Atlanta Braves Sue Former Employees in Hank Aaron Memorabilia Case

The Atlanta Braves claim the former employees illegally obtained Hank Aaron Memorabilia and put it up for auction

The Atlanta Braves filed a lawsuit aiming to get back reportedly stolen Hank Aaron memorabilia Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images / Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

The Hank Aaron memorabilia auction saga has its latest update. The Atlanta Braves have filed a lawsuit against two of their former employees, a father and son, accusing them of unlawful possession of the memorabilia.

The memorabilia in question are the bases and home plate from the night Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run, passing Babe Ruth as the all-time home run leader. 

The bases are currently in the possession of Heritage Auctions, a Texas-based auction company. 

In the lawsuit, filed on Sept. 27, the Braves demanded the return of memorabilia and seek damages in a jury trial. The Braves also seek the court to rule them the “rightful owners” of the bases. 

One of the employees named in the lawsuit, Bill Acree, is reported to have been an employee of the Braves for 50 years. He worked in a number of different positions during that time including visiting clubhouse manager, home clubhouse manager, equipment manager, director of team travel and senior advisor.

The lawsuit claims that Acree unlawfully claimed the bases, and gave them to his son, Ben, the other employee in question, who then gave them to Heritage Auction “in hopes of a payday.”

Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta received the following statement from the Braves. 

“The Atlanta Braves filed suit in Cobb County Superior Court against two former employees and Heritage Auctions to seek the return of bases that were stolen from the organization in a deliberate effort to profit from their taking. Protecting the legacy of players who have worn our uniform is a responsibility that we take very seriously, especially as it relates to the memory of Hank Aaron. Hank’s impact on our organization will never be matched, and items that tell the story of his monumental achievements must be preserved and showcased in a way that properly honors his legacy.”

In the same report, Channel 2 Action News reported that the Heritage Auctions sent a statement stating, “This matter is being handled by our legal counsel.” 

This saga began in August when the Braves sent the Heritage Foundation a cease-and-desist letter to block an auction of the memorabilia. It was set to take place in late August. 

At the time, the Braves were questioning the authenticity of the memorabilia. The National Baseball Hall of Fame claimed to have the third base from the game. The second base was reportedly auctioned off in 2002. 

Since the original report, The Braves reached out to the Acrees on Aug. 30, per the lawsuit, to get the bases back. The Acrees reportedly refused.