Braves to honor Battcher, Pope in final homestand

          A pair of Maconites will have prime box seats for the Atlanta Braves final homestand of the regular season.

          Well, cutouts of Jeff Battcher and the late Bobby Pope will watch the Braves take on Miami and Boston, starting Monday night.

          A member of the Braves staff nominated Battcher as a “Hometown Hero” for his years of work with the United Way and the Boys & Girls Club of America in starting the Major League Baseball RBI program in Macon, as well as for his vast charity and volunteer work in many areas.

          That included a $1.6 million fundraising effort, and a new turf facility for city kids to play ball on.

          When Pope, the former Mercer athletics director and ex-TV sports director and broadcaster, died earlier this month, Battcher asked the Braves to use a Pope likeness instead, according to a release from the United Way.

          The Braves had a better idea.

          “The Braves called me back and said we won’t do that. Instead, we will have a cut-out of Bobby Pope and you,” Battcher said, according to the release. “And you both will have a seat next to each other behind homeplate.” 

          They’ll be behind the plate Monday night and through Thursday, the end of the Marlins series.