Jacksonville Braves
The Jacksonville Braves were a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. The Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Braves Major League Baseball team, they played in the South Atlantic League (the "Sally League") from 1953 to 1961. They played their home games at Durkee Field and then Wolfson Park. The Braves were established in 1953 by Samuel W. Wolfson, replacing the Jacksonville Tars baseball club. They were a far more successful team than the Tars had been, winning the league championship in 1956 and making four other playoff appearances under manager Ben Geraghty. One of the first integrated professional baseball teams in the league and in Florida, the Braves fielded standout players such as Hank Aaron and Félix Mantilla. In 1961 an ownership deal changed the team's major league affiliation, and the Braves were replaced by the Jacksonville Jets for the 1961 season. History Two teams named the Jacksonville Tars had played in Jacksonville since 1926, with the last incarnation playing in the Sally League from 1936. The Class A affiliate of the New York Giants, the Tars were described as an unprofessional outfit, and played mostly losing baseball during their run. In 1953 Jacksonville businessman Samuel