ATLANTA – The defending World Series champions officially have a new banner.
Exactly 156 days after winning last season’s World Series, the Atlanta Braves displayed a new year on their long collection of red, white and blue pennants on Thursday night.
The pennants are attached to a light post behind the right field wall of Truist Park. The four reds denote each of the Braves’ World Series wins in franchise history, dating back to their days in Boston.
Thursday’s banner unveiling was part of a half-hour ceremony ahead of the first field of Atlanta’s season-opener in a 6-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. Meanwhile, a black sheet was removed from the light pole, revealing a red pennant with the year “2021” painted on it. As fireworks erupted in the Georgia early evening sky, a nearly sold-out crowd roared their approval.
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“It was kind of a typical, exciting atmosphere that we have here,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “There was a lot of energy here.”
Before the game, Snitker said he told one of his players he envisioned the environment “will be very much like the World Series.”
Shortly after the banner was unveiled, two members of the 1995 World Series-winning Braves team—the former champions of the franchise—were welcomed onto the field. Before the first player’s name was announced, the first few notes of his old walk-up music, Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” brought loud cheers.
After walking to the pitcher’s mound to applause, Chipper Jones threw the ceremonial first pitch of the game to former Braves pitcher Greg McMichael. On a podium in the infield grass just behind Jones was the trophy from last fall’s World Series win.
Moments later, the Braves and Reds were introduced. Brave starters entered the field from the dugout and jogged down a red carpet on their way to teammates waiting along the first baseline.
“You have the big American flag in midfield, the overpass, it was full,” Braves third baseman Austin Riley said. “You get the chills, you get the adrenaline. It was nice to be back in front of our home fans.”
As has become common practice for defending championship teams in recent season openers as well, every Braves player wore white home uniforms with gold piping around the letters and numbers. Even the “A” on the Braves’ helmets was painted gold in recognition of last season’s achievement.
“I want them to enjoy everything about it,” Snitker said. “You can never guarantee you’ll be able to experience this again, so enjoy every second of it.”