The Atlanta Braves’ 50th-anniversary celebration of Hank Aaron’s legendary 715th home run has unexpectedly become the center of a legal firestorm involving the team, memorabilia, and a former employee. What started as a commemoration of Aaron’s historic achievement has turned into a tense dispute over who rightfully owns some of the most cherished artifacts from that night, with Hank Aaron’s legacy caught in the crossfire.
The roots of this legal drama stem from a lawsuit the Braves filed against Ben Acree and his father, Bill Acree, over what the team claims is the unlawful possession of memorabilia tied to Aaron’s milestone home run. The prized items in question include the bases and home plate from Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium that night in April 1974 when Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record. The Braves, who filed their lawsuit on September 27, demanded these items be returned to their possession, arguing they are the “rightful owners” and seeking damages along with an official ruling to cement their claim.
The Acrees, however, see things differently. In response, Ben Acree has filed a counterclaim in Cobb County Superior Court. This is not entirely unusual move in contentious civil cases like this one, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. According to the counterclaim, the Braves’ actions and public statements have damaged Acree’s reputation, allegedly subjecting him to “public hate and/or ridicule.” Acree’s team argues that the Braves falsely represented the authenticity of the memorabilia, casting doubt over who legally holds the items in question.
Bill Acree, who started working for the Braves in 1966 and served in numerous roles across a career spanning over 50 years, and his son Ben, who worked with the organization from 1997 to 2016, have an enduring connection to the team.
Their counterclaim highlights the fact that the Braves have changed ownership multiple times since Aaron’s home run. They are suggesting that this might weaken the Braves’ claims of legal ownership. Liberty Media, a Colorado-based corporation, purchased the Braves in 2007. This adds another layer to the complicated ownership legacy surrounding these memorabilia pieces.
Attorney Mark Spix is representing the Acrees. He has been vocal about the Braves’ lack of “good provenance” on the items in question, pointing out gaps in the team’s claims to ownership. Spix argues that the team’s lawsuit lacks sufficient evidence to establish the bases and home plate as official team property. “I don’t think they have a good claim of legal title,” he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Spix questions the Braves’ ability to conclusively prove their claim over memorabilia that has changed hands multiple times.
Heritage Auctions, a respected Texas-based auction company, holds the memorabilia. As a result, the legal back-and-forth between the Braves and the Acrees could intensify as both sides work to establish their claim. Heritage Auctions has yet to respond to the Braves’ lawsuit, leaving several questions unanswered.
This legal battle raises broader questions about the legacy of ownership within sports teams and their memorabilia. If unresolved, the case could set a significant precedent for sports memorabilia ownership, especially when multiple parties have claimed the same piece of history.
The iconic bases and home plate from Aaron’s monumental 715th home run remain in legal limbo—a far cry from their original place on the diamond where baseball history was made.
