City of Atlanta high school baseball, softball fields get facility upgrades.

Braves' Hank Aaron Diamonds initiative produces fields across Atlanta

ATLANTA –  Last fall, the Atlanta Braves announced a significant investment into baseball and softball programs across the City of Atlanta through the ‘Hank Aaron Diamonds’ initiative, which will rebuild and upgrade the infields at all operating high schools in the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) district. 

On Monday, February 2, the Braves began celebrating their annual Hank Aaron Week, aligned with the late Henry “Hank” Aaron’s birthday on February 5, and the beginning of Black History Month. The first four completed Hank Aaron Diamond fields will be unveiled throughout the week, located at Benjamin E. Mays High School, Maynard Jackson High School, Booker T. Washington High School, and North Atlanta High School. 

Media were invited to capture the celebration at Booker T. Washington High School, which was Atlanta’s first public secondary school for Black students and boasts prominent alumni, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Wednesday, February 4. The Braves’ Hank Aaron Week event at the school on Wednesday included a groundbreaking for a Hank Aaron Diamond softball field, the unveiling of a Hank Aaron Diamond baseball field and a mural dedication.

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. Each Hank Aaron Diamonds project will include a turf infield, as well as other needed upgrades to the facilities, creating a consistent, high-quality, baseball and softball experience for APS students and City of Atlanta youth.

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, the Braves commemorated Hank Aaron Week with a volunteer day of service, a food pantry donation at the Hank Aaron New Beginnings Academy and by hosting the APS Baseball Media Day at Truist Park. Beginning this week through the end of February, the Braves and MLB are also hosting a nationwide raffle of signed Hank Aaron items to benefit the Henry Louis Aaron Fund. Additional information on the raffle is available at www.Braves.com/HankSweeps.