Fans from all over metro Atlanta and the Southeast made the trip to Atlanta on Friday for the Braves’ World Series championship parade.
The parade route began in downtown Atlanta and followed Peachtree Street into Midtown all the way to 10th Street. After a pause, the parade resumed along Cobb Parkway, a short distance south of Truist Park. Fans lined the route to congratulate and celebrate the Braves winning their second World Series title since the team moved to Atlanta (last one in 1995).
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Brian Long, who is a 33-year-old filmmaker, brought his daughter to the parade with him. He has been a Braves fan since 1995.
“I was seven at the time when I started watching the Braves,” Long said. “This championship is special because our city has been through so much. One thing about sports is that it brings everybody together. It’s nothing but love. I think right now in America and Atlanta, that’s what we need.”
As for his favorite moment, it was Jorge Soler’s first home run of the World Series.
“My favorite moment was the leadoff homer by Jorge Soler in Game 1. My second favorite is the homer in Game 6.″
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Lisa Keiffer, her husband, Todd, and their 22-year-old son, Jacob, watched the parade as a family. All three were excited to be there.
“The parade was awesome,” Todd said. “It’s been a long time, and we were ready to celebrate with the team. “This one was special. It was unexpected.”
“This is surreal,” Jacob said. “I have been watching the Braves for as long as I can remember. This is literally everything I’ve wanted to see since I’ve been watching baseball.”
“We were here when they won in ‘95,” Lisa said. “We have been watching them since the ‘80s.”
All three had different favorite moments in the Braves’ run to the World Series title.
Lisa: “Watching Max Fried take the mound after he got stepped on first base (in Game 6 of the World Series).”
Todd: “(National League Championship Series), when (Eddie) Rosario hit the home run to put us ahead.
Todd and Jacob also cited Soler’s home run in Game 6 of the World Series that cleared the railroad tracks at Houston’s Minute Maid Park.
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Armondre Malcolm brought his daughter, Kailee Malcolm, to the parade with him. Malcolm talked about the importance of the Braves championship and how special it was.
“I’ve been a fan all of my life, Malcolm said. “I was 5 years old in ‘95, but I wasn’t into baseball like that. It’s the World Series, and we’re champions. I had to come out. I was going to be here for the parade because I’ve been waiting for it my whole life.
“My daughter has been to so many games. A lot of wins, a lot of losses. This is my road dog, and she goes to every event with me. She loves it just as much as I do.”
Kailee’s favorite moment in the parade: “I enjoyed seeing my favorite player Ozzie Albies.”
Credit: Anfernee Patterson
Credit: Anfernee Patterson
Gina Bacon, Java Hardge, Shimira Johnson, Lamarra Finley are four friends who attended the parade.
Bacon, who is from Brunswick, made it a priority to come to the parade.
“I’m a Georgia native, so I represent Georgia teams, all of them. This is a big deal and a big celebration I wanted to be a part of. I was born in South Georgia and have always been a Braves fan.”
For Finley, this parade was special because she likes baseball a lot.
“I’m a baseball fan,” Finley said. “I played baseball growing up, so it was definitely an honor to be here since they won the Series.”
“I’m a Georgia transplant (from Philadelphia), but I love it here,” Hardge said. “It’s a big deal.”
“I wanted to come out and celebrate with the city,” Johnson said. “It’s a big deal, and we needed this. It is a long time coming.”
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Sally Rives and Betsy Rives moved to Atlanta during the pandemic in 2020. They’re from Greensboro, North Carolina, and have watched the Braves for the past three years. This moment was special for both of them.
“It’s been a long time since the Braves have won, and we wanted to be here,” Sally said. “It was a historic moment in our lifetime. Hopefully it’s not the last time we come to a parade here for a Braves win, but we’re excited we were able to come.”
“We like the Atlanta teams,” Betsy said. “We’re big (Atlanta) United fans, too. I like the sports in Atlanta. I think it brings people together.
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Credit: Anfernee Patterson/AJC
Bud Wilcoxon, his wife, Ryan Wilcoxon, and children Chloe Wilcoxon and Wilson Wilcoxon made the trip from Mobile, Alabama. Their friend Marcus Jordan made the trip from Miami Beach to join them for the parade.
For the Wilcoxon family, the trip was worth it.
“We’re huge Braves fans,” Ryan said. “We don’t live in Atlanta, but our family does. This is home for us. The Braves winning the World Series is everything we grew up cheering for and rooting for has fallen into place.”
As the Wilcoxons were out trick-or-treating on Halloween, there was a memorable moment for the Braves that Wilson will remember.
“Halloween night, we were trick-or-treating, and we got back just in time to see the grand slam (by Adam Duvall in Game 5 of the World Series),” Ryan said. “That was the best for me.”
“They hit a grand slam right when we stepped in the house from trick-or-treating,” Wilson said.
