The Atlanta Braves had been in a bitter dispute with the Fulton County Recreational Authority over whether they had the right to move the Hank Aaron statue from Turner Field to Sun Trust Park in Cobb County. The Braves issued a statement on Friday saying that they will no longer contest the location of the statue and would instead focus on how they could best showcase Aaron's legacy at SunTrust Park. According to the statement, the team will commission a new statue to be built and placed at the new stadium to honor the team legend.
Here is the statement that was released by the Braves on Friday afternoon:
"Nothing could be further from the character of Hank Aaron than the divisive conversations that are occurring over his iconic statue. As such, the Atlanta Braves have decided that we will no longer contest the eventual location of the statue and will instead focus on how to best showcase Hank's impact and legacy at SunTrust Park. Part of this will include commissioning a new statue for all baseball fans to see. Hank Aaron is, and will always be, a significant part of the Atlanta Braves and our proud legacy. Our sincere hope is that the existing statue will continue to be preserved and displayed in a manner befitting his legacy as the greatest Brave of all time."
It is an unfortunate situation that is no doubt a by-product of the bad blood that clearly exists between the team and the Fulton County Recreational Authority over the club's move north. No matter what side of that argument you are on, it is unfortunate to see such an important figure Aaron get swept up in the controversy.
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