1. The homer hat
During the Opening Weekend in Atlanta, a small Atlanta business called More Than Sports tossed A.J. Minter and Ozzie Albies big Braves hats during their parade to the stadium.
Yes that was us last night!! @Braves we gave a big hat to @ozzie and Aj Minter!! Let’s keep this train rolling!! #chopon pic.twitter.com/QZv5eFvS3a
— More Than Sports (@MTSMorethanspor) April 7, 2023
Apparently, the Braves loved it. When Orlando Arcia hit a homer that night, a tradition was born.
.@Kelly_Crull says a fan handed that hat to AJ Minter during the #Braves walk and now it’s made it’s way to the #Braves dugout.
— Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) April 7, 2023
Orlando Arcia wearing it after his solo homer.
Maybe it’s a new celebration in place of the pink swords they use to have ? 😂 #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/bhKjc4zqww
For the next three weeks, whenever the Braves hit a homer (and they hit a lot), they'd come down the dugout steps and instantly don the big hat. It looked especially goofy on players like Ozzie Albies, as that hat took up nearly half the underrated 2B's height.
Even the broadcast got in on the action, with Jeff Francoeur wearing the big hat before one of the games.
no context baseball pic.twitter.com/wn6pcW3vYV
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) April 12, 2023
But then suddenly, the hat disappeared from the dugout. Fans began to wonder what happened, and a few days later, we got our answer: the hat was banned.
Despite the outrage from Braves fans, New Era (MLB's exclusive on-field hat provider) and the league would not change their minds, and we were deprived of the joyous, goofy after-homer moment for the rest of the year.
Still, it was fun while it lasted.