The pitcher who turned Atlanta into a sensation
In short: In 1974, Buzz Capra transformed the Atlanta Braves' fortunes. After moving from the Mets, he ignited a historic winning streak and a massive surge in stadium attendance, proving that a single dominant arm can captivate an entire city.
After being selected by the New York Mets in the 1969 MLB draft, Lee "Buzz" Capra spent several seasons climbing the minor league ranks. By 1971, he had earned a call-up to the big leagues, though his early tenure was marked by volatility, including a difficult tenth-inning appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals at Shea Stadium. While he was part of the Mets' 1974 World Series roster, he did not see action during the championship series itself.
Capra's career reached a fever pitch when his contract was sold to the Atlanta Braves during the 1974 spring training. Stepping in to replace the injured Ron Reed on May 15, Capra delivered a dominant six-inning, one-hit performance. This sparked a remarkable period of success: he began a Braves-record streak of 26 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run and achieved nine consecutive wins during the month of June. This surge earned him NL Player of the Month honors and an All-Star selection from his former manager, Yogi Berra.
The impact of his performance extended far beyond the box score. During a season where Atlanta averaged roughly 12,112 fans per game, Capra's home starts in June and July drew crowds exceeding 39,000. He finished the 1974 season with a league-best 2.28 ERA, outperforming stars like Phil Niekro and Catfish Hunter. Despite later struggles with arm injuries that sidelined him throughout much of 1975 and 1976, Capra remained a significant figure in baseball history, eventually serving as a pitching coach across several Major League organizations.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Buzz Capra
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