HOUSTON – The 2021 Braves were tired of hearing about the Atlanta sports curse. So they did something about it.
The Braves won their second World Series title since moving to Atlanta with a 7-0 victory in Houston on Tuesday. It was their first title since 1995 and second among the three major pro sports in Atlanta, a city that’s endured tough defeat after tough defeat.
“I don’t even want to say the words (Atlanta curse),” said shortstop Dansby Swanson, an Atlanta-area native. “I’m just - wow, it’s been broken, I guess. It’s been broken. We’re coming back home as World Series champions.”
Atlanta and Georgia sports aren’t known for their success in big spots. In just recent history, there were the 16 postseason runs for which the Braves had nothing to show, including their blown 3-1 lead against the Dodgers in last year’s National League Championship Series.
There’s the lengthy list of disappointment in Athens, which includes Tua Tagovailoa emerging in the second half to break Georgia’s hearts in the College Football Playoff Championship game of January 2018. The Falcons have the most noteworthy and shameful defeat, blowing a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in the Super Bowl in February 2017.
The Falcons’ mishap was in Houston, where the Braves ended Atlanta sports misery (at least for a while) Tuesday night.
“Me and (team interpreter) Franco (Garcia) have been enduring through the Falcons for a few years now,” Swanson said. “It truly is so special. Atlanta is such a unique place. It’s had a grasp on me ever since I was a little kid. To be able to share that moment with the city of Atlanta is amazing.
“The one quick story is I was here in Houston when the Super Bowl happened, and it just kind of feels like no better story could be written than God making us come back here and winning the World Series in Houston. So everything comes full circle.”
The Braves went 19 years without a postseason series victory from 2001 until 2020, when they ousted the Reds and Marlins during their NLCS run. They hadn’t appeared in a World Series since 1999, when they were swept by the Yankees. Their latest appearance before that was 1996, when they took a 2-0 lead only to drop four consecutive against the Yankees, ending their hopes of repeating.
These Braves were the opposites of those before them. They overcame a myriad of misfortune, from losing key players to not holding a winning record until Aug. 6. They defeated the Brewers, Dodgers and Astros to secure their title, all teams that won 95 or more games. The Braves won only 88, though that’s misleading as they were a different franchise after their trade-deadline remake.
“That’s nice (to end the Atlanta sports narrative),” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “Understandable why we get those questions, but we killed the narrative in the NLCS, and we get to kill it for a long time. This city has been hungry for a championship for so long. I cannot wait to see the crowds here in the next couple days when we get back home.
“I’m just so thankful that we were able to bring them home a championship.”
The Braves’ World Series parade will be held Friday. Further details will be announced Wednesday.
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