Greg Olson and the Atlanta Braves: What Fans in Atlanta Should Know

If you follow the Atlanta Braves, the name Greg Olson still rings a bell—especially if you lived in or around Atlanta in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Olson was the Braves’ primary catcher during the early days of the franchise’s turnaround, and his time in Atlanta is still remembered fondly by long-time fans.

This guide walks through who Greg Olson is, what he meant to the Atlanta Braves, and how his era fits into the team history you see celebrated today at Truist Park and around metro Atlanta.

Who Is Greg Olson?

Greg Olson (sometimes confused with similarly named players) was a Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Atlanta Braves during a key rebuilding and breakout period.

• Position: Catcher
• Bats/Throws: Right/Right
• Braves tenure: Primarily late 1980s–early 1990s
• Notable for: Steady defense behind the plate, working with a young pitching staff, and being part of the Braves’ rise from last place to contenders.

For Braves fans in Atlanta, Olson is part of the bridge between the lean years of the 1980s and the run of success in the 1990s that helped turn the Braves into a citywide institution.

Greg Olson’s Role in Braves History

From Losing Seasons to a New Era

If you talk to long-time Atlantans who grew up watching games at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, you often hear about how suddenly the team shifted from also-ran to contender around 1990–1991. Greg Olson was one of the catchers who helped manage that transition.

Catcher is a demanding position, and in that era Olson had several important jobs:

• Working with young pitchers who would become the core of the Braves’ success.
• Calling games (pitch selection, defensive alignments) in a league that still relied heavily on a catcher’s on-field judgment.
• Providing stability behind the plate during roster changes and managerial shifts.

While he’s not as famous as some of the stars whose jerseys you see all over Atlanta—like Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, or John Smoltz—Olson is remembered among long-term fans as part of the foundation of the modern Braves.

How Fans in Atlanta Remember Him

In Atlanta, Greg Olson tends to come up in conversations like:

• “I remember those early 90s teams—Greg Olson catching, Fulton County Stadium, the first real playoff runs.”
• “Before the new ballpark, before all the division titles, Olson was one of those guys you just saw every night behind the plate.”

If you’re new to Atlanta or a younger fan, learning about players like Olson helps you understand why older Braves fans feel so connected to the transition from Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium to Turner Field and now Truist Park. Olson’s era lives in that first ballpark, when the fan base really started to grow.

Greg Olson vs. Other Braves with Similar Names

Because of the similar spelling, people in Atlanta sometimes mix up Greg Olson with:

• Greg Olsen – a former NFL tight end, not a Braves player.
• Other baseball players named Olson/Olsen – including pitchers and position players from other teams.

If you’re looking up Atlanta Braves Greg Olson for memorabilia or historical info, make sure you’ve got:

• Correct spelling: Olson with one “s”
• Correct sport: Baseball, not football
• Correct team: Atlanta Braves, catcher

This matters if you’re shopping for a jersey in Braves Country stores around Atlanta or searching for signed items at local sports memorabilia shops.

Where Greg Olson Fits in the Braves Timeline

To place Greg Olson in context, here’s a simplified look at where he fits in the Braves’ Atlanta-era history that locals think about:

When you attend a game in Atlanta today, you’re seeing the current chapter of a saga that players like Greg Olson helped shape decades ago.

Experiencing Olson’s Era in Today’s Atlanta

Even though Greg Olson is no longer an active player, there are several ways you can connect with his era of Braves history while you’re in Atlanta.

1. Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta

While Olson himself played at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, you can still get a sense of Braves history at Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta in Cobb County:

• Truist Park
  755 Battery Ave SE
  Atlanta, GA 30339

Inside and around the park, look for:

• Historical displays and photo walls: These often highlight different decades, teams, and key moments, including the early 1990s period.
• Team store: Occasionally carries throwback items, retro logos, and occasionally references to players from older eras. Olson-specific items may be limited, but the atmosphere is steeped in the Braves’ full history.

2. Braves Country Stores Around Metro Atlanta

Several official Braves retail outlets around the metro area sometimes feature throwback merchandise or vintage-style items that reference earlier Braves teams:

• Vintage-style caps and shirts with older logos used during Olson’s playing days.
• Retro-themed apparel tied to the early 90s look and color schemes.

You likely won’t find an entire section dedicated to Greg Olson, but you can recreate the feel of that era with the right style and logo choices.

3. Local Sports Memorabilia Shops

If you live in or are visiting Atlanta and you’re interested in Greg Olson memorabilia, some local options may include:

• Sports card and memorabilia shops in areas like Marietta, Sandy Springs, Norcross, and Lawrenceville that specialize in older baseball cards, signed balls, and photos.
• Occasional sports collector shows and card shows held around metro Atlanta, especially in suburban convention centers or hotel ballrooms.

When you visit these places, you can ask specifically for:

• Greg Olson Braves baseball cards
• Signed photos or baseballs from the early 1990s Braves
• Team sets from those seasons that include Olson

Appreciating the Catcher’s Role in Atlanta’s Baseball Culture

For fans in Atlanta trying to understand why older generations remember players like Greg Olson so clearly, it helps to appreciate what a catcher means to a team—and to a city’s baseball identity.

Why Catchers Like Olson Matter

A catcher in Olson’s time was expected to:

• Handle the pitching staff: Work with every pitcher on game plans and pitch calling.
• Control the running game: Throw out runners, manage pickoff plays.
• Lead the defense: Direct infield shifts and bunting defense.
• Provide on-field stability: Especially important when a franchise is rebuilding.

When the Braves were transforming from last-place teams to contenders, Olson’s reliability behind the plate made him a familiar face for fans who went to the ballpark regularly or watched games on TV across Atlanta.

Local Perspective: Then vs. Now

If you talk to long-time Atlanta residents, many will say things like:

• The fan experience in the late 80s and early 90s felt more intimate, with less star power but a strong feeling of watching something grow.
• Seeing catchers like Greg Olson night after night gave a sense of connection; you knew the lineup by heart, even when the team was still finding its footing.

Today’s Braves at Truist Park are a more polished, entertainment-heavy operation, but that underlying connection between fans and players—especially at key positions like catcher—goes back to Olson’s era and beyond.

Tips for Atlanta Fans Searching for Greg Olson Information

If you’re in Atlanta and want to learn more or collect things related to Greg Olson and the Braves:

• Use the full phrase “Greg Olson Atlanta Braves catcher” in online searches to filter out football players or non-Atlanta references.
• Visit Braves-themed exhibits and displays at Truist Park on non-game days; tours sometimes highlight older eras.
• Check local library branches in Atlanta and Cobb County for Braves history books that mention early 1990s rosters and player profiles.
• Look for team yearbooks and media guides from Olson’s playing years at collector shops or online; these often include detailed bios and photos.

Why Greg Olson Still Matters to Atlanta Braves Fans

For many Atlanta residents, Greg Olson represents:

• The transition from frustration to hope as the Braves climbed out of losing seasons.
• The face of the team’s early 90s catching corps, which had to stabilize a young, talented pitching staff.
• A reminder of Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium days, before Turner Field and Truist Park reshaped the ballpark experience.

If you’re a lifelong Atlantan, Olson might be part of your childhood baseball memories. If you’re newer to the city or just now diving into Braves history, understanding who Greg Olson was helps you connect today’s Braves to the roots that were laid decades ago—right here in Atlanta.