Ted Turner Passes Away at 87

Ted Turner, the iconic businessman and philanthropist, passed away on Wednesday, leaving behind a remarkable legacy at the age of 87.

His impact on media is truly profound. Turner is credited with laying the groundwork for cable news by founding what we now know as CNN. He began his journey in the industry as president of the family-run Turner Advertising Company, where he also established WTBS, America’s first national “superstation.” This was a significant step in the evolution of television, happening even before CNN took shape.

But Turner’s influence isn’t limited to television. He also made a mark in the sports world. It’s important to highlight his connections to professional wrestling and various Atlanta sports franchises such as the Braves, Hawks, and Thrashers.

Interestingly, his time as the manager of the Braves was quite short—lasting just one day.

Now, if you’re not familiar with that part of his story, let’s take a quick look back. In the 1970s, Turner was behind several broadcast networks in the South, which would eventually come together under the TBS name. During this time, he reached out to the Braves to broadcast games on WTCG, one of his own stations, which reached almost 2 million households through satellite technology.

After securing a deal with the Braves, Turner extended broadcast rights to stations in 24 other states, effectively creating a vast network for the Atlanta team. This control over the Braves’ media rights permitted him to buy the franchise along with the Hawks just before the 1976 season.

He wasn’t one to step back and let others handle things.

In a controversial move in early 1977, Turner made an agreement with Giants outfielder Gary Matthews before his contract was officially up. This led to MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn issuing a one-season suspension for contract tampering. Still, Turner remained firm, staying engaged with his team and challenging the suspension in court.

That season kicked off quite poorly for Atlanta, with the team starting at 8-21 by May 11 and facing a 16-game losing streak. The previous day, they had just lost a doubleheader. During this rough patch, Turner decided to take a personal approach and told manager Dave Bristol that he would step in for a while.

Yes, he was going to take the reins and manage the team himself.

Phil Niekro, a Hall of Fame pitcher slated to start that day, recalled the moment. “I was just finishing my swing in the cage when Ted came out of the dugout. I jokingly asked him, ‘Ted, where did you get blamed today?’ He said, ‘I have no idea. Where do you want to hit?’ I just lost 16 games. You’ve been here long enough; hit where you want,” he remembered.

When Niekro suggested hitting at the No. 9 spot instead, Turner—at just 27—was essentially leading the team.

The game that day ended with Atlanta dropping to 8-22 on the season. Turner mostly let third base coach Vern Benson handle the business decisions during the loss. In a notable ninth inning, with Atlanta leading 2-1, they used backup infielder Darrell Chaney as a pinch hitter.

“I wasn’t much of a hitter, but I’d never been asked to pinch hit for a right-handed hitter before,” Chaney later reflected. “I remember getting on base and Turner telling me, ‘Pick up the bat.’ I turned to my roommate and asked him, ‘Can you believe this?’”

Chaney then faced off against left-hander John Candelaria and managed a timely double. If luck had been on their side, the runner on base could have scored, potentially tying the game.

However, the Pirates countered by bringing in Goose Gossage, who managed to close the game down effectively.

Despite the defeat, Turner kept his spirits high. Chaney recounted, “I remember coming off the field, and it was difficult to lose for sure. Then Ted bursts into the clubhouse, shouting, as he always did, ‘How about that move, putting Chaney in there?’ We lost the game, but he was thrilled.”

Yet, MLB had seen enough of Turner on the field. Following that game, he was barred from the dugout due to a rule preventing stockholders from managing the team directly.

“They must have just introduced that rule,” Turner said. “If I was smart enough to save $11 million to buy a team, I should also be smart enough to manage it.”

Reflecting on the season’s end, Turner mentioned he simply wanted to keep an eye on his team’s performance.

“When things go south, there are 10,000 players in the stands thinking they could take over and fix things,” he noted. “But Kuhn told me I couldn’t manage again. I even asked if I could manage in the minors for a bit to gain experience, and he said ‘no.’”

Manager Dave Bristol resumed his role shortly thereafter as the Braves ended the season with a dismal record of 61 wins and 101 losses.

But perhaps there was a lesson learned that night in the dugout.

After this experience, Turner brought in Bobby Cox during the offseason.

It took some time to hit the right stride, but under Cox, the Braves eventually achieved lasting success, culminating in a World Series victory in 1995.

Interestingly, Turner let Cox go following the strike-affected 1981 season, humorously commenting, “[If I hadn’t fired him, it would have been Bobby Cox. We really needed people like him here.]”

We pay our respects to Ted Turner, a visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and unforgettable figure in MLB history.