Photos: Braves honor former executive Bill Lucas

Sports

The Braves named the baseball operations room at their new stadium in honor of the late Bill Lucas, who was baseball's first African-American general manager.

February 9, 2017, Atlanta: Braves Vice Chairman John Schuerholz and General Manager John Coppolella unveil a photograph of Bill Lucas as the Braves name the baseball operations conference room after Lucas, baseball's first African-American general manager, on Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, in Atlanta. The dedication coincides with the 40th anniversary of Lucasâ first season as vice president of player personnel, which made him the first African-American to oversee a player personnel department in baseball and the highest ranking African-American in Major League Baseball at the time. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

*** POSSIBLE VISUAL LEDE *** February 9, 2017, Atlanta: Rubye Lucas, widow of Bill Lucas, becomes emotional while speaking next to his portrait during a ceremony in the Braves baseball operations conference room naming it after Lucas, baseball's first African-American general manager, on Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, in Atlanta. The dedication coincides with the 40th anniversary of Lucasâ first season as vice president of player personnel, which made him the first African-American to oversee a player personnel department in baseball and the highest ranking African-American in Major League Baseball at the time. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Hank Aaron, Braves Senior Vice President, shares a laugh with his Billye Aaron (right) during a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

*** VISUAL LEDE *** February 9, 2017, Atlanta: Rubye Lucas, widow of Bill Lucas, is overcome with emotion while speaking next to his portrait during a ceremony in the Braves baseball operations conference room naming it after Lucas, baseball's first African-American general manager, on Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, in Atlanta. The dedication coincides with the 40th anniversary of Lucasâ first season as vice president of player personnel, which made him the first African-American to oversee a player personnel department in baseball and the highest ranking African-American in Major League Baseball at the time. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Rubye Lucas, wife of Bill Lucas, gets emotional during a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Rubye Lucas, wife of Bill Lucas, gets emotional as she speaks during a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Rubye Lucas, wife of Bill Lucas, holds a copy of former Braves Dale Murphy's contract document with the Braves after a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. Dale Murphy, who was hired by Bill Lucas. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Rubye Lucas, wife of Bill Lucas, hugs former Braves Dale Murphy, who was hired by Bill Lucas, as he holds a copy of his first contract document with the Braves after a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Rubye Lucas, wife of Bill Lucas, reacts as former Braves Dale Murphy, who was hired by Bill Lucas, brought a copy of his first contract document with the Braves after a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

February 9, 2017, Atlanta: Rubye Lucas, the widow of Bill Lucas, gets a hug from Dale Murphy during a ceremony by the Braves naming the baseball operations conference room after Lucas, baseball's first African-American general manager, on Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, in Atlanta. The dedication coincides with the 40th anniversary of Lucasâ first season as vice president of player personnel, which made him the first African-American to oversee a player personnel department in baseball and the highest ranking African-American in Major League Baseball at the time. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

*** VISUAL LEDE *** February 9, 2017, Atlanta: Rubye Lucas, widow of Bill Lucas, speaks next to his portrait during a ceremony in the Braves baseball operations conference room naming it after Lucas, baseball's first African-American general manager, on Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, in Atlanta. The dedication coincides with the 40th anniversary of Lucasâ first season as vice president of player personnel, which made him the first African-American to oversee a player personnel department in baseball and the highest ranking African-American in Major League Baseball at the time. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

February 9, 2017, Atlanta: The Braves name the baseball operations conference room after Bill Lucas, baseball's first African-American general manager, on Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, in Atlanta. The dedication coincides with the 40th anniversary of Lucasâ first season as vice president of player personnel, which made him the first African-American to oversee a player personnel department in baseball and the highest ranking African-American in Major League Baseball at the time. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Rubye Lucas, wife of Bill Lucas, hugs Terry McGuirk, Braves Chairman and CEO, after a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Terry McGuirk (right), Braves Chairman and CEO, comforts Wonya Lucas, daughter of Bill Lucas, as Andrea Lucas (left), daughter of Bill Lucas, gets emotional during a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Rubye Lucas, wife of Bill Lucas, speaks during a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

February 9, 2017, Atlanta: Rubye Lucas (right), the widow of Bill Lucas, and Wonya Lucas (left), one of their daughters, look over historic photographs of him while the Braves hold a ceremony namig the baseball operations conference room after Lucas, baseball's first African-American general manager, on Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, in Atlanta. The dedication coincides with the 40th anniversary of Lucasâ first season as vice president of player personnel, which made him the first African-American to oversee a player personnel department in baseball and the highest ranking African-American in Major League Baseball at the time. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

February 9, 2017 Atlanta - Rubye Lucas, wife of Bill Lucas, speaks as a picture of Bill Lucas showing in background during a press conference to make dedications at the new SunTrust Park to former vice president of player personnel Bill Lucas at SunTrust Park on Thursday, February 9, 2017. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

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February 9, 2017, Atlanta: Braves Vice Chairman John Schuerholz and General Manager John Coppolella unveil a photograph of Bill Lucas as the Braves name the baseball operations conference room after Lucas, baseball's first African-American general manager, on Thursday Feb. 9, 2017, in Atlanta. The dedication coincides with the 40th anniversary of Lucasâ first season as vice president of player personnel, which made him the first African-American to oversee a player personnel department in baseball and the highest ranking African-American in Major League Baseball at the time. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

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