Braves Franchise History

1982: Dale Murphy wins the National League MVP Award, becoming the first Atlanta Braves player to be so honored since Hank Aaron in 1957, when the team played in Milwaukee. Murphy hit .281 with 36 home runs, 109 RBI, 113 runs, and 23 stolen bases.

1989: Nick Esasky, who became one of the most coveted free agents after hitting .277 with 30 home runs and 108 RBI for the Boston Red Sox, signs a three-year contract with the Atlanta Braves. However, he will be forced into early retirement because of an inner-ear infection that gives him chronic vertigo.

1997: The Atlanta Braves sign free agent shortstop Walt Weiss to a three-year contract

1998: Tom Glavine of the Atlanta Braves edges San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman for the National League Cy Young Award. It is the sixth time in the past eight seasons that a Braves pitcher has won the award.

Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

1999: Chipper Jones, who hit .319 with 45 home runs and 110 RBI, wins the National League MVP Award. Jones becomes the fifth Braves player to be so honored, joining Johnny Evers (1914), Bob Elliott (1947), Hank Aaron (1957) Dale Murphy (1982 and 1983) and Terry Pendleton (1991).

2014: The Braves trade outfielder Jason Hayward and pitcher Jordan Walden to the Cardinals in exchange for pitchers Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins.

MLB History

1953: The St. Louis Browns officially become the Baltimore Baseball Club Inc. The Baltimore franchise board officially changes its name to the Orioles, the traditional name for baseball teams from the city.

1965: MLB Owners unanimously elect William D. Eckert as commissioner to replace Ford Frick, who leaves office after 14 years.

1971: At age 22, Oakland Athletics pitcher Vida Blue becomes the youngest player ever to win the Most Valuable Player Award and only the fourth to capture both the Cy Young Award and the MVP in the same season.

1992: Major League Baseball holds an expansion draft to stock rosters of two new teams, the Florida Marlins and the Colorado Rockies. Pitcher David Nied is the first pick of the Rockies while the Marlins choose outfielder Nigel Wilson. A total of 72 players will be selected.

1999: The Anaheim Angels hire Mike Scioscia to be their new manager.

2011: Major League Baseball announces major structural changes for 2013 as a result of its approval of the sale of the Houston Astros to a group headed by Jim Crane. The Astros will move from the NL Central to the AL West, giving both leagues 15 teams split into three five-team divisions. As a result, teams will play a more balanced schedule and there will be interleague play during the entire season to accommodate the odd number of teams in each circuit. There will also be two additional playoff teams, but the new postseason format will be announced later as it is tied to current negotiations with the Players Association regarding the new collective bargaining agreement.

2014: Only two years after a universally decried fire sale, the Marlins change course again, signing All-Star RF Giancarlo Stanton to a 13-year contract worth $325 million. It is the largest contract in major league history, topping Miguel Cabrera’s $292-million deal signed in March. At 25, Stanton is just entering his prime and has a chance of still being a productive player at the end of the deal, in contrast with other recent mega-deals.

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