Sid Bream
You see bats, jerseys, maybe the odd glove in a ballpark museum—but a knee brace? That’s what hooked me. I had to ask Sid Bream how it feels to have a medical device immortalized in Braves history. And man, he delivered. We talked about that slide, what it meant for two cities, and how one moment—one improbable run—turned into decades of memory, meaning, and, yeah, even a little grief (sorry, Pittsburgh). What struck me most? Sid’s grace. His humility. And the way a baseball field can hold joy and heartbreak at the same time—for fans, for players, for everyone.
Robby Incmikoski: Sid, how cool is it for you to have a piece of memorabilia—a knee brace, of all things—on display at the Braves' current ballpark?
Sid Bream: Robbie, that brace wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for the slide. I’m thankful to be a part of that play—it’s kept me around the game for 33 years. People see that brace and remember the moment. Even though it was against my old team, the Pirates, I’m grateful for the legacy.
Robby Incmikoski: You see a lot of bats and jerseys in ballparks. A knee brace is...unique. What’s that feel like?
Sid Bream: I think it just shows how slow I was! But really, it’s iconic. One of the slowest guys knocks his old team out of the World Series. That brace tells a whole story.
Robby Incmikoski: You live in Pittsburgh. You're known as one of the kindest guys in the game. How do you reconcile giving your all for the Braves while knowing that moment still stings for Pirates fans?
Sid Bream: That was a hard time. After 1990, Pittsburgh’s management said I was their “first priority.” We expected a multi-year deal. But their offer didn’t match the talk, and Atlanta came calling.
When I hit my first grand slam as a Brave—against Bob Patterson of the Pirates—you’d have thought my grandmother died. That’s how much I loved my old team. I gave it everything I had, but it weighed on me, especially that first year. By ’92, some of those feelings had shifted, but it was never easy.
Robby Incmikoski: What kind of reactions do you get from fans today?
Sid Bream: Even now, people in Pittsburgh say, “You know you were out, right?” I've had people interrupt my talks just to yell it. One guy at work says it every time we talk. I even saw a t-shirt that said, “Sid Bream messed up my childhood.”
I love living in Pittsburgh, but I know it brings up painful memories for a lot of folks. It’s been 32, 33 years and only a couple winning seasons since. People trace that all the way back to the slide.
Robby Incmikoski: But at the end of the day, it’s just baseball.
Sid Bream: Exactly. It’s a game. But not everyone sees it that way. I once had a guy call and say he was going to kill me and my family. People forget—it’s not life or death.
Robby Incmikoski: You've always stayed gracious when asked about that play. Why?
Sid Bream: That comes from my faith. I believe God had me there for a reason. That play opened doors for me to speak all over the country. And without fans, I wouldn’t have had the chance to do something I loved. If we’re not gracious, we’ve missed the whole point of baseball.
Robby Incmikoski: What do you try to pass on to kids today?
Sid Bream: Know your identity. Baseball was my god for a while. But that had to change. Today, I want kids to see that humility and kindness matter more than flashy behavior. The more you serve, the more people take notice.
Robby Incmikoski: What do you remember from that Game 7 in ’92?
Sid Bream: That series was tight. The Pirates had a great team. Game 7 was Doug Drabek pitching lights out. We were down 2-0 in the ninth. But somehow, we came back.
Robby Incmikoski: Walk me through your thoughts on that final play—Cabrera's hit, your slide.
Sid Bream: I was in the best possible position: two outs, so I didn’t have to hold back. I got a bigger lead, a better jump. I took off at the crack of the bat. And I only made it by about four inches!
I joke when I speak: Bobby should’ve had a pinch-runner for me. That guy would’ve been in the dugout sipping Gatorade by the time I got home. But I believe God had me there for a purpose—to share my story and my faith.
Robby Incmikoski: Was the brace just for stability?
Sid Bream: Yeah. I tore my ACL in ’89 on that turf at Three Rivers. I wore that brace for stability—it was the only way I could play. But it changed how I played. I couldn’t be as aggressive. Couldn’t take the same leads, charge bunts, or make the same moves at the plate.
Robby Incmikoski: When did you learn they wanted to put the brace on display?
Sid Bream: They just asked me for the brace and my shoes. Eventually, they only kept the brace. That’s the one I wore during the slide.
Robby Incmikoski: A knee brace, on display, not a bat or ball—how does that sit with you?
Sid Bream: People want bats from franchise guys. I wasn’t that. But that play—me, on second base, lumbering home with that big brace—somehow became one of the most exciting moments in MLB history. That brace tells that story.
Robby Incmikoski: Did your teammates ever give you a hard time about your speed?
Sid Bream: Oh, everywhere I go. I’ve had fun with it. I used to run a 6.7 or 6.8 before the brace, which is solid for a big guy. But after that? I was slower than molasses.
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More from Sid Bream
NOTE: The above was edited for clarity and length.
You can read the full transcript here.