Hank Aaron memorabilia going back to Braves, ending fight with former staffers
The home plate and bases from Hank Aaron’s historic 715th home run are being returned to the Atlanta Braves in a deal that ends a legal battle with two former employees for ownership of the memorabilia.
The Braves dropped their lawsuit against former employees Bill and Ben Acree and an auction house this week, court records show. The team alleged in September 2024 that the father and son took the “715 bases” without authority or permission in 2016 and later attempted to put the items up for public auction.
The Acrees, who worked for the Braves for decades, argued they were the rightful owners of the memorabilia. They countersued the Braves for defamation.
In a deal that ends the court battle, the Braves dropped the claims against the Acrees in exchange for the return of the bases to the organization, a person familiar with the situation told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The home plate and bases are from the game in Atlanta on April 8, 1974, when Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record.
Bill Acree, a Braves employee for more than 50 years, claimed he was given the “715 bases” by his direct supervisor at the end of the 1974 Major League Baseball season because nobody wanted them.
He said that in 2016 he gave them to his son, Ben Acree, a Braves employee from 1997 through 2016, who subsequently passed the memorabilia to Heritage Vintage Sports Auctions in a 2024 consignment agreement.
Court filings show that Heritage, based in Texas, pulled the bases from auction in August 2024 at the Braves’ request, but the company and the Acrees refused at that time to return them.
The Braves argued the memorabilia was never owned by Bill Acree and that it was wrongly removed by Ben Acree from Truist Park in 2016, having been stored on Braves property since 1974.
Court records show the bases were kept at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and Turner Field before being moved to Truist Park and were never publicly sold.
In a joint filing Wednesday, the Braves and Heritage officially ended the litigation. Heritage dropped its counterclaims against the Braves, including libel and business interference.
An associated case between Heritage and the Braves that simultaneously played out in federal court was settled in October, case filings show.
In February, a Cobb County judge threw out the Acrees’ defamation claims against the Braves. The former Braves employees initially appealed that decision, but last month withdrew the appeal and dismissed remaining claims against the team.
When they filed their lawsuit in September 2024, the Braves said they were serious about protecting the legacy of players, “especially as it relates to the memory of Hank Aaron.”
“Hank’s impact on our organization will never be matched, and items that tell the story of his monumental achievements must be preserved and showcased in a way that properly honors his legacy,” the Braves said at the time.
Heritage, one of the largest auctioneers of sports memorabilia in the United States, said in case filings that its reputation was damaged by the Braves’ accusations about the “715 bases” being stolen. Heritage said the Braves bullied it into canceling what would have been a lawful auction.
Bill Acree held several positions at the Braves from 1966 and became a senior adviser in 2015, records show. His son worked as part of the home clubhouse staff.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include information about the agreement ending the legal case.
About the Author
Journalist Rosie Manins is a senior courts and legal affairs reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
