Greg Maddux, Chipper Jones, Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman are had momentous moments.
The 2025 season is chock full of expectations on the field, but it is also a milestone year as the Atlanta Braves will host the All-Star Game for the first time since 2000 and for only the third time since the team moved to Atlanta.
The All-Star Game isn’t the only historical anniversary happening this year. As we get ready for Opening Day, here’s a look at some of the notable milestones that have happened to the Braves franchise (since moving to Atlanta) this year.
60th – This is technically not an anniversary, but 1965 marks the last year that Atlanta did not have the Braves in Atlanta as it was the final season the team played in Milwaukee, the franchise’s home for 13 seasons after moving from Boston.
50th – Ten years after Hank Aaron played his last season in Milwaukee with the Braves, the Braves played their first season in Atlanta without “The Hammer” in 1975 after the team traded Aaron to the Milwaukee Brewers follwong the 1974 campaign.
45th – In Bobby Cox’s third season as manager, the Braves ended the season above .500 for the first time since 1971, in 1980.
40th – Center fielder Dale Murphy won his last of four consecutive Silver Slugger awards in 1985 while leading the National League in runs, home runs, walks, strikeouts and plate appearances will playing in 162 games for the fourth straight season.
35th – Bobby Cox, who had rejoined the Braves as General Manager in 1986, moved back to the dugout during the 1990 season – where he would stay until retiring in 2010.
35th – David Justice, who split time between first base and the outfield, won the National League Rookie of the Year Award. That happened in part because …
35th – During the 1990 season, the Atlanta Braves traded franchise icon Dale Murphy to the Philadelphia Phillies.
35th – Pitcher Steve Avery made his major league debut at age 20 and the Braves first round draft pick – the first overall selection – was Florida prep star Chipper Jones, which was notable because …
30th – After a lock-out delayed start of the 1995 season, Chipper Jones made his first MLB start at third base for the Braves. Atlanta would go on to win 90 games during the regular season.
30th – After three failed post-season attempts in the post-season during the decade – including two losses in the World Series, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cleveland Indians to with the organization’s first World Series Championship since 1957 and its first since moving to Atlanta in 1966.
30th – Pitcher Greg Maddux would win his fourth National League Cy Young Award in-a-row – his third with Atlanta. He finished the season going 19-2 in 28 starts with a 1.63 ERA while tossing 10 complete games and three shutouts. He led the league in numerous categories and put-up an almost exact replicate of his 1994 season. Watching him pitch in person and on television was a magical experience and it was at his peak during the 1995 season.
25th – The Braves hosted the All-Star Game, with Chipper Jones going 3-for-3 with a home run joining teammate Andres Galarraga, Andruw Jones, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine as hometown representatives. The National League would lose the game with Derek Jeter being named the game’s MVP.
25th – Shortstop Rafael Furcal won the NL Rookie of the Year Award; Glavine and Maddux finished second and third in the NL Cy Young; and both Joneses finished in the top 11 of NL MVP.
25th – The Braves drew more than three million fans in 2000, the last time they would do so for more than two decades, when the Braves crossed that threshold in 2022.
20th – The “Baby Braves” carried Atlanta to their last division title in 2005 – a streak that started in 1991 (excluding the 1994 season when there was no post-season due to the lock-out). Brian McCann was one most notable of the rookies; homering off of Roger Clemens in the playoffs. Outfielder Jeff Francoeur would finish third in the NL Rookie of the Year.
20th – Andruw Jones slugged 51 home runs and finished second in the NL MVP Award. Jones’ 51 home runs was the franchise record until it was broken by Matt Olson in 2023.
20th – Hall of Fame John Smoltz returned to the team’s starting rotation after serving as the team’s closer. He would be an All-Star and pace the team with 33 starts.
Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images
15th – The Braves returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2005 in Bobby Cox’s last season as he team’s manager.
15th – Cox finished his managerial career with 2,504 wins in 4,508 games in a 29-year career, 25 of which were at the helm of Atlanta. Cox won 2,149 games as the Braves’ manager. His career would come to a close with a loss to the San Francisco Giants in the playoffs at Turner Field. The Giants would pause their on-field celebration to honor Cox.
15th – Jason Heyward finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year Award and started his career in an unforgettable fashion, homering in his first career at-bat against the Chicago Cubs and sending a packed Turner Field into a frenzy.
15th – Craig Kimbrel made his MLB debut and would take over as the team’s closer the following season after the retirement of Hall of Fame closer Billy Wagner. The Braves bullpen included Jonny Venters, Eric O’Flaherty and Peter Moylan who would join Kimbrel in as the dominating “O’Ventrel” bullpen for several seasons.
10th – The Braves rebuild was in full swing in what was a forgettable season that saw Kimbrel traded before Opening Day. The team had the fewest win during a season since 1990.
5th – It has been five years since COVID delayed the season until the Summer leading to a 60-game regular season. The Braves made a deep run in the playoff but fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 in the NLCS.
5th – Free agent addition Marcell Ozuna would be the team’s designated hitter – the first time it was used in the National League – and would lead the league in home runs and RBI. Max Fried would finish fifth in the NL Cy Young Award.
5th – Freddie Freeman won the NL MVP Award with Atlanta Braves legend – and back-to-back NL MVP Award-winner – Dale Murphy making the announcement.