Last night, the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals needed scuba gear and wet suits to slog through torrential downpours late into the Missouri nights. It was a forgettable game for the Braves, who lost in extra innings, other than one historical achievement.
When the game became official, Atlanta’s ironman first baseman Matt Olson had played in his 741 consecutive game with the Braves and in doing so, passed franchise icon Dale Murphy for sole possession of first place for the most consecutive games
played in franchise history.
Murphy’s streak began in 1981 and ended on July 9, 1986, 40 years before Olson tied the mark. Murphy spent most of his streak patrolling center field and saw it almost come to and end in April of that year after he required nine stitches in his hand after suffering a gash running into the outfield plexiglass wall at Shea Stadium in a game against the New York Metropolitans.
Murphy’s streak encompassed his back-to-back National League MVP seasons of 1982 and 1983, all five of his Gold Glove Award winning seasons and four Silver Slugger Awards. It was “Murph” at his peak. He had a down year in 1986 – before his final big season in 1987 – and the end of his streak game as a rest day.
As for Olson, his overall consecutive games streak is at 875 games – only 20 behind Hall of Famer Stan Musial for eighth place all-time. Olson last missed time in May 2021 as member of the Oakland Athletics due to an eye contusion suffered in batting practice. Prior to his current streak, he played in every game in the COVID-shortened 2020 season and in 2018.
As a member of the Braves, Olson has played in every game since Atlanta traded for him prior to the 2022 season. During his streak he’s been a three-time All-Star, won a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger award and finished has high as fourth in the MVP voting.
Olson is in rarefied air in the history of MLB as his streak continues. And now he has taken the mantle as the iron man in Braves franchise history.
