The 1977 Atlanta Braves season was the 107th season for the franchise and their 12th in Atlanta. The team finished in last place in the six-team
National League West
The National League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was formed for the 1969 season when the National League expanded to 12 teams by adding the San Diego Padres and the Montreal Expos. For purpose of keeping a re ...
with a record of 61–101, 37 games behind the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
. The Braves hit a major league-leading seven
grand slams.
All Braves home and away games were broadcast on
WTCG-TV which during the offseason, under its owner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour United States cable news, cable news ch ...
, became the pioneer
superstation
''Superstation'' (alternatively rendered as "super station" or informally as "SuperStation") is a term in North American broadcasting that has several meanings. Commonly, a "superstation" is a form of distant signal, a terrestrial television, br ...
in the United States and thus making the Braves the first MLB team to have its games telecast to millions of television viewers around the country aside from the national broadcasts on ABC and NBC which had been the case before the team's opening series of the season.
Offseason
* November 17, 1976:
Gary Matthews
Gary Nathaniel Matthews Sr. (born July 5, 1950), nicknamed Sarge, is an American former professional baseball left fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from through for the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phill ...
was signed by the Braves as a free agent.
* December 9, 1976:
Carl Morton
Carl Wendle Morton (January 18, 1944 – April 12, 1983) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through for the Montreal Expos and the Atlanta Braves. Morton was named the ...
,
Adrian Devine
Paul Adrian Devine (December 2, 1951June 27, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher in and from through for the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. He batted and threw ri ...
,
Ken Henderson
Kenneth Joseph Henderson (born June 15, 1946) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through for the San Francisco Giants, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, ...
,
Dave May
David LaFrance May (December 23, 1943 – October 20, 2012) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from through for the Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rang ...
,
Roger Moret
Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...
, and $250,000 were traded by the Braves to the
Texas Rangers for
Jeff Burroughs
Jeffrey Alan Burroughs (born March 7, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from through , for the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers (1970–76), Atlanta Braves (1977–8 ...
.
Regular season
Turner's one-day reign as manager
Midway through the season, with the Braves mired in a 16-game losing streak, owner
Ted Turner
Robert Edward "Ted" Turner III (born November 19, 1938) is an American entrepreneur, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist. He founded the Cable News Network (CNN), the first 24-hour United States cable news, cable news ch ...
sent
Dave Bristol
James David Bristol (born June 23, 1933) is an American former manager in Major League Baseball in the 1960s and 1970s. He managed the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants during this period.
Success in th ...
on a 10-day "scouting trip" and took over as his own manager. This only lasted for one game (a 2–1 loss to the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
) before National League president
Chub Feeney
Charles Stoneham "Chub" Feeney (August 31, 1921January 10, 1994) was an American front office executive in Major League Baseball. Feeney was vice president of the San Francisco Giants, president of the National League (NL), and president of the Sa ...
ordered Turner to give up the reins, citing major league rules which forbid managers or players from owning stock in a team. After the Braves broke the skid under third-base coach
Vern Benson
Vernon Adair Benson (September 19, 1924 – January 20, 2014) was an infielder/outfielder, coach, scout and interim manager in American Major League Baseball. During his playing career, he stood 5'11" (180 cm) tall, weighed 180 pounds (82&nbs ...
, Bristol—who had spent the time at his offseason home in
Andrews, North Carolina
Andrews is a town in Cherokee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2010 census.
History
Cherokee era
Indigenous peoples lived in the area for thousands of years before European encounter. By the late 16th or ...
—was given his old job back for the remainder of the season.
Notable events
*September 15, 1977 -
Dale Murphy
Dale Bryan Murphy (born March 12, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player. During an 18-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB) (–), he played as an outfielder, catcher, and first baseman for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphi ...
hits two home runs in an 8–7 win over the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
, the first home runs of his major league career.
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Opening Day starters
*
Jeff Burroughs
Jeffrey Alan Burroughs (born March 7, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from through , for the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers (1970–76), Atlanta Braves (1977–8 ...
*
Vic Correll
Victor Crosby Correll (born February 5, 1946) is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds in all or parts of eight seasons spanning 1972–1980. Listed at 5' 10", 185 lb., Corr ...
*
Rod Gilbreath
Rodney Joe Gilbreath (born September 24, 1952) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman from 1972 to 1978 for the Atlanta Braves.
Early life
Rod Gilbreath attended Watkins High School in Laurel, Mississippi. After high school he enroll ...
*
Gary Matthews
Gary Nathaniel Matthews Sr. (born July 5, 1950), nicknamed Sarge, is an American former professional baseball left fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from through for the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phill ...
*
Willie Montañez
Guillermo Montañez Naranjo (born April 1, 1948) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball first baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the California Angels (), Philadelphia Phillies (–, ), San Francisco Giants (–), A ...
*
Rowland Office
Rowland Johnie Office (born October 25, 1952) is a former outfielder for the Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos and New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1972 and 1983.
Biography
Born in Sacramento, California, Office played basebal ...
*
Pat Rockett
Patrick Edward Rockett (born January 9, 1955) is an American former baseball shortstop who played for the Atlanta Braves between 1976 and 1978. Rockett was drafted by the Braves as the tenth pick of the 1973 Major League Baseball Draft, 1973 amate ...
*
Jerry Royster
Jeron Kennis Royster (born October 18, 1952) is an American former Major League Baseball player and coach. He was a third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Chicago White Sox, and the New York Yankees. He was ...
*
Dick Ruthven
Richard David Ruthven (born March 27, 1951) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from through for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs. The two ...
Notable transactions
* April 30, 1977:
Mike Marshall was purchased from the Braves by the Texas Rangers.
* June 7, 1977:
Larry Owen
Lawrence Thomas Owen (May 31, 1955 – June 6, 2018) was a Major League Baseball catcher. He played all or parts of six seasons in the major leagues, between 1981 and 1988, for the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals.
College
Owen played coll ...
was drafted by the Braves in the 17th round of the
1977 Major League Baseball Draft
First round selections
The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.
Other notable Selections
''*'' Did not sign
Background
The White Sox surprised some when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill ...
.
Roster
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
''Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases''
Other batters
''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases''
Pitching
Starting pitchers
''Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''
[
]
Other pitchers
''Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''
Relief pitchers
''Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts''
Farm system
Awards and honors
League leaders
*Phil Niekro
Philip Henry Niekro ( ; April 1, 1939 – December 26, 2020), nicknamed "Knucksie", was an American baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball, 20 of them with the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves. Niekro's 31 ...
, National League leader, Losses[''Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures'', 2008 Edition, p. 348, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ]
Notes
References
*
1977 Atlanta Braves season at Baseball Reference
Atlanta Braves on Baseball Almanac
{{Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves seasons
Atlanta Braves season
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...