Braves first baseman Matt Olson and his wife Nicole hosted ReClif Community’s 2nd Annual Diamond Casino Night on Friday at the Delta Sky360 Club at Truist Park. All proceeds benefited ReClif Community, which aims to help autistic people and their families.
ReClif Community was founded by Olson’s friend Reece Blankenship, who has non-verbal autism. The two developed a bond during their days at Parkview High School and Olson has long been involved with ReClif Community.
“It is a step-back moment (to see how much the charity has grown),” Olson said. “I still think about going over to Reece’s house and working with him when I was a sophomore in high school and I was down in his basement reading him flash cards. It’s been all him getting ReClif Community to this place where we can do events like this.
“Obviously being back home in Atlanta and with the Braves Foundation helping out has been part of that, too. It’s cool.”
Among Olson’s Braves teammates who attended the event: starters Max Fried and Spencer Strider, second baseman Ozzie Albies, reliever A.J. Minter, catcher Sean Murphy and infielder-turned-pitcher Charlie Culberson.
“It’s great,” Olson said. “Especially here in the offseason this close to spring training. I know it’s not easy (for everybody to be here) when we’re weekends away, but it means a lot to have these guys contributing and their support.”
The first annual Casino Night at Truist Park raised more than $250,000 for ReClif Community last year.
Credit: Getty Images
Credit: Getty Images
Additionally, the Braves created “The Matt Pack” through Olson’s annual salary contribution to the Braves Foundation. Each home game, a family impacted by autism “is invited to enjoy a complimentary, sensory-friendly game experience,” according to the team. It has “provided inclusive game-day experiences for fans with sensory sensitivities and created memories with young Braves fans with life altering illnesses.”
On the field, Olson’s Braves career is off to a rip-roaring start. He’s played in every game during his first two seasons with the team, mashing 88 homers with an .897 OPS. He set single-season franchise records with 54 home runs and 139 RBIs in 2023. He also led the National League with a .604 slugging percentage.
The Braves acquired Olson from the A’s in March 2022, then swiftly signed him to an eight-year, $168 million extension. He’s established himself as a pillar on one of MLB’s premier teams and brands. His off-field work made him the Braves’ 2023 Roberto Clemente Award nominee.
More information about ReClif Community can be found at its website: www.ReClifCommunity.org. Additional information about the Braves’ partnership with Matt and Nicole’s efforts can be found at www.mlb.com/braves/community/live/autism-awareness.
Credit: Getty Images
Credit: Getty Images
