Truist Park Rehearsal

Left work at 4 pm yesterday and hoofed it over to Truist Park. Met up with friends Rob, Reid, and Shawn to rehearse with 711 others for next Monday’s Braves pre-game ceremony, honoring the 50th anniversary of Hank Aaron’s 715th home run.

We are to be in group 6, in right centerfield.

After receiving instructions, we all trouped counterclockwise through the stadium, down the ramps underneath the stands, past the Braves clubhouse and bullpen to the centerfield entrance to the field.

We were given one of 715 large baseball posters, with a number and date representing one of Hank’s first 715 home runs. 

We lined up on the warning track, in over 70 rows of ten. Hard to imagine the practice would take 2 hours, but the logistics were complicated. Rob likened it to a huge wedding rehearsal with lots of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Without the dinner.

Eventually we moved forward and spread out across the outfield, each of us holding our baseball posters. Saw my bobblehead friend Katie Wood. Like many around me, I snapped some photos.

At this time on Monday night a seven minute tribute video will be played, with tributes from Dusty Baker, Ralph Garr, Brian Snitker, Billye Aaron, Bob Costas, and others. Special guests, former teammates, and former Hank Aaron Award winners will be introduced, including Baker, Garr, Ron Reed, Marty Perez, Darrell Evans, Andruw Jones, Ryan Howard, Ronald Acuna, and Billye Aaron. The national anthem will be sung by Hank’s grandson. Saw the official logo. Not sure if the Braves will wear it as a patch on Monday.

Hard to see, but the jumbotron showed all of us spread out in the outfield.

Monday night I will probably be the person closest to the 375 marker in right-centerfield.

I've known Rob for twenty years, ever since we were in the same small group at North Point. An even bigger fan than me, these days I mostly see him at Braves games. When I scored the four spots in the ceremony, he was the first person I contacted.

Reid lives around the corner from. We work out together at the Y. He's an Emmy-winning composer who has written music for the Olympics and the Braves.

Shawn is always up for an adventure. A graphic artist and beekeeper, taking painting lessons. A Renaissance man?

As we filed out I discovered something I hadn't known: where the players park, underneath the stands. Each space has a different player's number. Just a short walk to the nearby clubhouse.

Monday should be an adventure. After the practice Reid, Shawn, and I grabbed a pie at Antico Pizza, and had a good time. As usual, The Battery was buzzing with people ducking in and out of shops and restaurants. A concert at the Roxy. The Braves drum line was practicing out on the green. It was after 915 pm when I got home.