When it comes to sports memorabilia, the industry can be a den of thieves if one is not careful. Given the amount of money that can change hands, there are a host of people out there that will try their best to get a quick buck by forging and autograph or even a certificate of authenticity. Unfortunately, not even memorabilia from Atlanta Braves legend Hank Aaron's most historic moment is immune.
Late last year, a lawsuit was filed involving former Braves employees and their possession of home plate and third base from the game where Aaron hit his 715th home run. Understandably, these items generated a lot of interest when they were set to be sold via Heritage Auctions, but the Braves filed suit saying that the items had actually been stolen and were not the sellers' property.
What happened after that was a legal back and forth regarding ownership of the bases and whether the Braves' owners over the years had legal claim to the bases. However, it appears as though the legal battle is coming to an end as all parties involved just agreed to settle the dispute.
Lawsuit involving the Braves and Hank Aaron memorabilia appears to have just been settled
The terms of the settlement are not known nor has it been revealed that the bases will end up being sold, although it feels unlikely the Braves would agree to just let someone else sell the bases willingly. All we really know is that all parties have asked for the court to begin the the process of dismissing the case which basically only happens when there is a settlement in the works.
One hopes that the end result is that these items end up preserved in a way where everyone can enjoy them. It is truly unseemly to see such important parts of Braves history wrapped up in this sort of nonsense. It seems likely (purely a guess) that the Braves will end up with the bases and it would be great if Braves fans got a chance to enjoy them somehow.
With the passing of Aaron back in 2021, the best way to honor his legacy is to look back upon his career with joy and reverence. Unfortunately, stories like this take away from that focus.