In 1894 the Braves became the first major league baseball team to wear letterforms on their uniform caps when they added a monogram-style device to their front.

[7] In 1897, the Beaneaters, as runner-up in the National League, took part in the 1897 Temple Cup championship series against the Baltimore Orioles, losing in five games.

When George and John Dovey acquired the club in 1907, the team was named the Doves; when purchased by William Hepburn Russell in 1911 reporters tried out Rustlers.

The consecutive losses put their record at 26–40 and the Braves were in last place, 15 games behind the league-leading New York Giants, who had won the previous three league pennants.

Despite their amazing comeback, the Braves entered the World Series as a heavy underdog to Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics.

The Braves played the World Series (as well as the last few weeks of the 1914 regular season) at Fenway Park, since their normal home, the South End Grounds, was too small.

The lone highlight of those years came when Giants' attorney Emil Fuchs bought the team in 1923 to bring his longtime friend, pitching great Christy Mathewson, back into the game.

Although original plans called for Mathewson to be the principal owner, he had never recovered from tuberculosis that he had contracted after being gassed during World War I.

By the end of the 1923 season, it was obvious Mathewson could not continue even in a reduced role, and he would die two years later, with the result that Fuchs was permanently given the presidency.

Looking for a way to get more supporters and more money, Fuchs worked out a deal with the New York Yankees to acquire Babe Ruth, who had, coincidentally, started his career with the Boston Red Sox.

Ruth soon discovered that he was vice president and assistant manager in name only, and Fuchs' promise of a share of team profits was hot air.

[10] Seeing a franchise in complete disarray, Ruth retired on June 1, only six days after he clouted what turned out to be the last three home runs of his career, in what remains one of the most memorable afternoons in baseball history.

In 1948, the team won the National League pennant by capturing 91 games to finish 61⁄2 places ahead of the second–place St. Louis Cardinals.

They also attracted 1,455,439 fans[12] to Braves Field, the third-largest gate in the National League and a high-water mark for the team's stay in Boston.

Acquired earlier by trade from the Brooklyn Dodgers, on April 18, 1950, Sam "Jet" Jethroe was added to the Boston Braves roster.

[13] A former Negro leagues star and military veteran, Jethroe remains the oldest player to have won Rookie of the Year honors.

[14][15] Amid four mediocre seasons after 1948, attendance steadily dwindled, even though Braves Field had the reputation of being more family friendly than Fenway.

[16] On March 13, 1953, owner Lou Perini said that he would seek permission from the National League to move the Braves to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

[17] After the franchise's long history in Boston, the day became known as "Black Friday" in the city as fans mourned the team's exit after eight decades.

Bill Veeck had tried to move his St. Louis Browns there earlier the same year (Milwaukee was the original home of that franchise), but his proposal had been voted down by the other American League owners.

Going into spring training in 1953, it appeared that the Braves would play another year in Boston unless the National League gave permission for the move.

After a 31⁄2-hour meeting at the Vinoy Park Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida, league approval was granted after Perini promised not to sell the team.

[22] Earl Averill Dave Bancroft Dan Brouthers John Clarkson * Jimmy Collins Hugh Duffy *Johnny Evers Burleigh Grimes Billy Hamilton Billy Herman Rogers Hornsby Joe Kelley King Kelly Ernie Lombardi Rabbit Maranville *Rube Marquard Tommy McCarthy *Bill McKechnie Joe Medwick Kid Nichols *Jim O'Rourke Charley Radbourn Babe Ruth Frank Selee * Al Simmons George Sisler Billy Southworth Casey Stengel Ed Walsh Lloyd Waner Paul Waner Deacon White Vic Willis *George Wright * Harry Wright Cy Young