This Day in Braves History: Atlanta acquires Kenny Lofton

Mar 25, 2023 - 12:00 PM

Braves Franchise History

1981 - The Braves trade veteran outfielder Gary Matthews to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Bob Walk. Matthews will hit .301 with a .398 on-base percentage in 101 games for the Phillies. Walk will spend the next three seasons in Atlanta while posting a 4.85 ERA in 211 ⅓ innings. Atlanta will release him in March of 1984.

1997 - The Braves trade outfielders David Justice and Marquis Grissom to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for outfielder Kenny Lofton and reliever Alan Embree. Lofton will spend just one season in Atlanta hitting .333/.409/.428 in 122 games. Embree will appear in 66 games out of the bullpen while posting a 2.54 ERA in 46 innings.

MLB History

1910 - The Chalmers Auto Company of Detroit agrees to award a new car to the player who owns the highest batting average at season’s end. Nap Lajoie will win a disputed batting title over Ty Cobb in a controversial finish, but Chalmers will award cars to both players.

1917 - Manager John McGraw agrees to a five-year, $40,000 contract with the New York Giants making him the highest paid person in major league baseball.

1962 - Elvin Tappe is named as the Chicago Cubs’ first “head coach” of the season in the team’s college of coaches plan. Chicago hasn’t had a proper manager since 1960.

1965 - Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski suffers a broken bone in his right foot and won’t be ready to play until May.

1989 - The Pirates acquire shortstop Jay Bell from Cleveland in exchange for shortstop Felix Fermin.

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Information for this article was found via Baseball Reference, NationalPastime.com and Today in Baseball History.