim Dix
August 6th, 2010
8:49 pm
True blue to his values. LIke him or not, he was never flavor of the day.
Won us a WS,and never compromised,
Grit.
We should alspire to be.
Thanks, Tommy G.
1969
August 6th, 2010
8:55 pm
I’m still waiting on Rico Carty…
Trainwreck
August 6th, 2010
9:03 pm
I like how Joe called Hank the all time Home Run king… esp since we are facing the Giants
SlawDawg
August 6th, 2010
9:04 pm
Anyone else notice how he brought up the fact that his family is sitting in right field and not where they can actually see??
UGAly
August 6th, 2010
9:06 pm
Glavine was a union representative. He and his ilk cause the strike that set baseball back years. I have no use for him.