Remembering Ted Turner: The one night he took over as Atlanta Braves manager

Atlanta lost a legend on Wednesday morning. Ted Turner, a media mogul and founder of CNN, died at the age of 87 with his family at his side.

Among his numerous business ventures, Turner, an avid sports fan, owned the Atlanta Braves, the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Thrashers and World Championship Wrestling league.

And for one night only in 1977, he wasn’t just the owner of the Braves. He took over as the team’s manager for a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Turner had only purchased the Braves the year before in 1976 and it would be years until they became “America’s Team” with the TBS Superstation era. But the 1977 season did not start off well.

Just two months into the season, the Braves were on a 16-game losing streak. After they lost a doubleheader on May 10, Turner called then-manager Dave Bristol and told him to take a few days off.

But who would manage the Braves? Well, Turner himself. And later that night, he walked into the visitors dugout at Three Rivers Stadium - wearing the No. 27.

REMEMBERING TED TURNER:

• Ted Turner: Atlanta Braves, Gov. Kemp and others pay tribute to trailblazer
• Ted Turner, media mogul and former Atlanta Braves owner, has died at 87
• How Ted Turner made the Atlanta Braves ‘America’s Team’

In his autobiography “Call Me Ted,” Turner wrote that he didn’t do much in the dugout.

“I didn’t know the signs, so I had to sit next to one of the other coaches, and when I thought we should steal or bunt, I’d have to tell him so he could relay the signal,” he said, referring to then-third base coach Vern Benson and bullpen coach Cannizzaro.

The Braves would lose that night, 2-1, to extend their losing streak to 17. Turner’s stint as manager was short-lived. Why? League rules didn’t allow for a team’s owner to also be the team’s manager.