LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 25: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron attends the 2017 Hank Aaron Award press conference prior to game two of the 2017 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
What are the chances the Atlanta Braves end up renaming their team after Hank Aaron?
With Hank Aaron‘s unfortunate passing on Friday morning, the Atlanta Braves and the rest of the baseball world are in mourning. Braves Country has been hit hard in the last several weeks, as they have lost 300-game winner Phil Niekro, longtime broadcaster Don Sutton and now the greatest player in franchise history in “Hammerin’ Hank”.
Aaron spent all but two of his big-league seasons playing for the Braves. He won NL MVP and a World Series when the franchise was located in Milwaukee in 1957. Then in 1974, he became the Home Run King, breaking Babe Ruth’s record of 714 career home runs. Aaron was a legendary player and an international icon. What if the Braves organization pays him the ultimate tribute?
The Atlanta Hammers does have a nice ring to it.
The Braves nickname is one many people feel needs to be changed. Though it is not going to happen because Atlanta wants to honor the Eastern Band of Cherokee, the Braves nickname is likely here to stay. However, Friday did bring up an interesting thought. What if Atlanta renamed its professional baseball franchise to the Atlanta Hammers in honor of “Hammerin’ Hank”?
It will take something this creative and personal for the Braves organization to give up their nickname willingly. Atlanta can keep the color scheme and the A ball cap, no problem. But instead of a tomahawk, it could be a powerful hammer in honor of Aaron. When else could a professional team be called the Hammers and seemingly everybody be cool with it? This nickname oddly fits.
While we should not expect it to happen, let’s rename the Lester and Virginia Maddox Bridge first.