Area of fair territory: 115,000 sq. ft.

Area of foul territory: Average

Fences: 8 ft

Elevation: 1,050 feet

Who Plays Here: Atlanta Braves (NL)
First Opened: March 21, 1997
Playing Field: GN-1 Bermuda Grass. Prescription Athletic Turf, featuring state-of-the-art mechanical drainage system and hybrid Bermuda grass. The turf is actually grown in an area below the scoreboard beyond the center field wall.

Architect: Atlanta Stadium Design Team (a joint venture of Heery International, Inc., Rosser International, Inc., Williams-Russell and Johnson, Inc. and Ellerbe Becket, Inc.)

Construction: Atlanta Stadium Constructors (a joint venture of Beers Construction Co., HJ Russell Construction Co. and CD Moody Construction Co.)
Owner: Atlanta Braves
Cost: $235 million

Private financing: 100% from the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games

   Turner Field, named after Braves owner Ted Turner, was built as Olympic Stadium in 1996 just south of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (a.k.a. "The Launching Pad") where the Braves played for 30 years. This $320 million stadium was retrofitted into a baseball-only, open-air, natural grass facility for Opening Day in 1997. The old stadium was imploded in 1997 and was converted into a parking lot for Turner Field.

   The team built the park because Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was becoming obsolete and they wanted a new retro style ballpark like the one which had then recently opened in Baltimore to rave reviews. Meanwhile, a new multi-purpose stadium was needed for the 1996 Olympics, so the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and the Braves agreed to a compromise.

     The new Olympic Stadium was built across the street from the old ballpark. It was comprised of two major sections. At one end, the structure of what would become Turner Field's grandstand was built. At the other end, an expanse of temporary bleachers completed the distorted oval. When the games were over, the bleachers came down and work began on completing the baseball stadium.

     There are several ways to get into Turner Field, but most people use the entry plaza located at the northwest side of the ballpark. The columns that once supported the temporary bleachers for the Olympics serve as part of a fence that surrounds the large curved outer plaza called Monument Grove. Statues of Hank Aaron, Phil Neikro and Ty Cobb as well as the retired number statues of Warren Spahn, Eddie Mathews, Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro and Dale Murphy are there, as is the ticket office.

     Luxury boxes are tucked away discreetly under the upper deck. There are no bleachers in Turner Field, so everyone has a seat with armrests and a back.

     Turner Field was the third stadium in history to have played host to the Summer Olympics before being used as a major league ballpark. Now, it bears little resemblance to the Olympic facility; a commercial atmosphere still permeates the park, from the overpriced food to the East and West Pavilions where fans can buy food or have their likeness stamped on a baseball card, but that's all.

     In 1997, guards at Turner Field cracked down on fans bringing food into the park. After they confiscated the special candy bars of a diabetic, Ted Turner himself apologized and commented that food at the park was overpriced.

   There is also a museum at the park featuring anything from the railroad cars that were used to haul Braves players in the 1940s to Hank aaron's 715th home run bat and ball to the knee brace that Sid Bream wore when he slid home to clinch the 1992 NL pennant.

Turner Field Firsts:
Grand Opening - April 4, 1997
Pitch - Denny Neagle
Batter - Brian McRae
Hit - Chipper Jones
Home run - Michael Tucker
Stolen base - Chipper Jones
Win - Brad Clontz
Save - Mark Wohlers
Error - Fred McGriff

Left field, to the N and NW, borders Georgia Avenue; the third base side (W and SW), bordrs on Pollard Boulevard and Interstate 75/85. The first base side (S and SE) is on Bill Lucas Drive; right field (E to NE), abuts Hank Aaron Drive (Capitol Avenue).

Seating Chart

Left field: 330 feet

Left center: 380 feet

Center field: 401 feet

Right center: 390 feet

Right field: 335 feet

Backstop: 53 feet

Foul territory: average

Analysis

   The park has fairly generous dimensions, and the foul territory is of fairly good size. Consequently, the stands aren't as close to the field as in some of the other newer ballparks. The park is particularly deep in the gaps, especially in right field, where left-handed power hitters face a monstrous 390-foot distance to the alley.

   The result is pretty good pitcher's park - no surprise since the Braves have built the best franchise of the 1980s around the best starting rotation in baseball. Chipper Jones once said that the new ballpark ought to be burned down.

   While the park earned a reputation as pitcher's park in it's inaugural 1997 season, the last two seasons have since seen a slight uptick in home run production. A mild spring helped in 1998; when the winds pick up in the summer and blow through the open center field area, run production can increase as well.  Last season, the park played roughly neutral.

Defense: The spacious middle of Turner Field makes having a fleet-footed, sure-handed center fielder (like Andruw Jones) a must. Outfielders with less range than Jones frequently allow bloop singles and extra-base hits. A chain link fence in center field provides softer bounces than the rest of the outfield wall, making life extra-difficult for visiting fielders.

   The plush, well-manicured grass is one of the game's best playing surfaces. Players rave about the close-cropped infield grass, which yields few bad hops, and the smooth, pebble-free infield skin.  In 2001, the Braves committed 18 more errors at home than on the road, but still ranked fourth in the NL in fielding percentage.

© 2001 STATS, Inc.

Who benefits: Pitchers, of course - especially right-handed flyball pitchers.  Kevin Millwood is the best example - in 1998, he did much better at home (9-4, 2.72 ERA at home vs. 8-4, 5.62 ERA on the road).  Over time, this ballpark has done much to contribute to the string of Atlanta's Cy Young winners, including Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz.

     All of Atlanta's ace pitchers except John Burkett did better at home last year:

                                            Home                        Road

Greg Maddux                         10-4, 2.78 ERA            7-7, 3.43 ERA

Tom Glavine                            6-3, 3.46 ERA          10-4, 3.67 ERA

Kevin Millwood                         4-6, 4.07 ERA            3-1, 4.69 ERA

John Burkett                           4-6, 3.58 ERA             8-6, 2.58 ERA

     Brian Jordan hit .322 at home vs. .268 on the road, and slugged 14 of his 25 HR at home.  Javy Lopez hit 70 points better on the road in 2000, though last season he actually hit better at home by 29 points.

Who gets hurt: Left-handed power hitters.  Fred McGriff found that out the hard way in 1998, and while Ryan Klesko hit 34 homers in 1996, he hasn't approached that total since the team switched ballparks.

     Chipper Jones hit two-thirds of his 21 homers on the road in 1997, but he adapted well and hit 25 at home in his MVP year of 1999 versus 20 on the road.  In 2000 and 2001 combined, he hit 37 HR at home and 37 on the road; he hit 24 points at home in 2000 and 39 points better on the road in 2001.

     Andruw Jones did slightly better on the road in both seasons.

Park Factors

© 2001 STATS, Inc.

• Highest error and infield-error factor in NL in 2001
• Third highest RHB batting average factor in NL in 2001
• Third highest LHB batting average factor in NL in 2000
• Second-lowest RHR factor in NL in 2000

• Location of Muhammed Ali's surprise appearance to light the Olympic flame.
• Site of Michael Johnson's gold medal performances
• In 1997, guards at Turner Field cracked down on fans bringing food into the park. After they confiscated the special candy bars of a diabetic, Ted Turner himself apologized and commented that food at the park was overpriced.
• The Playing field is twenty feet below street level
• The Braves Museum and Hall of Fame is located beyond left field near aisle 134.
• Chop House restaurant, in the main entry plaza, overlooks center field. Scouts Alley, located under the left field stands, has interactive games for kids. Tooner Field, located in the main entry plaza, has games and souvenir shops.
• East and West pavilions, located just inside the main Turner Field gates, feature concession stands and games.
• Coca-Cola Skyfield, at the end of the upper level concourse overlooking left field, has games for children and an area where warm fans can cool off under a light mist of water.
• 755 Club restaurant is a private restaurant located on the Club Level above left field.