Historian Tour: 1976 Nickname Jerseys

Step back into one of the most colorful—and unconventional—chapters in Braves history. In this installment of Behind the Braves: Historian Tour, team historian Sam Wallace joins the show to unpack the story behind the infamous 1976 “nickname” jerseys—an experiment that saw players swap their last names for nicknames on the backs of their uniforms. Wallace dives into how the idea came to life under new owner Ted Turner, whose bold, outside-the-box approach brought a wave of attention-grabbing (and sometimes head-scratching) promotional stunts to Atlanta. From the inspiration behind the jerseys to why the concept was so short-lived, this episode explores the intersection of baseball, marketing, and personality during a transformative era for the franchise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices