Braves TBS Baseball network's rights fee payments to Major League Baseball. In turn, national sponsors could fulfill their advertising commitments by purchasing ads on TBS, in addition to ESPN or Fox. The move was strongly criticized by Braves fans, Atlanta area media outlets and team manager Bobby Cox. Over 90% of Braves fans who voted in an online poll conducted by the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" newspaper preferred the team of Caray and Van Wieren to the more neutral broadcasts. The move backfired, and ratings for the TBS broadcasts declined sharply. After that year's All-Star break, TBS brought back Caray and Van Wieren to work
Bobby Byrne (baseball) St. Louis Soccer League during the off-season. When he signed with the Pirates, team president Barney Dreyfuss ordered him to give it up. Following his baseball career, Byrne was owner of a bowling alley in St. Louis. Bobby Byrne died in Wayne, Pennsylvania on his 80th birthday. Bobby Byrne (baseball) Robert Matthew Byrne (December 31, 1884 – December 31, 1964) was a third baseman in Major League Baseball. From through , he played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1907–1909), Pittsburgh Pirates (1909–1913), Philadelphia Phillies (1913–1917) and Chicago White Sox (1917). Byrne batted and threw right-handed. He was born in St.