305/.358/.577 with 45 HR and 139 RBI for a team that would win one World Series and lose in Game 7 of another.ĭennis Eckersley. Honorable Mention: Wes Covington, who in basically one full season of plate appearances spread over the 1957-58 seasons, hit.

You’ll always be one of my favorite Braves for that reason alone, regardless of any sliders you may or may not have hung to future criminals on down the line. Thanks for bringing me a championship, Mark. Carty may have been more valuable and obviously a better player, but Wohlers gets the ink thanks to that pitch. That’s the #43 that’s burned into your memory.

However, a Wohlers section needs but one highlight. He took part in the team’s combined no-hitter in 1991 ( which you learned about just 7 days ago), which was pretty cool. Wohlers’ brilliance was something of a blip on the radar – ’97 was somewhat average, and it’s best not to speak of what happened after that – but his brilliance came at the best time possible, as he was a reliable 9th inning presence for an organization that had struggled with its end-of-game identity during the formative years of its dynasty. In those two seasons, Wohlers saved 64 games with a 2.60 ERA and 190 K’s in 142 innings, and the latter season featured his only All-Star appearance. He collected 112 saves in the jersey, peaking in 19. Wohlers wore #43 more seasons than any Brave, donning it each year of his Atlanta career, 1991-1999. So, that’s it for #43.īecause Carty already got a spotlight, I thought I’d take a moment and celebrate the 2nd best player to wear #43, the man who threw the most important pitch in Braves history, Mark Wohlers. Carty missed the 1968 season, however, and upon his return, wore #25.

He remained productive in 1965 and then after moving to Atlanta. In 1964, he was runner up for the NL Rookie of the Year award, slashing. Remember him? He was the best Brave to wear #77, since I assume you are systematically reading these in reverse order so you, a good and loyal reader, know his career quite well.Ĭarty wore #43 for 4 seasons, and they were among his most productive.

The best Brave to wear #43 is actually… Rico Carty.

Rule 34 nott the brave