1973 Atlanta Braves season

1973 Atlanta Braves
Major League affiliations
Location
Results
Record 76–85 (.472)
Divisional place 5th
Other information
Owner(s) William Bartholomay
General manager(s) Eddie Robinson
Manager(s) Eddie Mathews
Local television WTCG
Local radio WSB
(Ernie Johnson, Milo Hamilton)
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The highlight of the 1973 Atlanta Braves season was Hank Aaron finishing the season just one home run short of Babe Ruth as baseball's all-time home run king. The 1973 Atlanta Braves were the first team to boast three 40 home run hitters. They were Aaron, Darrell Evans, and Davey Johnson.

Offseason

Regular season

Season standings

NL West W L Pct. GB Home Road
Cincinnati Reds 99 63 0.611 — 50–31 49–32
Los Angeles Dodgers 95 66 0.590 3½ 50–31 45–35
San Francisco Giants 88 74 0.543 11 47–34 41–40
Houston Astros 82 80 0.506 17 41–40 41–40
Atlanta Braves 76 85 0.472 22½ 40–40 36–45
San Diego Padres 60 102 0.370 39 31–50 29–52

Record vs. opponents

1973 National League Records

Sources:
Team ATL CHC CIN HOU LAD MON NYM PHI PIT SD SF STL
Atlanta — 7–5 5–13 11–7 2–15–1 6–6 6–6 6–6 7–5 12–6 8–10 6–6
Chicago 5–7 — 8–4 6–6 5–7 9–9 10–7 10–8 6–12 7–5 2–10 9–9
Cincinnati 13–5 4–8 — 11–7 11–7 8–4 8–4 8–4 7–5 13–5 10–8 6–6
Houston 7–11 6–6 7–11 — 11–7 6–6 6–6 7–5 6–6 10–8 11–7 5–7
Los Angeles 15–2–1 7–5 7–11 7–11 — 7–5 7–5 9–3 10–2 9–9 9–9 8–4
Montreal 6–6 9–9 4–8 6–6 5–7 — 9–9 13–5 6–12 7–5 6–6 8–10
New York 6–6 7–10 4–8 6–6 5–7 9–9 — 9–9 13–5 8–4 5–7 10–8
Philadelphia 6-6 8–10 4–8 5–7 3–9 5–13 9–9 — 8–10 9–3 5–7 9–9
Pittsburgh 5–7 12–6 5–7 6–6 2–10 12–6 5–13 10–8 — 8–4 5–7 10–8
San Diego 6–12 5–7 5–13 8–10 9–9 5–7 4–8 3–9 4–8 — 7–11 4–8
San Francisco 10–8 10–2 8–10 7–11 9–9 6–6 7–5 7–5 7–5 11–7 — 6–6
St. Louis 6–6 9–9 6–6 7–5 4–8 10–8 8–10 9–9 8–10 8–4 6–6 —

Opening Day starters

Notable transactions

Hank Aaron's Chase for the Record

At the age of 39, Aaron managed to slug 40 home runs in 392 at bats, ending the season with 713, which at that time one home run short of the record. He hit home run number 713 on September 29, 1973, and with one day remaining in the season, many expected him to tie the record. But in his final game that year, playing against the Houston Astros (led by manager Leo Durocher, who had once roomed with Babe Ruth), he was unable to hit one out of the park. After the game, Aaron stated that his only fear was that he might not live to see the 1974 season. That statement was not just about the death threats: one year earlier, September 30, 1972, was the last day that the legendary Roberto Clemente ever played, as he perished in the offseason.[8]

Home Run Date Pitcher Inning Location
700 July 21, 1973 Ken Brett Bottom 3rd Fulton County Stadium
701 July 31, 1973 Pedro Borbón Bottom 9th Fulton County Stadium
702 August 16, 1973 Jack Aker Top 8th Wrigley Field
703 August 17, 1973 Steve Renko Top 6th Parc Jarry
704 August 18, 1973 Steve Rogers Top 8th Parc Jarry
705 August 22, 1973 Reggie Cleveland Bottom 6th Fulton County Stadium
706 August 28, 1973 Milt Pappas Bottom 1st Fulton County Stadium
707 September 3, 1973 Clay Kirby Top 3rd San Diego Stadium
708 September 3, 1973 Vicente Romo Top 5th San Diego Stadium
709 September 8, 1973 Jack Billingham Bottom 7th Fulton County Stadium
710 September 10, 1973 Don Carrithers Bottom 3rd Fulton County Stadium
711 September 17, 1973 Gary Ross Bottom 8th Fulton County Stadium
712 September 22, 1973 Dave Roberts Top 6th Astrodome
713 September 29, 1973 Jerry Reuss Bottom 5th Fulton County Stadium

Roster

1973 Atlanta Braves
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
C Oates, JohnnyJohnny Oates 93 322 80 .248 4 27
2B Johnson, DaveyDavey Johnson 157 559 151 .270 43 99
3B Evans, DarrellDarrell Evans 161 595 167 .281 41 104
SS Perez, MartyMarty Perez 141 501 125 .250 8 57
LF Aaron, HankHank Aaron 120 392 118 .301 40 96
CF Baker, DustyDusty Baker 159 604 174 .288 21 99
RF Garr, RalphRalph Garr 148 668 200 .299 11 55

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Gilbreath, RodRod Gilbreath 29 74 21 .284 0 2
Brown, OscarOscar Brown 22 58 12 .207 0 0
Pierce, JackJack Pierce 11 20 1 .050 0 0
Foster, LeoLeo Foster 3 6 1 .167 0 0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Morton, CarlCarl Morton 38 256.1 15 10 3.41 112
Gentry, GaryGary Gentry 16 86.2 4 6 3.43 42
Dobson, PatPat Dobson 12 57.2 3 7 4.99 23

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Harrison, RoricRoric Harrison 38 177.1 11 8 4.16 130
Freeman, JimmyJimmy Freeman 13 37.1 0 2 7.71 20
Ford, WentyWenty Ford 4 16.1 1 2 5.51 4

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Frisella, DannyDanny Frisella 42 1 2 8 4.20 27
Devine, AdrianAdrian Devine 24 2 3 4 6.40 15
Panther, JimJim Panther 23 2 3 0 7.63 8
León, MaxMax León 12 2 2 0 5.33 18
Closter, AlAl Closter 4 0 0 0 14.54 2
Cheadle, DaveDave Cheadle 2 0 1 0 18.00 2

Awards and honors

League records

All-Stars

1973 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
AAA Richmond Braves International League Bobby Hofman and Clint Courtney
AA Savannah Braves Southern League Clint Courtney and Tommie Aaron
A Kinston Eagles Carolina League Gene Hassell
A Greenwood Braves Western Carolinas League Hoyt Wilhelm
Rookie Wytheville Braves Appalachian League Paul Snyder

Kinston affiliation shared with New York Yankees

Notes

  1. ↑ Rico Carty page at Baseball Reference
  2. ↑ Brian Asselstine page at Baseball Reference
  3. ↑ Curt Blefary page at Baseball Reference
  4. ↑ Carl Morton page at Baseball Reference
  5. ↑ Denny McLain page at Baseball Reference
  6. 1 2 Joe Pepitone page at Baseball Reference
  7. ↑ Al Closter page at Baseball Reference
  8. ↑ Hank Aaron and the Home Run that changed America, Tom Stanton, p. 179, ISBN 0-06-072290-8
  9. ↑ Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.90, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN 978-0-451-22363-0

References

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