Braves end Hank Aaron memorabilia fight with former staffers
A legal battle for the ownership of the home plate and bases from Hank Aaron’s historic 715th home run has ended with the Atlanta Braves dropping its claims alleging the memorabilia was stolen and put up for auction by former employees.
The team sued former employees Bill and Ben Acree and an auction house in September 2024 after learning about the planned sale of the home plate and bases from the April 8, 1974, game in which Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record in Atlanta.
The father and son, who worked for the Braves for decades, countersued for defamation. Heritage Vintage Sports Auctions, based in Texas, also brought counterclaims against the Braves, including libel and business interference.
Bill Acree, a Braves employee of more than 50 years, claimed he was given the “715 bases” by his direct supervisor at the end of the 1974 Major League Baseball season because nobody wanted them. He said that in 2016, he gave them to his son, Ben Acree, a Braves employee from 1997 through 2016, who subsequently passed the memorabilia to Heritage in a 2024 consignment agreement.
The Braves argued the memorabilia was never owned by Bill Acree and that it was wrongly removed by Ben Acree from Truist Park in 2016, having been stored on Braves property since 1974.
In a joint court filing Wednesday, the Braves and Heritage voluntarily dismissed all their claims in the case, including those against the Acrees. The father and son dropped remaining claims against the Braves last month, after their defamation claims were tossed in February by a Cobb County judge.
A Braves spokesperson and lawyers for the team and the Acrees did not respond Thursday to inquiries about the case. A Heritage spokesperson declined to comment.
The Acrees initially appealed the dismissal of their defamation claims against the Braves but withdrew their appeal in April.
Court records show the “715 bases” were kept at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Turner Field and Truist Park from 1974 through 2016 and have never been publicly sold.
It’s not clear from the case filings who currently has the memorabilia or what will happen to it.
In her Feb. 23 order striking the Acrees’ defamation claims, Cobb County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs said Heritage pulled the bases from auction in 2024 at the Braves’ request. She said the auction house and the Acrees refused at that time to return the items to the Braves.
Around the time it filed the lawsuit, the Braves said it was serious about protecting the legacy of players, “especially as it relates to the memory of Hank Aaron.”
“Hank’s impact on our organization will never be matched, and items that tell the story of his monumental achievements must be preserved and showcased in a way that properly honors his legacy,” the Braves said in 2024.
An associated case between Heritage and the Braves that simultaneously played out in federal court was settled in October, case filings show.
Heritage, one of the largest auctioneers of sports memorabilia in the United States, said in case filings that its reputation was damaged by the Braves’ accusations about the “715 bases” being stolen. Heritage said the Braves bullied it into canceling what would have been a lawful auction.
Bill Acree held several positions at the Braves from 1966 and became a senior adviser in 2015, records show. His son worked as part of the home clubhouse staff.
About the Author
Journalist Rosie Manins is a senior courts and legal affairs reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
