With B-Mac’s return to Atlanta, three friends get to revive an old college custom

The Sheff’s Chefs only lasted two summers. The Francoeur’s Franks were fun while Jeff Francoeur was playing his best games in an Atlanta uniform. But it was the McCann’s Cans, a trio of college-aged guys with four fabric and foam can costumes, that made a lasting impact on Atlanta Braves fans. Maybe the longevity of the Cans, standing in the outfield bleachers (the costumes don’t allow them to sit) is tied to the rise and, now, return of home grown, star catcher Brian McCann.

Why Brian? That’s the first question. Out of all the young prospects coming up from the Braves farm system after the 2005 season, McCann was an interesting choice. He was, perhaps, overshadowed by Francoeur or some of the other players that were dubbed the “Baby Braves” after that season. He was John Smoltz’s catcher and in the Postseason that year he hit a clutch home run off of Roger Clemens. The young catcher did make quite the impression on Southern Poly students and fraternity brothers Andy Middleton and Andrew Wright.

“We knew he was pretty good but we didn’t know how good he was going to be,” Middleton said. “He kind of exploded and became an elite catcher. We didn’t know he was going to do that.”

“I remember looking through all the players,” Wright said. “We asked ourselves who we related to the most. We wanted a Georgia guy that had a similar mindset that we could relate to and that was Brian McCann. It kind of blossomed from there.”

While the two friends agreed on the reason behind choosing McCann, the details on where the idea came from are a little muddy. It could have been at Braves Winter Fest, where the two saw Brian McCann but didn’t speak to him, or it could have been later at Andy’s house. One theory is that it was an attempt to get on SportsCenter during the course of the next season. Regardless, Wright calls Middleton the “mastermind” behind the costumes.

“The idea was simply McCann’s Cans,” Wright said. “Not a specific type of can, just a can. Braves colors, an A on the front, a 16 on the back, a sign and a specific location. When Andy had his mom make the cans, the design and the fabric, she took care of it with his input.”

The two friends had four costumes and started going to games with other fraternity brothers. Braves fans caught on and loved it.

For nine seasons, the McCann’s Cans were a staple of Braves home games and even made the list of the top 100 things to do at Turner Field (get a photo with the McCann’s Cans). As Middleton and Wright got through school, graduated, and began pursuing their careers, they had already been preparing their younger frat brothers who were waiting in the wings. One friend that started wearing the costumes more and more was Crawford McCarty, who describes himself as “Generation Two” of the McCann’s Cans.

“When I found out they were the McCann’s Cans, I lost my mind,” McCarty said. “I found out about a year or two into it. I went with them, during their senior year, and as they became busier, I ended up going to more games than they did and keeping the costumes. It became more important that the Cans are at the games rather than the original guys doing it.”

After McCann’s last season in a Braves uniform, he signed a 5-year deal with the New York Yankees, bringing an assumed close to McCann’s career in Atlanta and the McCann’s Cans. The core Cans kept tabs on Brian’s career as he played in pinstripes.. Eventually, McCann was traded to the Houston Astros and was part of a catching tandem with fellow former Brave Evan Gattis that helped earn a World Series Championship in 2017. The Cans never made an appearance rooting on McCann when he wore another uniform. According to Middleton, they never even entertained a road trip to New York or Houston.

“No,” Middleton said. “The Cans have the Atlanta Braves logo on the front. First and foremost, we’re Braves fans.” Wright and McCarty agreed. McCann’s Cans was and is about supporting a Braves player, not just a player.

Despite being gone from Atlanta for such a long time, Middleton never got rid of the costumes.

“You never say never with anything,” Middleton said. “We always thought there was a chance he would come back. But we understood how free agency works.”

This offseason, McCarty got an update from ESPN. Brian McCann had signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves. He said he immediately called Middleton to revive the Cans. After more than ten years, the guys found themselves back at a Braves game again, in the exact same Can costumes they used to wear in college.

“I feel like being a part of McCann’s Cans, it’s like a childlike experience,” Wright said, when asked about reuniting. “It’s fun and it makes you smile and it’s on an innocent level while being fun. That’s what it is about. To have memories about something so cool with baseball, for me, that was the coolest part. Just having other people be a part of it.”

For Middleton, who is now a father, it’s something more. “My wife is designing a little can costume for my son for an upcoming game. It will be cool to share that with him.”

The McCann’s Cans welcome any Braves fans interested in taking a photo with them.

Daniel Lumpkin, Content Contributor