The 1974 Braves had thrived under manager Clyde King upon his appointment July 24, going 38–25 to finish the year 14 games above .500.
For 1976, GM Eddie Robinson promised to hire a "firebrand" to replace the scholarly King,[12] and in October he selected Dave Bristol as the team's new skipper.
Bristol, 42, had been the third-base coach of the Montreal Expos from 1973 to 1975 and had previously compiled a poor record (144–209, .408) with the 1970–1972 Milwaukee Brewers.
But he was hailed as an unsung contributor to "the Big Red Machine" Cincinnati dynasty, when, as Sparky Anderson's predecessor, he inserted into the lineup many of the players—like Johnny Bench, Lee May, Tommy Helms, and Gary Nolan—who proved to be key contributors to the Cincinnati championship clubs of the early 1970s.
"[13] Infielders Other batters Coaches Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg.