It was 1977 when Brian Snitker first put on a Braves uniform. He was only 21 years old, just out of the University of New Orleans. It was with the Kinston Braves in the Appalachian League.

For the next four seasons, Snitker played and made it to Double-A Savannah. And then, after 236 minor league games as a player, Snitker was called in to talk with Hank Aaron. Yes, that Hank Aaron, who broke Babe Ruth’s home run record less than a decade before.

Aaron basically had good news and bad news. The bad news was the Braves thought Snitker was done as a player. The good news? Aaron wanted him to be a coach.

For the next 45 years, Snitker put on the uniform with that Braves logo on the front. For parts of 20 seasons, it was as a minor league manager. Five years were spent as a coach in the mino

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