Chief Noc-A-Homa: The Atlanta Braves Mascot Who Once Lived in the Outfield

If you spend any time around Atlanta Braves fans—especially long-time locals—you’ll eventually hear the name Chief Noc-A-Homa. For many Atlantans, this mascot is a vivid childhood memory from games at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium. For others, it’s a symbol of a different era, one that the team and the city have since moved away from.

Here’s a clear, Atlanta-focused look at who Chief Noc-A-Homa was, how the mascot was used, why it was retired, and what that history means for fans today.

Who Was Chief Noc-A-Homa?

Chief Noc-A-Homa was the longtime Native American–themed mascot of the Atlanta Braves, most visible from the late 1960s through the 1980s. The character’s name was a pun on “knock a homer,” reflecting the Braves’ focus on home runs and power hitting.

For fans who attended games in downtown Atlanta during that period, the mascot was a central part of the in-stadium experience—especially at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, located just south of the Georgia State Capitol.

Key points about the character:

• Theme: A caricatured “Native American chief”
• Role: Stadium entertainer and team mascot
• Era: Most associated with the Atlanta years, after the franchise moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta in 1966
• Location: A tepee set up in the outfield stands at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium

Today, Chief Noc-A-Homa is often discussed less as a fun sideline act and more as a case study in how sports mascots can intersect with cultural respect, stereotypes, and changing social awareness—especially relevant in a diverse city like Atlanta.

What Chief Noc-A-Homa Did at Braves Games in Atlanta

If you were at a Braves game in the 1970s or early 1980s in Atlanta, Chief Noc-A-Homa was hard to miss.

The Tepee in the Outfield

The most memorable feature was the tepee in the left-field bleachers at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium. The mascot would:

• Sit or “reside” in the tepee during games
• Emerge after Braves home runs or big plays
• Perform short celebrations, dances, or gestures toward the crowd

From a fan’s perspective at the time, this added a sense of ritual and spectacle. For families from across metro Atlanta—whether you drove in from Marietta, Decatur, College Park, or Stone Mountain—seeing the mascot’s tepee in the outfield became part of the ballpark’s visual identity.

In-Game Entertainment

Chief Noc-A-Homa’s role was to energize the crowd:

• Cheering and leading crowd noise during key moments
• Participating in on-field promotions between innings
• Interacting with kids near the outfield seating areas

Many long-time Atlanta residents recall the mascot as part of the broader game-day tradition: parking near the stadium, walking past vendors, heading up into the stands, and watching the mascot react whenever a Braves hitter “knocked a homer.”

How the Mascot Connects to Atlanta’s Stadium History

To understand Chief Noc-A-Homa, it helps to place him in the context of Atlanta’s evolving stadium landscape.

Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Era

• Location: Near Capitol Avenue SE and Georgia Avenue SE (the former stadium site, now part of the Georgia State University athletic complex)
• Timeframe: The Braves played there from the mid-1960s through 1996
• Mascot Setting: The tepee and the mascot’s appearances were a fixture of this stadium, not the later facilities

Fans who grew up in Atlanta in the 1970s and 1980s often associate summer evenings at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium with:

• The smell of ballpark food
• The high outfield fences and visible freeway nearby
• The Chief Noc-A-Homa tepee in left field

Move to Turner Field and Then Truist Park

When the Braves moved to Turner Field (originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium) in 1997, Chief Noc-A-Homa was already part of the team’s past, not its present. By the time the Braves later moved to Truist Park in Cobb County, the team’s approach to mascots had changed substantially.

At Truist Park today, you’ll encounter modern mascots like Blooper, along with broader family entertainment in The Battery Atlanta—but no tepee in the outfield and no Native-themed costumed character.

Why Chief Noc-A-Homa Was Retired

For an Atlanta resident or visitor trying to understand why you don’t see Chief Noc-A-Homa anymore, there are a few key factors.

Changing Views on Native American Imagery

Over time, many people—including Native American advocates and a growing number of fans—raised concerns that mascots like Chief Noc-A-Homa:

• Relied on stereotypes of Native peoples
• Blended sacred cultural elements with casual entertainment
• Reduced diverse Native cultures to a single caricature

As conversations about cultural sensitivity, respect, and representation grew—both in Atlanta and across the United States—teams like the Braves faced stronger public scrutiny over how they presented Native imagery.

In a diverse metro region that includes large Native, Black, Latino, and immigrant communities, Atlanta has increasingly emphasized more inclusive representations in public spaces and entertainment.

Team Branding and Image

Sports franchises regularly update their branding, uniforms, and fan experience. For the Braves, that has meant:

• Shifting focus to logos and uniforms rather than a single character rooted in outdated imagery
• Expanding to new mascots and entertainment that are not tied to any specific ethnic or cultural group
• Responding to broader public expectations about respectful representation

While Chief Noc-A-Homa was never the only reason the team changed directions, the mascot became part of a broader reevaluation of Native branding in professional sports.

Chief Noc-A-Homa vs. Today’s Braves Mascots

To understand how far things have shifted in Atlanta, it helps to compare the old mascot with the current landscape at Truist Park.

If you’re attending a game in metro Atlanta today, your game-day experience will center on modern mascots, music, fan contests, and digital entertainment, not the tepee-and-chief setup that earlier generations remember.

How Atlanta Fans Remember Chief Noc-A-Homa

For many long-time residents of Atlanta and the surrounding suburbs, Chief Noc-A-Homa is part of personal and city history:

• People who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s may recall going to games on school nights, spotting the tepee in left field, and watching the mascot emerge after home runs.
• Some fans describe the mascot as a symbol of the team’s underdog years before the 1990s “worst-to-first” era.
• Others, especially in more recent decades, have come to see the character as an example of how entertainment once overlooked Native voices and perspectives.

In conversations around Atlanta—whether in local sports bars, at offices downtown, or among season-ticket holders—you’ll often hear a mix of:

• Nostalgia for the general atmosphere of old stadium days
• Recognition that the specific mascot design does not fit with today’s values

This blend of fond memory and critical reflection is common when Atlantans talk about the city’s past symbols.

How This History Fits into Today’s Atlanta

Understanding Chief Noc-A-Homa is part of understanding how Atlanta’s identity has changed over time—both in sports and in culture.

A More Diverse, More Vocal City

Since the Braves first arrived, Atlanta has grown into:

• A larger, more diverse metro area, stretching far beyond the city limits into counties like Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, and Henry
• A hub for civil and human rights conversations, anchored by landmarks like the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park and advocacy organizations across the city

Within that context, it’s natural that mascots and branding that once went largely unchallenged are now actively reexamined.

Sports as a Reflection of Local Values

Sports teams in Atlanta don’t exist in a vacuum. For residents and visitors, they often represent:

• Local pride and a shared regional identity
• A stage where cultural debates become visible—whether about Native imagery, the “tomahawk chop,” or other traditions

Chief Noc-A-Homa’s story sits within that bigger Atlanta narrative: a city constantly redefining itself, balancing deep roots with a push toward a more inclusive future.

If You’re Curious About the Mascot While in Atlanta

If you’re in Atlanta and want to explore this piece of baseball history further, you have a few options:

1. Visit the Area Around the Old Stadium Site

• The former Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium site is near Hank Aaron Drive SE and the Georgia State University athletic facilities.
• While the tepee and old seating are gone, you can still see outlines and markers that hint at the stadium’s history, including references to historic Braves moments.
• For longtime fans, standing near the old footprint can help place memories of Chief Noc-A-Homa in physical space.

2. Explore Braves History at Truist Park

At Truist Park in Cobb County, the Braves highlight their history through:

• Team exhibits, memorabilia, and displays around the park
• Occasional references to early eras of Braves baseball in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta

You won’t find an active Chief Noc-A-Homa mascot there, but you may see nods to earlier years in the form of photos, signage, or historical notes.

3. Engage with the Broader Conversation

If you live in metro Atlanta and are interested in the cultural aspect, you can:

• Follow discussions among local fan groups, civic organizations, and Native community advocates
• Listen to how Atlanta residents with different backgrounds talk about the mascot, the team name, and related traditions

This helps place Chief Noc-A-Homa not just in sports history, but in the broader story of how Atlanta learns from its past.

Key Takeaways for Atlanta Residents and Visitors

• Chief Noc-A-Homa was the long-standing Native-themed mascot of the Atlanta Braves, best remembered from games at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium.
• The mascot’s tepee in the outfield and celebrations after home runs were a signature part of going to Braves games in Atlanta in earlier decades.
• Over time, concerns about cultural stereotypes and respect for Native peoples contributed to the mascot’s retirement and a broader shift in team branding.
• At Truist Park today, Braves fans experience modern, non-ethnic mascots and entertainment, reflecting more current expectations and values.
• For Atlantans, Chief Noc-A-Homa has become both a nostalgic memory and a reminder of how the city’s approach to representation has evolved.

If you’re in Atlanta trying to understand what “Chief Noc-A-Homa” refers to, it’s less about what you’ll see at a game today and more about the city’s sports and cultural history—a reminder of where Atlanta has been, and how it continues to change.