Dixie Association (1971)
Southern League (1972-1983)
Tombstone
Born: 1971
Moved Announced: August 1983 (Greenville Braves)
First Game: April 13, 1971 (W 3-0 Montgomery Rebels)
Last Game: September 5, 1983 (L 4-3 @ Jacksonville Suns)
Southern League Championships: None
Stadium
Grayson Stadium
Opened: 1926
Ownership & Affiliation
Ownership: Atlanta Braves (William Bartholomay (1971-1976); Ted Turner (1976-1983)
Major League Affiliation: Atlanta Braves
Attendance
Background
The Savannah Braves were the Class AA farm club of the Atlanta Braves for 13 seasons from 1971 to 1983.
Several notable Braves prospects made stops in Savannah on their way to the Majors, highlighted by future National League Most Valuable Player Dale Murphy (Savannah 1976) and future N.L. Cy Young Award Winner Steve Bedrosian, who pitched for Savannah in 1979 and 1980.
39-year old Ball Four author Jim Bouton won 11 games for Savannah in 1978 en route to his improbable comeback to the Majors with Atlanta later that summer.
On the front office side, Miles Wolff landed his first baseball job as a General Manager for the SavBraves in the early 1970’s. Wolff later purchased the Durham (NC) Bulls of the Carolina League and owned the club when the Kevin Costner-Susan Sarandon classic Bull Durham was released in 1988. In 2004, ESPN’s Page 2 named Wolff one of the Top 10 pro sports owners of the past quarter century.
Move To Greenville
During the summer of 1983, the city of Greenville, South Carolina promised the Atlanta Braves a brand new ballpark and a commitment of 2,000 season tickets if they would move their Class AA farm club for the 1984 season. Atlanta owner Ted Turner, who grew up in Savannah, agreed to the deal and the club left town for South Carolina in late 1983.
The SavBraves were immediately replaced at Grayson Park by the Savannah Cardinals (1984-1995) of the Class A South Atlantic League.
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