10.01.16 A Sentimental Journey to Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia

October 1, 2016 – The Atlanta Braves have been a favorite of the Chauvin family for many years.  We’ve watched several Braves games at Turner Field over the last two decades.  Earlier this year I learned that a new stadium is being built for the Braves and that this would be the last year they play in Turner Field.

That immediately made seeing the Braves play at Turner Field a must do, while on this year’s Northeast journey. After leaving Myrtle Beach we went to North Carolina to meet Deborah, my boss.  From there we went to Cleveland, Georgia which is north of Atlanta.  This week is their last week to play in Turner Field so we made plans to go there on Wednesday.

We parked in the Green parking lot which is where the old Fulton County Stadium stood.  The place that Hank Arron hit his 715th home run out of the park is marked as you see in the photo below. Walking in through the front entrance way you see a large courtyard with statues and large baseballs honoring some of the legendary players including Chipper Jones, #10, our favorite Brave!

Here’s me in front of the Chipper Jones #10 statue proudly wearing my own Jones #10 Jersey! We walked around the stadium one last time just capturing the sounds and sights underneath the stadium seats in “Scouts Alley.”

We walked through the Braves Hall of Fame.  Normally there is a charge to do that on this last homestand it was free

 LARRY WAYNE “CHIPPER” JONES – 3RD BASE – MY ALL TIME FAVORITE PLAYER AT ANY POSITION!BOBBY COX, FAVORITE BRAVES COACHJOHN SMOLTZ – PITCHER

TOM GLAVINE – PITCHERGREG MADDUX – MY FAVORITE ALL TIME PITCHER.  THEY CALLED HIM “THE PROFESSOR” HE WAS SOOOOO SHARP AND KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT PITCHING. When the game began we went to our seats and enjoyed seeing the Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 12 to 2.  What fun that was!!!!  Unfortunately all of the players we loved are all gone, mostly retired, except for the first baseman Freddie Freeman #5.  Here are some photos of the game, the stands and their jumbo outfield screen.

This is Freddie Freeman, #5, at first base.

The video below is of the 7th inning stretch when everyone at every ball park sings “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”.  Lots of fun!

On the top level is a neat area where children can run the bases, sit in these huge Coca Cola chairs and play.

After the game we stopped in the Club house, the Braves store.   We picked up a few souvenirs and Roy found this Braves keyboard.  Oh how I would have snatched one of those up back when we worked in an office.  How cool is that!!!!!

This is the other massive screen that greets you when arrive and leave.  What a sight that is!The sign as we exited the field.  A little sad knowing that is our last time we’ll visit there.  But I’m very happy we did it that night!!

Turner Field is expected to remain standing and be converted into a football stadium for Georgia State University, which along with its development partners plan a mix of student housing, apartments, classroom space and retail around it.

This is what the new Sun Trust Park will look like.  They will host their first regular season game in it next April 15th!

It’s October ya’ll!  And that means that our Chauvin family pumpkin has made its appearance once again!  We’ve had him since our sons (who are now in their mid 30s) were much younger.  He needed a bit of surgery before displaying him but Roy fixed him up and here is Mr. Pumpkin!

That wraps up our time in Georgia.  We’ve traveled on to Dandridge, Tennessee where we will stay for a week.  Tomorrow we will go play at Dollywood, hoping to hear some great Gospel music!  If the leaves start changing colors while we’re here that’s a bonus!  It has been nice and cool outside all day today so that should start the leaf color change soon!

Ya’ll come back now, ya’ hear!