Braves’ original ‘Freeze’ is retired. But you probably still can’t catch him.
At a recent high school football game, a fellow teacher asked Nigel Talton why he’s called Coach Freeze.
“I used to be The Freeze, so that’s why they call me Coach Freeze,” he replied.
Yes, there are still people who don’t know.
As the Atlanta Braves’ first sprinting mascot, Talton wore goggles with his ice-inspired track suit. And his head was covered, helping to keep his identity as “The Freeze” a secret.
Fearless fans always got a head start as they raced on the outfield’s warning track, but it usually wasn’t enough to beat him. Atlanta’s baseball fans were frozen in excitement over the running man, who even made ESPN’s “SportsCenter” during his debut season in 2017 when a cocky opponent face-planted during a race.
Others have donned the costume over the years, but the Braves have stayed mum on publicly identifying them. It’s like being an Atlanta celebrity but staying undercover.
Now, the team says it is hiring a new sprinter to entertain the crowd between innings.
A job posting on the Braves’ website lists various qualifications, such as “Must be physically fit and in good health to endure conditions including extreme high and low temperatures.”
Tryouts are next month. But the team hasn’t said how many applicants are expected.
For Talton, his days as The Freeze are over. When the Braves beat the Houston Astros to win the 2021 World Series, it seemed like the perfect time for him to pursue other adventures, he told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week.
Talton, 34, is chasing a new passion: working with and coaching high school students. He serves as a paraprofessional for special education students at Cobb County’s McEachern High School, where he also coaches flag football and track.
“I love coaching and working with the kids,” Talton said.
The special education children inspire him, and his plan is to become certified to teach.
“God made us different, but I feel like they can learn the same way,” Talton said. “I love them, and I love working with them.”
He won’t be shaking his nickname anytime soon. Talton even has his own bobblehead.
“I was the first Freeze, so everybody calls me OG Freeze,” he said.
Talton had been a member of the Braves’ grounds crew, known for their fast work keeping the field in tiptop shape. Back then, he raked and kept the area around second or third base smooth.
And he was fast.
When the Braves and RaceTrac teamed up for a “Beat the Freeze” promotion in 2017, Talton was a logical choice — no tryout necessary. He had been a high school and college sprinter and was an Olympic hopeful in both running and bobsledding.
But Talton had no idea how much his new job would change his life.
“Being The Freeze was about more than just running — it was about bringing joy, excitement and inspiration,” he said. “It was about making fans smile, laugh, cheer, and of course, letting a few feel that famous ‘Freeze Breeze.’ Win or lose, it was always about the people having a great experience at the ballpark.”
Talton beat the majority of his competitors, but a lucky few managed to outrun him, he said.
After suffering a football injury his freshman year at Peach County High School, Talton said he’s lucky to be able to run at all. On his mother’s birthday, he was injured when another player fell on him during practice, breaking his femur bone. He underwent emergency surgery, requiring doctors to put a metal rod in his leg.
“Before surgery, I asked my mom if I’d be able to play football and run track again,” Talton said. “She looked at me and said, ‘Son, we just need to worry about you walking again.’ But God had a plan far greater than my pain.”
After graduating high school in 2009, Talton focused on running, and his college career took him to Iowa Wesleyan, Shorter College and finally Kennesaw State University. He competed in national meets along the way, leaving his mark at all three schools before graduating with a degree in sports management.
Now in his second year at McEachern, Talton said working with students and young athletes is his calling. He trains runners when he’s not in the classroom, and sometimes Talton still goes to Braves games to see friends he met on the grounds crew.
In June, a Cobb police detective beat the new Freeze in front of an excited crowd. Ameerah Hardy-Dozier wasn’t competing against Talton, and the Braves didn’t release the identity of The Freeze she beat. The race wasn’t close.
Hardy-Dozier said her law enforcement work is fulfilling, so she doesn’t plan to apply to be The Freeze. But she’ll be cheering on the next person to lace up their track shoes and don the costume.
Talton said he still runs. Just not every day. When students ask to race him, Talton usually declines.
“The football players will be like, ‘Let’s race, coach,’” he said. “I don’t want to beat them. I don’t want them to get hurt trying to beat me.”
COULD YOU BE THE FREEZE?
The Atlanta Braves are looking for the next sprinting mascot to compete against fans at home games. Tryouts will be held Dec. 13 from 2-5 p.m. More details are available on the team’s website.
