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What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Edgy MD May 21 2020 04:31 PM

Having had a grass surface, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium aka The Launching Pad, like Shea Stadium, generally wasn't listed among the club of 1960s/early 1970s ballparks derided as "The Cookie Cutters," but any shot of the facility's exterior (or the symmetrical outfield) would lead to instant associations with it's brethren and sistren in Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Philadelphia. it was where Chief Knock-a-Homa ruled from, it was where Hank Aaron broke one of the game's most hallowed records, and it was where the proliferation of cable TV turned the Braves into an unlikely national team. It was also bizarrely the last ballpark with a chain link fence and after doing damage to more than few outfielders' legs, became the first to feature a plexiglass fence. Like Shea Stadium and Olympic Stadium (and Citi Field for that matter), it as originally proposed to include a structural domed roof, which never quite developed. Hosting the Braves from 1966 to 1996, AFC was somehow the home of a Western Division ball club in a state that held an extensive Atlantic Coast shoreline. Other tenants included the International League Atlanta Crackers (for a season) as well as the NFL's Falcons and the NASL's Chiefs. The Peach Bowl called the place home for more than two decades. The site also hosted the Beatles only visit to Atlanta and one of the nation's largest Vietnam-era rallies — a pro-war rally. But what are your Metly memories of the place? It has to start with the 1985 Independence Day Marathon, right? But the Pad also hosted the first two post-season games in Mets history, both won handily by the visitors. Apart from the two post-season wins, the Mets went 90-100 at AFC over the life of the stadium, taking it particularly on chin in the Torre era, but making up a lot of time during Johnson reign, which should surprise nobody, but which games stay with you? https://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/afcs16_topv2.jpg>

G-Fafif May 21 2020 04:52 PM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

“I know that the Mets are playing in Atlanta. You know how? Because the fans aren't cheering for them.” —Me, age six, grasping the concept of home and away for my parents' amusement, Game One, 1969 NLCS

MFS62 May 21 2020 06:27 PM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Never been to Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, but I attended several games at Turner Field (The Ted), including a weekend gathering of members (from several countries and States) of my first web-based baseball site. My best memories there were: 1) having a pre-game hot dog and onion rings at the famous Varsity restaurant. 2) The beautiful view of downtown Atlanta from the upper stands behind first base. 3) At the age of 60+ (and looking it) getting carded for a beer 4) A chance to yell at Chipper Jones in his natural habitat. 5) Conspicuously staying seated during the Tomahawk Chop. Later

Frayed Knot May 21 2020 06:39 PM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

I like how the highway there on the right just barely bends around the stadium seemingly going underneath the edge of the marquee sign which itself just about touches the building. Obviously the concept of the ballpark as destination and entertainment center, rather than just a place for the building itself, hadn't yet been born by 1966 I always felt that the 'Launching Pad' label was somewhat of a misnomer -- I think it was at least partially invented by Mays and/or Ruth fans to justify why the lesser Hank was able to surpass those other heroes in HRs -- although, prior to expansion to Denver & Phoenix, it was the highest stadium in the majors, some 750 - 1,050 feet above sea level, considerably above that of those old-timey BB cities which all sat on ports, lakes, or rivers.

Edgy MD May 21 2020 07:44 PM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

I may be misremembering, but I seem to recall Pascual Perez (I may have the wrong guy here) missing his first start for Atlanta, with the Mets in town, because he got stuck on the Interstate 285 Perimeter and was unable to find the exit. Tug McGraw got the win in the 1972 All-Star Game at AFCS, pitching the final two innings as the NL tied it in the ninth and won it in the 10th. He gave up just one hit (a two-out double by Joe Rudi) and struck out an impressive four batters (Reggie Jackson, Norm Cash, and Bobby Grich, sandwiched around Rudi's double in the ninth, and Carlton Fisk in the 10th). Joe Morgan, who singled in the winning run in the 10th as part of a 1-4 day, with a walk and a stolen base earlier, walked off with the MVP instead of Tug.

MFS62 May 22 2020 05:46 AM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

I was there on two business trips, about seven tears apart. Two major highways run as one (75 and one other) for a few miles right by the stadium. I saw the same construction traffic cones , in the same places (I'd remembered the traffic jam) on both trips. Later

MFS62 May 22 2020 05:47 AM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Frayed Knot wrote: I like how the highway there on the right just barely bends around the stadium seemingly going underneath the edge of the marquee sign which itself just about touches the building. Obviously the concept of the ballpark as destination and entertainment center, rather than just a place for the building itself, hadn't yet been born by 1966 I was there on two business trips, about seven tears apart. Two major highways run as one (75 and one other) for a few miles right by the stadium. I saw the same construction traffic cones , in the same places (I'd remembered the traffic jam) on both trips. Later

Johnny Lunchbucket May 22 2020 07:17 AM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

I associate AFCS with the lower case "a" hats and blue-sleeved unis and an era when the Mets and Braves were indifferent opponents and Atlanta was a pretty lousy team with games that were really poorly attended. Then the Torre clubs when they got a little better. Of course there is the John Stearns vs. Chief Nok-A-Homa story, which is one of those things that everyone knows happened but I suspect few people actually remember happening. I was trying to refresh my own memory on this but google doesn't do much good. Jay Horwitz says it happened in 1984: [TWEET]https://twitter.com/Jay_HorwitzPR/status/306889036918845442[/TWEET] Jay almost certainly isn't right about that. Though it is interesting that the first game Stearns appeared in in 84 was in Atlanta, coming off the DL and appearing as a pinch runner. But he went back onto DL right after that, as he couldn;t throw Lots of Guys On The Internet say it happened in 1977, but there's no corroberation: [url]http://1980toppsbaseball.blogspot.com/2009/07/76-john-stearns.html So check this out. According to Daily News it happened in 1975 -- and again in 1981! July 18, 1975 http://www.beta.mbtn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/18_Jul_1975_131_Daily_News_at_Newspapers_com-1024x708.png> Aug. 21, 1981 http://www.beta.mbtn.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/21_Aug_1981_194_Daily_News_at_Newspapers_com.png> There is similar confusion by the way over how many fans Stearns tackled and when. http://www.paperboyarchive.com/2017/08/just-how-many-times-did-john-stearns.html

MFS62 May 22 2020 07:36 AM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Stearns played safety and punter at Colorado, not linebacker. Later

Frayed Knot May 22 2020 01:04 PM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Frayed Knot wrote: I like how the highway there on the right just barely bends around the stadium seemingly going underneath the edge of the marquee sign which itself just about touches the building. Obviously the concept of the ballpark as destination and entertainment center, rather than just a place for the building itself, hadn't yet been born by 1966 I was there on two business trips, about seven tears apart. Two major highways run as one (75 and one other) for a few miles right by the stadium. I saw the same construction traffic cones , in the same places (I'd remembered the traffic jam) on both trips. Atlanta has notoriously horrid traffic, it's part of the reason they moved out to the northern suburbs ... well that plus they preferred to settle in the whiter, richer and more baseball-friendly side of town.

Edgy MD May 22 2020 01:05 PM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

Great job on finding the Noc-a-homa tales in the notes sections. That's where they belong, but it wouldn't have occurred to me to look there. It's funny to see how many errors there are in that copy. The first report seems to be missing words in two or three sentences, and/or perhaps uses the wrong word. The second one mis-identifies Stearns as a linebacker. He was a defensive back and punter. I can see an Atlanta writer getting that wrong, but it's pretty clumsy for a Mets beater to drop the ball there. Stearns had been with the team for seven seasons.

Johnny Lunchbucket May 22 2020 03:19 PM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

The first one you have to jump down a line then read the one above it, and of course the notes didn't use certain words for space. So it's "Chief did his war dance at [the] mound last week before [a] game, then began [his] sprint to [his] teepee in [the] left-field bullpen. When we started to run..." Even Stearns in interviews doesn't seem to acknowledge he did this on two separate occasions.

Willets Point May 22 2020 03:31 PM Re: What's Your Memory?: Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium

For some reason, my main memory of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium is that it was used as a staging area for the 1996 Olympics parade of nations at the future Turner Field next door. The tv showed athletes sitting in the stands waiting their turn to process over.