1966 Atlanta Braves season

• November 29, 1965: Jesse Gonder was drafted from the Braves by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1965 rule 5 draft.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gondeje01.shtml Jesse Gonder] at Baseball Reference
• January 29, 1966: Tom Seaver was drafted by the Braves in the secondary phase of the 1966 Major League Baseball draft, but the pick was voided.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/seaveto01.shtml Tom Seaver] at Baseball Reference

• July 3, 1966: Tony Cloninger became the first National League player—and, as of 2022, the only pitcher—to hit two grand slams in one game.Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 259, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, {{ISBN|978-0-451-22363-0}}
• September 11, 1966: Rookie pitcher Pat Jarvis of the Braves became the first of 5,714 strikeout victims of Nolan Ryan's career.Baseball's Top 100: The Game's Greatest Records, p. 32, Kerry Banks, 2010, Greystone Books, Vancouver, BC, {{ISBN|978-1-55365-507-7}}

The Atlanta Braves' first-ever game was played at home, at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, on Tuesday, April 12, 1966, against the Pittsburgh Pirates before 50,671 fans.[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1966/B04120ATL1966.htm]Retrosheet box score: 1966-4-12 Braves' starting pitcher Cloninger, a 24-game winner in Milwaukee in 1965, pitched a 13-inning complete game but absorbed a hard-luck, {{nowrap|3–2 loss.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=04tRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_hAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7288%2C2605792 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |last=Thisted |first=Red |title=Braves' Atlanta debut a 3-2 flop |date=April 13, 1966 |page=2, part 2}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DUUaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0icEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4959%2C1257985 |work=Milwaukee Journal |last=Kuechele |first=Oliver E. |title=Stargell's home run in 13th ruins Braves' Dixie debut |date=April 13, 1966 |page=2, part 18}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0bszAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qPcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7188%2C3749213 |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |location=(Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Braves defeated in Atlanta debut |date=April 13, 1966 |page=33}}}} With the game tied at one in the top of the 13th, future hall of famer Willie Stargell hit a two-out, two-run home run to put Pittsburgh ahead 3–1. Atlanta catcher Joe Torre hit his second solo homer of the game to narrow the deficit to one run, but the Pirates held on to win. Earlier, in the fifth inning, Torre had hit the first homer in Atlanta's major league history.

{{1966 National League standings|highlight=Atlanta Braves}}

{{1966 NL Record vs. opponents|team=ATL}}

The Braves' first year in Atlanta featured an unusual amount of management churn in both the front office and dugout. On June 28, it was announced that Paul Richards, a veteran former MLB manager and general manager, would join the team as a roving troubleshooter in its farm system.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19660626&id=JIEsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ss0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=1679,4187776]The Associated Press, June 26, 1966 The Braves were then a disappointing 34–42 (.447) and in eighth place in the ten-team National League. Braves president and GM John McHale remarked that Richards, 57, was poised to assume greater responsibilities within the Atlanta organization if called upon, leading to speculation that he would replace embattled field manager Bobby Bragan. More than a quarter-century earlier, in 1938, Richards had begun his management career as the successful player-manager of the minor league Atlanta Crackers.

On August 9, with the Braves still mired in the second division at {{nowrap|{{winning percentage|52|59|record=y}}}}, {{frac|12|1|2}} games behind and in {{nowrap|seventh place,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P4tRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tRAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1547%2C1324998 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |title=Baseball in a nutshell |date=August 9, 1966 |page=2, part 2}}}} fourth-year skipper Bragan was dismissed and replaced by bench coach {{nowrap|Billy Hitchcock,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QItRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tRAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7338%2C1657306 |work=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=UPI |title=Hitchcock plans changes |date=August 10, 1966 |page=2, part 2}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eNsjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1ycEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7099%2C4543325 |work=Milwaukee Journal |last=Wolf |first=Bob |title='Impulsive' best describes brash Bobby; orange drink costs him $100 and job |date=August 10, 1966 |page=2, part 21}}}} like Richards a former teammate of McHale's with the Detroit Tigers. Hitchcock's hiring would pull the Braves out of their tailspin, and they won 33 of 51 games (.647), advancing to fifth place. But Richards was indeed destined to rise within the Atlanta organization. On August 31, he was named director of player personnel at both the Major and minor-league levels, effectively becoming general manager of baseball operations without the formal title, which McHale temporarily retained.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19660831&id=27JMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tDEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6992,7095102]United Press International August 31, 1966 Four months later, McHale resigned from the Braves to join the office of Commissioner of Baseball William Eckert, and on January 11, 1967, Richards was formally named Braves' general manager. He would serve in the post through June 1, 1972.[http://www.baseballamerica.com/execdb/?show=franchise&fid=atl]Baseball America Executive Database

• April 4, 1966: Marty Keough was purchased by the Braves from the Cincinnati Reds.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/k/keougma01.shtml Marty Keough] at Baseball Reference
• April 5, 1966: Frank Thomas was placed on waivers by the Braves.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19660402&id=bnssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vswEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3107,203924&hl=en Frank Thomas is place on waivers]
• April 28, 1966: Billy Cowan was traded by the Braves to the Chicago Cubs for future Braves manager Bobby Cox and cash.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/c/coxbo01.shtml Bobby Cox] at Baseball Reference
• May 29, 1966: Marty Keough was traded by the Braves to the Chicago Cubs for John Herrnstein. Arnold Earley was also purchased.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19660530&id=V3szAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p-gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1593,4653378&hl=en Cubs, Atlanta trade again]
• June 7, 1966: Al Santorini was drafted by the Braves in the 1st round (11th pick) of the 1966 Major League Baseball draft.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/santoal01.shtml Al Santorini] at Baseball-Reference

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

{{See also|Minor League Baseball}}

{{MLB Farm System|level15=AAA|team15=Richmond Braves|league15=International League|manager15=Bill Adair

|level16=AA |team16=Austin Braves|league16=Texas League|manager16=Hub Kittle

|level17=A |team17=Kinston Eagles|league17=Carolina League|manager17=Andy Pafko

|level18=A|team18=West Palm Beach Braves|league18=Florida State League|manager18=Buddy Hicks

|level19=A |team19=Yakima Braves|league19=Northwest League|manager19=Eddie Haas

|level20=Rookie|team20=GCL Braves|league20=Gulf Coast League|manager20=Tom Saffell

}}

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Austin

{{Reflist|2}}

• {{Cite book| editor1-last=Johnson| editor1-first=Lloyd| editor2-last=Wolff| editor2-first=Miles| title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball| edition=2nd| location=Durham, North Carolina| publisher=Baseball America| year=1997| isbn=978-0-9637189-8-3}}
• [https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/ATL/1966.shtml 1966 Atlanta Braves season] at Baseball Reference

{{1966 MLB season by team}}

{{Atlanta Braves}}

Category:Atlanta Braves seasons

Atlanta Braves season

Atlanta Braves