Today, the Atlanta Braves continued their annual Hank Aaron Week celebrations with the groundbreaking for a new Hank Aaron Diamond softball field, the unveiling of a Hank Aaron Diamond baseball field, and a mural dedication at Booker T. Washington High School, Atlanta’s first public secondary school for Black students and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s alma mater.
As a part of the ‘Hank Aaron Diamonds’ initiative announced last fall, the Atlanta Braves have made significant investments into the baseball and softball programs across the City of Atlanta by rebuilding and upgrading the infields at all operating high schools in the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) district. In honor of Hank Aaron’s birthday and the start of Black History Month, the Braves are celebrating Hank Aaron Week with ribbon-cutting ceremonies for the first four Hank Aaron Diamond fields at Mays, Jackson, Washington and North Atlanta High Schools.
Each Hank Aaron Diamond includes a new turf infield and other facility upgrades to create a consistent, high-quality baseball and softball experience for APS students and City of Atlanta youth. These fields will also expand opportunities for middle school and community-based baseball and softball programs, including Braves RBI. This week’s celebrations mark the completion of the first phase of the planned two-year project that will ultimately benefit all APS baseball and softball fields.
Costs for the Hank Aaron Diamond fields are covered through the Atlanta Braves Foundation’s Henry Louis Aaron Fund, which supports projects that enable increased representation in the game at all levels, events that showcase young talent from underrepresented communities, and educational and career development opportunities for future minority business leaders. Hank Aaron Diamonds are made possible through generous financial commitments to the Atlanta Braves Foundation’s Henry Louis Aaron Fund from Southern Company Foundation, Major League Baseball, Truist, Delta Air Lines, Google, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Gas South, MLB/Major League Baseball Players Association Youth Development Fund, Zeist Foundation, Comcast, and The Home Depot.
In addition to the Hank Aaron Diamond unveilings, Hank Aaron Week will include a volunteer day of service, a food pantry donation at the Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron New Beginnings Academy, and APS Baseball Media Day at Truist Park. Beginning this week through the end of February, the Braves and MLB are also hosting a sweepstakes for signed Hank Aaron items to benefit the Henry Louis Aaron Fund at Braves.com/HankSweeps.
