Which of the 10 Never Before Seen Facts on Truist Park Atlanta Will Impress You the Most? Those 10 Facts on Truist Park Atlanta are…
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10 Never Before Seen Facts on Truist Park
Truist Park is one of the league’s newest stadiums every baseball fan has on their bucket list. In fact, the Braves venue opened in 2017 and has never hosted the All-Star Game. Any Atlanta fan that bleeds Braves red will know every information possible, from the team winning the 2021 World Series to Freddie Freeman claiming the MVP Award in 2020. However, there are new Truist Park facts that many baseball supporters never knew or never heard of in their lives. For details on what facts baseball fans rarely knew about, please refer to 10 Never Before Seen Facts on Truist Park below!
10: There is a Time Capsule Located at the Braves Stadium
Rarely, baseball stadiums have time capsules that are either shown to the public or hidden in plain sight. Those features can store some of the team’s greatest archives like game-used equipment of a program from Opening Day. Also, time capsules are a great way to preserve history so future generations can learn about them once they are opened. But did you know that Truist Park has not one, but two time capsules located in the stadium? The Braves are pretty much the only big league club to have multiple time capsules.
While the then-SunTrust Park was in its construction phase, Atlanta decided to do something to pay tribute to its long history of baseball. So the team decided to install two time capsules located in the ground. Those features have the following items stored in boxes: 1995 World Series champions autographed baseball, dirt bottles from Atlanta Fulton County Stadium and Turner Field, 1948 Fall Classic program, a piece from the Big Chicken restaurant sign, footage from the current park’s groundbreaking ceremony, and more. So when will these time capsules open to the public? One day when the Braves find a new stadium and vacate Truist Park, that’s when those boxes will open.
9: There’s a Reason Why the Braves Start Night Games at 7:20pm
Normally, baseball contests across the country would begin at 7:00pm local time on weeknights. Around that time, adults and parents would already be done with work for the day since they usually end at 5:00pm In addition, children and teenagers would be done with school and finished with homework by the time the stadium gates open. Perhaps the biggest obstacle to getting a good crowd in for a 7:00pm start time is dealing with traffic congestion and rush hour jams. Believe it or not, there is a reason why the Braves start their night games at 7:20pm.
When the formerly-named SunTrust Park first opened in 2017, baseball contests would start around 7:35 first pitch. The inspiration behind this unique decision results from traffic jams not only in Atlanta, but also in Cobb County. Rush hour congestion begins at approximately 5:00pm when the work day is finished and the roads/highways return to normal rates at around 7:00pm But in recent years, Braves games have been pushed up from 7:35pm to 7:20 first pitch. Atlanta is one of the couple teams in the Major Leagues to have different-than-usual first pitch times, along with the Arizona Diamondbacks (6:40 local time) and Colorado Rockies (6:40 local time).
8: The Braves Considered Building a Retractable Roof for the New Stadium
Retractable roofs can provide a stress-free atmosphere for fans and teams alike. For instance, they can protect fans from heavy rains and thunderstorms. In fact, those features can help with climate control to avoid the hot heat during the summer months. So far, only eight teams play in a stadium with a dome/retractable roof: Rays, Astros, Rangers, Marlins, Blue Jays, Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Brewers. Interestingly, the Braves considered building a retractable roof for Truist Park during the planning stages.
During the early 2010s, team officials were discussing proposals for their new ballpark. One of those ideas was to construct a retractable roof for the then-SunTrust Park. Over the past 15 years, the big leagues have seen new ballparks with roofs such as LoanDepot Park and Globe Life Field. Also, the South has a covered venue in the Rays in St. Petersburg. However, for the Braves, they scrapped that idea due to games needing to be played in an outside setting as well as financial concerns. As of today, Truist Park is the most farther down south baseball stadium without a retractable roof.
7: In 2018, A Body was Found in the Walk-In Freezer at Truist Park
Since the beginning of the 21st century, there have been some odd and fatal stories that have come from Major League stadiums. For example, a food stand employee was killed in 2007 when he fell 30 feet in the elevator shaft at Citizens Bank Park. Another example was that an electrician filed a lawsuit against Guaranteed Rate Field for a career-ending injury he suffered in 2013. One more example to point out is that dinosaur fossils were discovered at the construction site for Coors Field in the 1990s. Perhaps the most frightening story of all took place in 2018, when a body was found in the walk-in freezer at the Braves stadium.
In June 2018, then-48-year-old Todd Keeling was installing the tap-pouring time preservation machine when he suddenly got stuck in a walk-in freezer. But when local law enforcement authorities arrived at the scene, it was too late. Keeling had died after being in extremely cold air for too long. He also has a history of installing his machines in other ballparks like Guaranteed Rate Field and Target Field. Even though the Braves/Reds series was being played at that time, it went ahead without any disruption. Since the tragedy, his family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the baseball stadium.
6: The Person Who Laid the 1st Bricks at Truist Park Also Did the Same for Turner Field
Throughout their franchise history, the Braves have played in three stadiums since they relocated from Milwaukee in the 1960s. First, Atlanta Fulton County Stadium was a cookie-cutter venue that lasted from 1966 until 1996. Next, Turner Field was turned into a baseball park just one year after hosting the 1996 Summer Olympics. Finally, in 2017, the now-Truist Park became the first major sports facility to not be built near Downtown Atlanta. But here’s something that all three ballparks have in common: Eutis Morris!
Who is Eutis Morris you may ask? He was the man who installed the first bricks for Atlanta Fulton County Stadium as well as Olympic Stadium/Turner Field. In summer 2015, the Braves were finding ways to incorporate the team’s history into their new ballpark. So they brought in Morris to put the first ever brick onto the then-constructed stadium. By the way, the first brick for the venue reads “SunTrust Park-First Brick Ceremony: August 27, 2015.” Therefore, Eutis Morris is pretty much the only man who ever took part in the construction for all three Braves facilities.
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5: Def Leppard Has Played More Shows at Braves Stadium than Anyone Else
It is an awesome practice for big league parks to host large scale concerts. In fact, there are teams that previously hosted live musical events. Those teams were the following: Mariners, Guardians, Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles, Tigers, Astros, and many more. Concerts can vary with either a post-game event or just a stand alone performance during the off-season. But did you know that Def Leppard has played more shows at Braves stadium than anyone else? And that doesn’t count singing at National Anthems or having themed nights.
British rock band Def Leppard has played a total of two shows at Truist Park: 2018 and 2022. The English group is notable for their hit songs like “Pour Some Sugar on Me” and “Photograph.” In their first performance, they collaborated with another rock and roll band Journey. During the recent show, Def Leppard co-headlined with Motley Crue as part of the latter’s comeback tour. Even though Truist Park hasn’t reached ten years old yet, the British group has already created a cult following in Cobb County.
4: A College Football Game Went to 5 Overtimes at Truist Park
College football games can be a great asset for baseball stadiums when it comes to making more revenue during the year. In fact, there are multiple Major League parks within the nation that have experience in hosting football contests. In 2013, Busch Stadium in St. Louis hosted its only college football game. As of today, the following MLB venues are currently serving bowl games: Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, and Petco Park. There are other ballparks that rarely host football contests: T-Mobile Park, LoanDepot Park, and Oracle Park. But for the Braves, the formerly-named SunTrust Park hosted a college football game only once in its 5-year history.
In late 2018, the Braves stadium was the home for the local football matchup: Jacksonville State Gamecocks and Kennesaw State Owls. When the game was played, the baseball infield and home plate were still present on the field. Not only was that night just a football game, but it was the one for the ages. The Jacksonville State/Kennesaw State rivalry went to five overtimes with the Owls sealing the victory 60-52. In those five overtime periods, the Owls outscored the Gamecocks 36-28. Since that epic game, Truist Park has not hosted another college football contest.
3: Braves Ballpark’s 1st Ever Game was a College Matchup: Georgia vs. Missouri
Usually, when a new sports venue opens, the very first game would feature the main tenant. Not long after the grand opening ceremony, the team that is getting a new home will face either a division rival or a rematch from the previous season’s playoffs. Most importantly, the ceremonial first pitch for the new ballpark is thrown by a player or coach who has played at the previous venue. But believe it or not, the then-SunTrust Park’s first ever game was actually a college baseball matchup between the Missouri Tigers and the Georgia Bulldogs.
In April 2017, the two Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams faced off in a rare appearance at a big league ballpark. The college baseball event was also the first public gathering in the history of the new Braves stadium. Over 33,000 spectators were on hand as the Tigers defeated the Bulldogs 6-1. Even though the outcome didn’t go in the locals’ favor, the baseball game was something many fans will remember. Not only is the college contest a moment for the ages for fans entering the stadium for the first time, but it is also the first taste for players who are trying to play in professional baseball.
2: Fans Can Get a Taste of Turner Field at Truist Park Today
Turner Field was one of the most remembered baseball stadiums that is no longer used by Major League Baseball. The venue started out as the host for the 1996 Atlanta Games before converting to a baseball field full-time. Since that transition, the downtown stadium served as the site for the 1999 World Series along with four Championship Series (1997-1999, 2001). In 2010, Turner Field saw its only no-hitter in history when Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jiminez accomplished the feat against the Braves. Last but not least, the old venue hosted the 2000 MLB All-Star Game where Derek Jeter was named the contest’s Most Valuable Player.
Even though Turner Field has now been converted into a football facility, that doesn’t mean its presence in the community is gone completely. In fact, fans who are going to Braves games at Truist Park can get a taste of Turner Field today. For instance, there’s the Chick-Fil-A® Cow that sits in the right field at the formerly-named SunTrust Park. The feature was previously used at left field at Turner Field. Another example is that the current ballpark has the food establishment called the Chop House at right field (similar to the one at the old venue). Turner Field may no longer be used as a baseball park, but its memories still live on at Truist Park.
1: Monument Garden at Braves Stadium is a New Style of Display for the Team
When the Braves were playing home games at Turner Field, it used to have a stand-alone museum located in the 3rd base concourse. The Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame, named after the former Atlanta Mayor in the 1960s, held displays of trophies along with championship rings and year-by-year exhibits. Perhaps the most famous part of that museum was the replica train car that players used to travel in during the early 1900s. However, the Braves decided not to replicate that experience when they built their new stadium.
Rather than a museum being situated in a room, the team instead incorporated its history as part of the home plate concourse at Truist Park. This new style of experience is called Monument Garden, where fans can explore the treasures of Atlanta Braves history. For example, fans can see championship banners hanging on the ceiling and retired numbers located throughout the area. Another example is that spectators can check out the different uniforms the team wore over the past fifty years.
The main attraction for Monument Garden is the life-sized statue of Hank Aaron with a miniature waterfall below. The new style of team display is a game-day experience that belongs to Truist Park and not a carbon copy of the one at Turner Field.
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