Atlanta Braves announce retirement of Ed Mangan

TL;DR

Ed Mangan, Vice President of Field Operations for the Atlanta Braves, is retiring after over 35 years with the organization. His work significantly improved the playing surface at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, contributing to the team's success in the early 1990s.

Key points

Ed Mangan retires after over 35 years with the Braves
Mangan improved the playing surface at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium
His work contributed to the Braves' success in the early 1990s

Mentioned in this story

Atlanta BravesKansas City Royals

Detroit Tigers

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 23: Atlanta Braves groundsman Ed Mangan clad in a tuxedo hoses down the infield prior to the start of the Braves game 23 September against the Montreal Expos at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Mangan and his fellow grounds crew and stadium ushers wore tuxedos to commemorate the final regular season game to be held at Fulton County Stadium. The stadium will be torn down as the Braves move to the Olympic Stadium next year. AFP PHOTO Doug COLLIER (Photo credit should read DOUG COLLIER/AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images During Thursday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, the Atlanta Braves shared the news that Ed Mangan, Vice President of Field Operations, was retiring after more than 35 years with the organization. While the news might seem innocuous to those whose fandom of the Braves began after his tenure started in Atlanta, his immediate impact to the literal on-the-field product played a significant role in Atlanta resurgence in the early 1990s. When John Schuerholtz joined the Atlanta Braves as General Manager in 1990, replacing Bobby Cox who shifted to the managerial role after leading a re-build of the organization’s farm system, one of Schuerholtz’s first moves was bringing in Mangan as groundskeeper from to improve the playing surface at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. Prior to Mangan’s arrival, Atlanta’s home stadium was notorious for its poor playing condition – something made worse each August as it was also home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons until 1992. To help the team’s young starting pitchers, Schuerholz brought in middle infielder Rafael Belliard, first baseman Sid Bream and third baseman Terry Pendelton to improve the team’s infield defense. But, it was Mangan’s ability to drastically improve the playing surface that helped him gain acclaim and notoriety as the Braves road their worst-to-first 1991 season all the way to Game 7 of the World Series. Since Mangan took over duties caring for the Braves home field, the team has call three different stadiums home, including Atlanta’s current home of Truist Park. Although there were a few times when the team had a few minor challenging stadium field conditions – early 2016 being one example – the Braves benefited from having one of the better playing surfaces in baseball for most of the last four decades. Mangan’s career also including working dozens of Super Bowls in addition to his duties with the Braves.

Q&A

What contributions did Ed Mangan make to the Atlanta Braves?

Ed Mangan significantly improved the playing surface at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, which played a crucial role in the Braves' resurgence during the early 1990s.

How long did Ed Mangan work for the Atlanta Braves?

Ed Mangan worked for the Atlanta Braves for over 35 years before announcing his retirement.

What was the condition of the Braves' home stadium before Mangan's arrival?

Before Ed Mangan's arrival, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was notorious for its poor playing conditions, especially as it also hosted the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.