You probably remember the smoke. If you were anywhere near a television on July 20, 1993, you saw Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium literally on fire. A press box kitchen fire sent black plumes into the Georgia sky, delayed the game, and created an image that basically defined an era.
But honestly? The fire wasn't the biggest spark that night.
The real heat came from a guy who had just stepped off a plane from San Diego. Fred McGriff had arrived. Most people forget that the Atlanta Braves were actually in big trouble before that trade. They were nine games behind the San Francisco Giants. The "Team of the 90s" was looking like a team that was about to miss the party entirely. Then, John Schuerholz pulled the trigger on a deal that changed everything.
The Trade That Changed Everything
The Padres were having a fire sale. Literally. They were dumping talent to save cash, and the Braves needed a first baseman who could actually hit for power. When Fred McGriff joined the Atlanta Braves, the vibe changed instantly.
In his very first game—the one where the stadium was still cooling off from the flames—he hit a game-tying home run. The place went absolutely nuclear. It wasn't just a home run; it was a signal. Atlanta went 51-17 after his arrival. That is a .750 winning percentage over a huge sample size. You don't see that. Like, ever.
The Braves eventually chased down a 103-win Giants team to win the division by a single game. Without the "Crime Dog," that 1993 pennant race probably ends in heartbreak for the city of Atlanta.
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Why He Was Exactly What Bobby Cox Needed
Bobby Cox loved consistency. He hated drama. McGriff was the human embodiment of a "professional hitter." He didn't have the flashy, bat-flipping persona of some of his contemporaries. He just showed up, put on that Tom Emanski defensive video-approved hat, and drove in 100 runs.
- 1993 Impact: Hit .310 with 19 homers in just 68 games for Atlanta.
- Consistency: He was the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both leagues in home runs (1989 with Toronto, 1992 with San Diego).
- The Power: He hit 30+ homers for five different franchises. Nobody else had done that back then.
What Really Happened in the 1995 World Series
We talk a lot about the pitching. Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz—the "Big Three." And yeah, they were legendary. But you can't win a World Series with zeroes on the scoreboard.
In the 1995 World Series against a terrifying Cleveland Indians lineup, Fred McGriff was the hammer. He hit a massive home run in Game 1 off Orel Hershiser. He ended the series with a .333 average and a .667 slugging percentage. While everyone else was feeling the pressure of the previous postseason failures, Fred was just... Fred.
He didn't blink.
People sort of overlook how much he stabilized that clubhouse. David Justice was the vocal one. Chipper Jones was the rising superstar. But McGriff was the guy the pitchers feared most in that lineup because he didn't have a "weakness" you could exploit. You couldn't pitch him inside because of that helicopter finish on his swing. You couldn't go away because he’d just poke it into the bleachers in left-center.
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The Stats Don't Lie
If the 1994 strike hadn't happened, we aren't even having a debate about 500 home runs. He finished his career with 493.
Think about that. Seven measly home runs kept him out of the "automatic" Hall of Fame club for years. In '94, he was on pace for about 45 dingers before the world stopped. He was hitting .318 with a 1.012 OPS. He was arguably the best hitter in the National League that year.
The Hall of Fame Wait Was Honestly a Joke
For a long time, the baseball world treated Fred McGriff like a "compiler." It’s a dirty word in sports. It basically means you played a long time and stayed healthy.
But wait. Isn't staying healthy and being great for 19 years the point?
The "Crime Dog" nickname—given to him by Chris Berman because of the McGruff the Crime Dog PSA—became a bit of a meme. It overshadowed just how elite he was. He never did steroids. He never showed up in a report. In an era where guys were turning into literal giants overnight, Fred just kept hitting 30 homers and minding his own business.
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He finally got his flowers in 2023 with a unanimous induction via the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. 100% of the vote. It was about time.
The Legacy of the Crime Dog in Atlanta
Fred McGriff wasn't just a "rental" player. Even though he eventually moved on to Tampa Bay, his five seasons in Atlanta (1993–1997) are arguably the most important years of that entire Braves run. He was the bridge between the "worst-to-first" 1991 team and the powerhouse teams of the late 90s.
If you want to understand why the Braves were so dominant, don't just look at the Cy Young trophies. Look at the guy who made the lineup scary enough to give those pitchers a lead.
Actionable Takeaways for Braves Fans and Historians
If you're looking to dive deeper into the McGriff era or explain his greatness to a younger fan, here is what you should do:
- Watch the 1994 All-Star Game: McGriff hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the 9th to tie it. He won the MVP. It’s the perfect snapshot of his "clutch" gene.
- Compare the OPS+: Look at his 134 career OPS+. That means he was 34% better than the average hitter over two decades. That’s higher than several first-ballot Hall of Famers.
- Check the 1993 Standings: Look at the July 1st standings vs. the October standings. The "McGriff Effect" is mathematically undeniable.
Fred McGriff didn't need the 500-home-run milestone to be a legend. He had the fire—literally and figuratively.
Next Steps for Your Research
You can find Fred's full career splits and postseason logs on Baseball-Reference. If you're looking for a deeper narrative on the 1993 season, check out "The Time of Bobby Cox" by Lang Whitaker, which details exactly how the clubhouse reacted the day the stadium burned and Fred arrived.