STORY BY WHKP REPORTER AND STUDENT AT UNC-CH, JAKE PATTERSON, WHO WAS ON HAND TO VIEW THE CEREMONY
PHOTOS CREDIT TO: PATRICK JONES
On their quest for a second-straight World Series championship, the Atlanta Braves made a pit stop at the White House. Continuing a decades-long tradition of welcoming sports champions to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, President Joe Biden honored the Braves for their remarkable World Series victory in a brief ceremony on Monday. “Play by play, inning by inning, you grinded and you ground it out, and you did it together,” Biden said.
Biden was especially proud of the Braves’ mid-year turnaround after spending the first half of the season without a day of a winning record. Biden referenced his own razor-thin margin of victory in Georgia during the 2020 presidential election, saying, “I know something about being counted out. And I know in Georgia, you show up when it counts.” He called them “the Upset Kings of October” and said that Atlanta’s victory was one of history’s greatest turnarounds.
Event attendees and Braves fans were delighted when Biden referenced the late Hank Aaron, connecting the Braves’ commitment to community service with their performance on the field. Biden repeated a Hank Aaron quote: “there is no shortcut in life. You have to take it one step at a time and work hard. And you have to give back.”
To close the ceremony, Braves General Manager Alex Anthopolous and Manager Brian Snitker presented Biden with a custom Braves jersey. “Biden” was the name on the back and “46” - a reference to Biden being the 46th president - was the number. “We have a very young and very talented roster, and we hope this isn’t a one-and-done visit to your home. In short, we plan to be back,” said Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk.
