McCallie School, of which Ted Turner was an alum, might disagree, and devotees of CNN, which Turner founded, might dispute it, but we think the media mogul’s biggest contribution to Chattanooga might be his purchase of the Atlanta Braves in 1976 and his cable television station’s broadcast of most every game into homes in the Scenic City and across North America.
(IN THE NEWS: Ted Turner’s ties to Chattanooga date to his days at McCallie)
Fifty years ago, that was a novelty, but today with cable, fiber and streaming services it is de rigueur. Locally, his ownership and his broadcasts made the Braves must-see TV, and their games remain so for many Chattanooga residents today. And the team he bought — and sold in 2007 — has remained competitive for most of those last 50 years.
Turner, who died Wednesday at the age of 87, was, of course, much more than that — he was a philanthropist, an entrepreneur and a conservationist, and was often outspoken about any and all of his opinions — but Chattanoogans can be forever grateful that the Cincinnati native who grew up a Southern boy in Savannah, Georgia, turned a rare televised game of their favorite baseball team into an every night love affair.