Editing Atlanta Braves (section)

====1915–1952====
[[File:Boston Braves Cap Logo (1946 to 1952).svg|thumb|upright=0.65|The Boston Braves cap logo, 1946 to 1952]]
From 1917 to 1933, the Boston Braves struggled. After a series of different owners, [[Emil Fuchs (baseball)|Emil Fuchs]] bought the team in 1923.<ref>{{cite book|last=Craig|first=William J.|title=A History of the Boston Braves: A Time Gone By|date=November 20, 2012 |publisher=The History Press|isbn=978-1609498573}}</ref> Fuchs brought his longtime friend, pitching great [[Christy Mathewson]], as part of the syndicate that bought the club.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fuchs|first1=Robert S.|first2=Wayne|last2=Soini|title=Judge Fuchs and the Boston Braves, 1923-1935|date=April 15, 1998 |publisher=McFarland|page=24|isbn=978-0786404827}}</ref> However, the death of pitching legend in 1925 left Fuchs in control.<ref>{{cite news|title=Judge Fuchs is Elected President of Braves to Fill Mathewson Vacancy|newspaper=[[Boston Herald]]|date=October 22, 1925|page=13}}</ref> Despite Fuchs' commitment to success, the team faced challenges overcoming the damage from previous years. It wasn't until 1933 and 1934, under manager [[Bill McKechnie]], that the Braves became competitive, but it did little to help the club's finances.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fuchs|first1=Robert S.|first2=Wayne|last2=Soini|title=Judge Fuchs and the Boston Braves, 1923-1935|date=April 15, 1998 |publisher=McFarland|page=58|isbn=978-0786404827}}</ref>

In an effort to boost fan attendance and finances, Fuchs orchestrated a deal with the [[New York Yankees]] to acquire [[Babe Ruth]] in 1935.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brooklyn-citizen-babe-ruth-signs-wit/140903847/|first1=Stuart|last1=Cameron|title=Acquisition of Bate Ruth May Pull the Braves Out of the 'Red'|newspaper=[[Brooklyn Citizen]]|date=February 27, 1935|access-date=February 13, 2024}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{cite magazine |last1=Rothman |first1=Lily |title=The Disappointing Reason Babe Ruth Left Baseball |url=https://time.com/3896371/babe-ruth-1935-retirement/ |access-date=February 16, 2024 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=June 2, 2015}}</ref> Ruth was appointed team vice president with promises of profit shares and managerial prospects.<ref name="Neyer">{{cite book |last=Neyer |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Neyer |title=Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders |year=2006 |publisher=Fireside |location=New York |isbn=978-0-7432-8491-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/robneyersbigbook0000neye}}</ref> Initially, Ruth seemed to provide a spark on opening day, but his declining skills became evident.<ref name="babebreak">{{cite book|last1=Fuchs|first1=Robert S.|first2=Wayne|last2=Soini|title=Judge Fuchs and the Boston Braves, 1923-1935|date=April 15, 1998 |publisher=McFarland|pages=110–113|isbn=978-0786404827}}</ref> Ruth's inability to run and poor fielding led to internal strife, and it became clear that his titles were symbolic.<ref name="babebreak"/> Ruth retired on June 1, 1935, shortly after hitting his last three home runs.<ref name="babebreak"/> The Braves finished the season with a dismal 38–115 record, marking the franchise's worst season.<ref name="Neyer"/>

Fuchs lost control of the team in August 1935,<ref name="Neyer"/> leading to a rebranding attempt as the Boston Bees, but it did little to alter the team's fortune. Construction magnate [[Lou Perini]] took over, eventually restoring the Braves' name.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent-braves-again-in-1941/140900579/|first1=Bill|last1=King|title=It's Braves Again as New Owners Stamp Out 'Bees'|newspaper=[[The Post-Crescent]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=April 30, 1941|access-date=February 13, 2024}}</ref> Despite World War II causing a brief setback, the team, led by pitcher [[Warren Spahn]], enjoyed impressive seasons in 1946 and 1947 under Perini's ownership.<ref name="Neyer"/>

[[File:Warren Spahn Pitching transparency 1952 March 21.png|thumb|Hall of Fame pitcher [[Warren Spahn]]]]
In 1948, the [[1948 Boston Braves season|team]] won the pennant, behind the pitching of Spahn and [[Johnny Sain]].<ref name="48ws">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/moberly-monitor-index-and-moberly-evenin/141839140/|title=Indians 5 to 1 Favorites to Win the Series|first1=Jack|last1=Hand|newspaper=Moberly Monitor-Index and Moberly Evening Democrat|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=October 6, 1948|access-date=February 22, 2024|page=9}}</ref> The remainder of the rotation was so thin that in September, ''Boston Post'' writer Gerald Hern wrote this poem about the pair:<ref>{{cite news|first1=Red|last1=Smith |title=Spahnie and Howie|work=[[The Berkshire Eagle]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/berkshire-eagle-jan-29-1973-p-21/|date=January 29, 1973 |access-date=January 5, 2024|ref=none}}</ref>

:''First we'll use Spahn''
:''then we'll use Sain''
:''Then an off day''
:''followed by rain''
:''Back will come Spahn''
:''followed by Sain''
:''And followed''
:''we hope''
:''by two days of rain.''

The poem received such a wide audience that the sentiment, usually now paraphrased as "[[Pray for Rain (poem)|Spahn and Sain and pray for rain]]", entered the baseball vocabulary.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Clayton|last1=Bellamy |title=Hall-of-Famer Spahn dead at 82 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/us/ohio/delphos/delphos-herald/2003/11-25/page-7/ |work=Delphos Herald Newspaper |agency=Associated Press |date=November 25, 2003 |access-date=January 5, 2024|ref=none}}</ref>

The [[1948 World Series]], which the Braves lost in six games to the [[1948 Cleveland Indians season|Indians]], turned out to be the Braves' last hurrah in Boston.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-citizen-news-braves/140901528/|first1=Jake|last1=Frost|title=Braves Unable to Beat Luck, Says Sothwort|newspaper=Los Angeles Evening Citizen News|agency=[[United Press International|U.P.]]|date=October 12, 1948|access-date=February 13, 2024}}</ref> On March 13, 1953, Perini announced he was moving the club to [[Milwaukee]].<ref name="mbrave53">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rhinelander-daily-news-braves-move-t/141099678/|title=More Territory to be Drafted O'Malley Says|first=Jack|last=Hand|newspaper=[[Rhinelander Daily News]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=March 19, 1953|access-date=February 16, 2024}}</ref> Perini cited advent of television and the lack of enthusiasm for the Braves in Boston as the key factors in deciding to move the franchise.<ref name="mbrave53"/>