(Story and photos courtesy the Augusta GreenJackets)
NORTH AUGUSTA – The Augusta GreenJackets, Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, will take the field on April 20 for Augusta Rams Night.
The game is part of the team’s participation in Minor League Baseball’s “The Nine” initiative. Launched in 2022, “The Nine” is a black-community focused outreach platform specifically designed to honor and celebrate the historic impact numerous black baseball pioneers made on the sport, provide new opportunities for youth baseball and softball participation, further diversify the business of baseball and embrace millions of passionate fans throughout Minor League Baseball’s 120 communities nationwide.
Named for the number Jackie Robinson wore during his only season playing in MiLB with the Triple-A Montreal Royals in 1946, The Nine connects MiLB teams’ existing, black-community focused development efforts with new national programming and future special events in a coordinated and centralized campaign.
For more information about The Nine, click here.
The current-day Augusta GreenJackets will wear special Augusta Rams jerseys for one night only for Augusta Rams Night April 20.
“We look forward to celebrating this unique night honoring the legacy of the Augusta Rams and Leonard Hunt while also educating GreenJackets fans on organ and tissue donation.” says, Tracy Ide, Public Affairs Manager for LifeLink of Georgia, event partner.
Fans can bid on these one-of-a-kind jerseys at greenjacketsbaseball.com, with proceeds going to benefit the Paine College baseball program down the road in Augusta. Merchandise bearing the Augusta Rams logo and the royal blue and white style is available at the Hive Pro Shop.
Professional baseball in Augusta dates back to 1884, when the Augusta Browns were formed. The ballclub changed names and ownerships several times, being known as the Electricians, Tourists, and Tigers, to name a few. However, it wasn’t until 1954 that the first African-American player signed on with the ballclub, Leonard Hunt.
Hunt, a speedy outfielder who hit for a high average, was optioned to Augusta from the AA team in Dallas in June of 1954. He had spent the previous season with the Texarkana Tigers of the Class B Big State League, where he hit .313 and drove in 70 runs across 129 games. Hunt made his unofficial debut as a third base coach on June 16 against the Columbia Reds, and his official playing debut the next day, June 17, going 0-1 at the plate.
All told, Leonard Hunt appeared in 77 games for the Rams, hitting to a .325 average with 29 extra base hits and 39 RBI. He would eventually be reassigned to the Big State League, where he finished the 1954 season with the Tyler Tigers. Hunt would finish his recorded career with a pair of seasons in the Class C Northern League with the Aberdeen Pheasants in South Dakota before retiring. Upon his retirement, Hunt returned to his home of St. Louis, and became a schoolteacher.
The Augusta Rams existed for two seasons, 1953 and 1954, playing at Jennings Stadium in downtown Augusta. Following the ’54 season, the Augusta club were picked up as an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, and changed their name back to the Augusta Tigers as it had been from 1936-1942 as well as 1946-1952.
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