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Oglethorpe University

Official Athletics Site of the Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels

Hall of Fame

Earl Mann HOF

Earl Otis Mann

  • Class
    1928
  • Induction
    1996
  • Sport(s)
    Baseball
Earl Oris Mann was an excellent player on Oglethorpe’s baseball team, and went on to become an Atlanta baseball legend. 

Mann was born on October 2, 1904 in Clayton County and grew up selling peanuts at Spiller Field (later Ponce de Leon Ballpark). 
 
After graduating from Oglethorpe, Mann took a job selling tickets with the minor league team the Atlanta Crackers. Eventually he rose to team secretary, but left the Crackers for a few years to manage other southern minor league teams. He returned to Atlanta in 1934 and was named vice-president, then president of the Atlanta Crackers a year later. He bought the team in 1949. Mann became known as “Mr. Atlanta Baseball” and “Baseball Genius in Dixie”. Under Mann, the Crackers saw success on the field and business wise, consistently selling more seats than any of their Southern Association competitors. Mann turned the team over to the league in 1959.  
 
Mann passed away on January 6, 1990 and his ashes were scattered at the former site of Ponce de Leon Ballpark.  
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