Braves honor Bobby Cox, Ted Turner before first game back in Atlanta

The Braves showed a tribute video for Turner and Cox while both teams were lined up on the field pregame. Images of both men and flowers were displayed in the infield with the 1995 World Series trophy in the middle. The team held a moment of silence, which happened to come at 7:05 p.m. — the start time of Braves games during their decades on Turner’s TBS — and a bagpipes rendition of “Amazing Grace” was played.

The Braves have No. 6 embroidered on the back of their caps for the reminder of the season. The Braves created acknowledgments for Cox and Turner above the batter’s eye, directly beneath the main scoreboard. There were tributes at the Georgia Power Pavilion and at the Vault in South End Trading Co.

The team also placed flowers atop the retired No. 6 displayed at the ballpark. Interviews with former Braves players discussing the men aired between innings throughout the evening.

“He was a patron saint of the Braves,” team Chairman Terry McGuirk, who spent decades working with both men, said of Cox. “Bobby is Braves royalty.”

Cox had an indelible impact in Atlanta and across the South. He won 2,504 games over his Hall-of-Fame managerial career. He oversaw Braves teams that captured 14 consecutive division titles, highlighted by five National League pennants and the 1995 World Series championship.

Cox was an acclaimed players’ manager, well-renowned for how he treated his athletes. He was famous for always having their back, as commonly shown by his record 162 career ejections. He established the clubhouse culture that’s continued with the Braves in the modern day.

He was the Braves’ manager for 25 years and served another five as general manager. Cox was inducted into the team Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. His friend and mentee, Brian Snitker, later oversaw the team’s second-greatest era, which included the 2021 World Series title.

A true visionary, Turner orchestrated the Braves’ era as America’s team when they were broadcast nationally on TBS — which fittingly aired Tuesday’s game. The Braves aired on the superstation from 1973 through 2007. And Turner’s innovation in the media space helped influence Atlanta far beyond baseball; he’s considered one of the most important individuals in the city’s history.

“Bringing the Braves to then WTCG in 1973 — and later becoming the Braves owner in 1976 — are achievements I will cherish forever,” Turner shared in a statement (via spokesperson) to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2023. “A ‘home base’ for the Braves on TBS was a perfect match as the games became a programming staple on our network. This also helped equate being a fan — beyond the ball field — to countless followers across the country, instilling a love for the Braves, known as ‘America’s Team.’ I will always feel proud of this incredible partnership and legacy that continues to shape the fabric of Atlanta."

Turner notably fired and rehired Cox during his tenure. He brought in Hall of Fame executive John Schuerholz. And the brain trust came together to transform the Braves into the behemoth they’ve been over the past three decades.

“I worked for Ted for 30 years; I got the wonderful experience of learning how Ted thought, learning that he was a genius, learning how genius his thoughts were and what they expect of businesses,” McGuirk said. “To think they took a little broken-down television station into a company that was doing business in the late 90s in 100 countries with 40 networks, it’s unbelievable. That’s the stuff that seeps into the team and culture.

“Ted was long gone. Bobby had his role and he’s gone. But it’s still there. The way people feel — you hear (manager) Walt Weiss up here talking about the brand. And Snit. They’ve all got it.”

The Braves are off to a start that’d probably make Turner and Cox proud. They’re 29-13 after their 5-2 victory Tuesday, the best record in the majors.