Utah Jazz

1974-03 1321 -1107. In 2002, 2003, and 2004 the Braves won their division again, but lost in the NLDS in all three years 3 games to 2, to the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros respectively. 1988- Jerry Sloan 823 - 440. In 2001, Atlanta won the National League East division, swept the NLDS against the Houston Astros, then lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLCS. 1981-88 Frank Layden 277 - 294. With their strong pitching being a constant, the Braves would also appear in the 1996 and 1999 World Series, and have not failed to win a division title since 1990 as of this writing. Pitching is not the only constant in the Braves organization; as of the end of the 2004 season, Cox is still the Braves' manager and Schuerholz remains the team's GM. 1979-81 Tom Nissalke 60 - 124. With this World Series victory, the Braves became the first team in Major League Baseball to win world championships in three different cities.

1977-79 Elgin Baylor 86 - 134. The Braves would win a World Series in 1995, defeating the Cleveland Indians in six games. 1974-77 Bill Van Breda Koff 74 - 100. In 1993, the Braves signed Cy Young Award winning pitcher Greg Maddux, leading many baseball insiders to declare the pitching staff the best of all-time. 1974-75 Elgin Baylor 0 - 1. In the 1992 season, the Braves would reach the NLCS again and defeat, once again, in seven games, the Pirates, only to lose in the World Series to a dominating Toronto Blue Jays team. 1974-75 Scotty Robertson 1 - 14. Despite the loss, the Braves' success would continue.

Years Coach Record. They defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in a tightly contested seven-game NLCS only to lose the World Series, also in seven games, to the Minnesota Twins. Injured Reserve (as of April 21, 2005)
. Meanwhile, behind position players Dave Justice, Ron Gant and unexpected league Most Valuable Player and batting-average leader Terry Pendleton, the Braves overcame a slow start to go 47-22 over the last three months of the season and win 8 of their last 9, edging the Los Angeles Dodgers by one game in one of baseball history's more memorable playoff races. Bench
. The following season, Glavine, Avery, and Smoltz would be recognized as the best young pitchers in the league, winning 52 games between them. Starters
. Immediately after the season, John Schuerholz was hired as general manager.

While the season proved disappointing on the whole, the team has seen promising performances in some of its young players, especially Bell, Giricek, Keith McLeod, and Okur. Perhaps the Braves' most important move, however, was not on the field, but in the front office. However, a series of injuries caused the team's performance to sharply decline. However, pitching coach Leo Mazzone began training young pitchers Tom Glavine, Steve Avery, and John Smoltz. The 2004-05 season began well for the Jazz, as it won six of its first seven games behind strong performances from Boozer and Kirilenko. Not only was this season a losing effort, the Braves traded Dale Murphy to the Philadelphia Phillies after it was clear he was becoming a less dominant player. Under a realignment plan that went into effect in 2004, the Jazz were transferred to the new Northwest Division with the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Seattle SuperSonics. Bobby Cox was rehired as manager in 1990.

In the 2004 offseason, with the free agent signings of Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, the franchise was expected to again contend in the West. Murphy, excelling in defense, hitting, and running, was consistently recognized as one of the league's best players, but the Braves averaged only 65 wins per season between 1985-1990. Jerry Sloan finished second in the voting for the NBA Coach of the Year Award, losing to Hubie Brown of the Memphis Grizzlies. Murphy also won a Most Valuable Player award the following season, but the Braves began a period of decline that defined the team throughout the 1980s. Led by Kirilenko, the team remained in the playoff race to the end of the season, missing out by just one game to the Denver Nuggets. Strong performances from Bob Horner, Chris Chambliss, pitcher Phil Niekro, and short relief pitcher Gene Garber helped the Braves, but no Brave was more acclaimed than Murphy, who won both a Most Valuable Player and a Gold Glove award. In particular, Andrei Kirilenko demonstrated tremendous versatility on both offense and defense, and earned a spot in the all-star game. Cox was fired after the 1981 season and replaced with Joe Torre, under whose leadership the Braves attained their first divisional title since 1969.

The team featured several unheralded players who emerged into key contributors, including Andrei Kirilenko, Raja Bell, Matt Harpring, Gordan Giricek, Carlos Arroyo and Raúl López. However, in 1980, Murphy was moved to center field and demonstrated excellent range and throwing ability, while the Braves earned their first winning season since 1974. Instead they greatly exceeded most analysts' expectations. Murphy hit 77 home runs over the next three seasons, but struggled on defense, positioned at either catcher or first base while being unable to adeptly play either. In the 2003–04 season, the Jazz were expected to be one of the weakest teams in the league. Cox promoted a 22-year-old slugger named Dale Murphy into the starting lineup. After that, the team declined in the standings, although they continued to make the playoffs until 2003, after which Stockton retired and Malone moved to the Los Angeles Lakers. After three straight losing seasons, Bobby Cox was hired as manager of the franchise for the 1978 season.

The Jazz won Western Conference titles in 1997 and 1998, but were defeated by the Chicago Bulls both times, each in six games. In 1977, Turner appointed himself manager, but was ordered to relinquish that position after one game (the Braves lost). Though the Jazz were consistently strong in the league's regular season, earning 19 consecutive playoff appearances (1984–2003), the franchise failed to win a league championship over that time while. Turner quickly gained a reputation as a quirky, hands-on baseball owner. He retired in 2000. In 1976 the team was purchased by media magnate Ted Turner, owner of superstation WTBS. Hornacek was one of the best three-point and free throw shooters in the league. On April 4 he hit #714 in Cincinnati, and on April 8, in front of his home fans, he finally beat Ruth's mark.

Malone went on to score the second most points in NBA history (behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and received MVP awards in 1997 and 1999. The next season, it was only a matter of time before he set a new record. Stockton and Malone developed a remarkable rapport with each other, running pick-and-roll plays with great success. "Stockton to Malone" was a common refrain, as Stockton regularly found ways to pass the ball to Malone in good scoring position. Other good players of the era included Mark Eaton, Adrian Dantley, Jeff Malone, and later Jeff Hornacek and Bryon Russell. Throughout the winter he received racially motivated death threats, but stood up well under the pressure. Malone finished his career second in the record books for career points scored and would be recognized as one of the top power forwards in league history. In the relatively hitter friendly confines of Fulton County Stadium ("The Launching Pad"), he actually increased his offensive production, and by the end of the 1973 season had hit 713 home runs, one short of Babe Ruth's record. The Jazz became one of the most successful teams throughout the late 1980's and throughout the 1990's. Stockton eventually set NBA records for the most career steals and assists, and would be recognized as one of the top point guards in league history. In the mean time, fans had to be satisfied with the achievements of Aaron.

However, the pair flourished under the guidance of Frank Layden and later Jerry Sloan. They would not win it again until 1982, under Joe Torre. In 1985 the team drafted Karl Malone from Louisiana Tech. A .500 baseball team in the first few years (85-77, 77-85 and 81-81) respectively, they won the 1969 NL West pennant, before being swept by the "Miracle Mets" in the NLCS. That spring, the Jazz drafted John Stockton from Gonzaga. The next year, the Braves were its new residents. In Utah, the team continued to languish toward the bottom of the standings until the 1983-1984 season, when it won the Midwest Division title and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Keen to attract them, the City of Atlanta constructed a new ballpark, Fulton County Stadium, officially opened in 1965.

Although the team nickname was not fitting for Salt Lake City – known more as a center for Mormon culture than as a mecca for jazz music; the franchise decided to keep it. By the early 1960s attendance in Milwaukee had dwindled as well, and a new group of owners once again sought relocation. After five losing seasons in New Orleans, they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1979. Burdette, the Series MVP, threw three complete game victories, giving up only two earned runs. Though Maravich was viewed as one of the NBA's most entertaining and talented players, the Jazz were continually a losing team. In 1957, it culminated in their first World Series win for over 40 years, defeating the New York Yankees of Berra, Mantle and Ford. The franchise proved unsuccessful, both on the court and financially, even after the addition of "Pistol" Pete Maravich as the star player. Sluggers Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron drove the offense (they would hit a combined 863 home runs as Braves), whilst Spahn, Lew Burdette and Bob Buhl anchored the rotation.

In 1974 the Jazz franchise began in New Orleans. As the 1950s the reinvigorated Braves were increasingly competitive.
. Attendances steadily dwindled until, on March 13, 1953, then-owner Lou Perini announced he was moving the team to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Utah Jazz are a National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Their two pennants not withstanding, the Braves term in Boston was not a successful time. PG - #24 Raúl López (Spain). Ironically, in the 1948 season, the Braves actually had a better record in games that Spahn and Sain did not start than in games they did.

F - #47 Andrei Kirilenko (Андрей Кириленко) (Russia). The poem received such a wide audience that the sentiment, usually now paraphrased as "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain", entered the baseball vocabulary. PF - #5 Carlos Boozer (Duke). The remainder of the rotation was so thin that in September the Boston Post journalist Gerald Hern characterised them by the poem. SG - #3 Kirk Snyder (Nevada). In 1948 the team won the pennant, behind the pitching of Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain who won 39 games between them. PG - #2 Randy Livingston (LSU). A miraculous season of these proportions has never again been seen in professional sports.

PF - #44 Ben Handgloten (Western Michigan). The team was at the top of the league in both pitching, and hitting, and its leader, Evers, won the Chalmers Award, which is equivalent to today's MVP. PG - #6 Howard Eisley (Boston College). The turnaround was complete. C - #22 Curtis Borchard (Stanford). They were now World Champions. SG - #19 Raja Bell (FIU). Nevertheless, the Braves dominated the series in every phase, and swept away the favored Athletics.

PF - #43 Kris Humphries (Minnesota). The team entered the World Series as a heavy underdog to Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's. C - #13 Mehmet Okur (Turkey). Not only did they finish first, but they ended up 10.5 games up on the second place Giants. SG - #10 Gordan Girićek (Croatia). The Braves went 51-16 in the second half of the season, winning 34 of their last 44 games. PG - #25 Keith McLeod (Bowling Green). From there came a romp unmatched in baseball history.

C - #31 Jarron Collins (Stanford). When the team rallied to sweep the Reds in a doubleheader on July 19th, Stallings declared that the team was playing ball better than any other in the league, and was ready to catch New York. SF - #15 Matt Harpring (Georgia Tech). At midseason, on July 15th, the team was still in last place, 11.5 games out of first. 53 Mark Eaton. It had solidified around the phenomenal double-play tandem of Rabbit Maranville and Johnny Evers (of Evers to Tinker to Chance fame), and a strong starting rotation led by Lefty Tyler, Dick Rudolph, and Bill James. 35 Darrell Griffith. Slowly, the team began to turn itself around.

14 Jeff Hornacek. The only man left believing was the team's manager, "Miracle Man" George Stallings. 12 John Stockton. Everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong. 7 Pete Maravich. After a dismal 4-18 start to the season, the fanbase was turned off, as it looked like the Braves were headed for another bottom-feeder season. 1 Frank Layden. None were more remarkable than the mid-season last-to-first transformation of the 1914 "Miracle" Braves.

Thurl Bailey. The Boston franchise that became known as the Braves took part in some of baseball's most memorable moments, achievements, and penant races. Darrell Griffith. They are most recently known for their ongoing record of 13 consecutive division championships (1991-2004, except for the strike-shortened 1994 season), the most in any professional North American sport, while collecting one World Series championship in that time (in 1995, also a strike-shortened season). John Stockton. They are in the Eastern Division of the National League. Mark Eaton. The Atlanta Braves are a Major League Baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia.

Jeff Hornacek. Danville Braves
Orlando Braves. Karl Malone. Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Rome Braves. Jeff Malone. Mississippi Braves. Adrian Dantley. Richmond Braves.

Walt Bellamy - only played one game with the Jazz. National League
. Pete Maravich. Pitching saves: John Smoltz, 55 (2002). Pitching ERA: Greg Maddux, 1.56 (1994). Pitching strikeouts: Charlie Buffinton, 417 (1884).

Pitching wins: John Clarkson, 49 (1889). Strikeouts: Andruw Jones, 147 (1948). Walks: Bob Elliott, 131 (1948). Hitting streak: Tommy Holmes, 37 games (1945).

Stolen bases: King Kelly, 84 (1887). Triples: Dick Johnston and Harry Stovey, 20 (1897 and 1891). Doubles: Hugh Duffy, 51 (1894). Runs: Hugh Duffy, 160 (1894).

Hits: Hugh Duffy, 237 (1894). Runs batted in: Hugh Duffy, 145 (1894). Home runs: Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews, 47 (1971 and 1953). Batting average: Hugh Duffy, .440 (1894).

44 Hank Aaron. 42 Jackie Robinson (this number is retired throughout baseball). 41 Eddie Mathews. 35 Phil Niekro.

21 Warren Spahn.   3 Dale Murphy. Johnny Estrada (2004). Mike Hampton (2003).

Javy Lopez (2003). Gary Sheffield (2003). Chipper Jones (1999, 2000). Jeff Blauser (1997).

John Smoltz (1997). David Justice (1993). Fred McGriff (1993). Ron Gant (1991).

Tom Glavine (1991, 1995, 1996, 1998). Dale Murphy (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985). Silver Slugger