Top 5 Atlanta Sports Rivalries: Number 2

The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies organizations have been playing for over 100 years. The two were competitive rivals in the early 1900’s, but the rivalry sizzled out when the Braves headed to Milwaukee. However, in the 1990’s, the rivalry was renewed.

It began in 1993 when the Braves were looking to capture their 3rd straight National League pennant. The Phillies were awaiting the Braves in the 1993 NLCS and won the series in 6 games, preventing the Braves from reaching their 3rd straight World Series. The rivalry only got hotter when the Braves moved to the NL East and became division rivals with the Phillies. The Braves owned the division, capturing every division title through 2005. The streak of utter dominance caused every division opponent to have bad blood with the Braves. However, once the Braves finally let somebody else take hold of the division, the Phillies became the dominant ball club in the NL East.

After the Mets won the NL East in 2006, the Phillies went on to win the next 5 division titles and a World Series in 2008. They became one of the most dominant clubs in baseball, and very few people hated it more than Braves fans. It was this transition of back to back eras of dominance over the National League, that makes this rivalry between the Braves and the Phillies great today.

The Braves and Phillies organizations have both taken a turn for the worse over the last couple seasons, but they are still two of the most historically well ran organizations in baseball. It may take a while to rebuild, but the Phillies will emerge once again and restore what has been a great rivalry in past seasons.

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