Atlanta Braves Players Are A Big Part of All-Star Game History
You can't think about the MLB All-Star Game and not imagine a legendary Braves player in the mix. There have been some iconic and special moments featuring Atlanta players over the years.
By Fred Owens
The Atlanta Braves are sending a franchise record eight players to the 93rd All-Star game in Seattle, putting them in a tie for the National League Record. Since the leagues created the All-Star Game in 1933, 116 Atlanta Braves Franchise players combined for 254 All-Star selections.
Atlanta Braves Legend Henry Aaron
Ronald Acuña Jr, Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley lead the current roster with two ASG selections. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Henry Aaron holds the franchise record; 20 of his 21 selections came as a Brave.
Aaron also holds the Major League record for appearances with 25 and starts in right field with 14. He’d have six more in right, except for some guy named Roberto Clemente, who won the vote seven times. Aaron also started a game in center, left, and at first base. His 17 starts are second only to Willie Mays (18.)
Berger and Murphy
Willie Mays holds the record for starts in center field (18), Andre Dawson is in second place with five starts in center, while Braves Dale Murphy and Wally Berger share third place with Stan Musial at three each.
Berger was the best NL center fielder in the early 30s and the only Brave to start the first All-Star Game in 1933. Berger would go on to start in 1934 and 1935 and was selected but didn’t play in 1936.
After two seasons when Dale Murphy won NL MVP honors by Dawson started in center in the ASG, Murphy grabbed the 1884 center field job and held it through 1986.
Braves Pitching
Altogether, 30 pitchers earned 54 selections to the All-Star team as a Brave. Fred Frankhouse earned his first and only All-Star nod in 1934, becoming the first Boston Braves pitcher to earn the honor.
Hall of Famer Warren Spahn holds the Major League record with 17 All-Star selections as a pitcher, four ahead of Mariano Rivera and five more than Tom Seaver.
Spahn and Greg Maddux each made three starts, the most in Atlanta Braves history. They are with Max Scherzer for third in NL history, behind Don Drysdale and Robin Roberts, with five starts each.
Pitching Notables
Tom Glavine made two starts in his eight ASG selections, Maddux’ was selected six times, and John Smoltz made one start in his five selections.
Craig Kimbrel made for appearances as a Braves, Phil Niekro appeared three times, while Al Javery, Johnny Sain, and Julio Teheran earned two selections each.