October baseball represents the climax of 162 games, a stretch of home runs, strikeouts, bunts and diving catches that ends with the highest-stakes version of the sport. For fans returning to the game after the regular season, ESPN assembled a brief primer covering ballpark trivia, unique concessions, players with unconventional backstories and recent iconic moments.
According to ESPN, the Atlanta Braves’ signature ballpark item is the Bat Flip, a 7-inch burger built with two pounds of seasoned beef patties, braised short rib, pork belly, melted cheese, crunchy onions, green leaf lettuce, sliced red tomatoes and a fried egg on toasted brioche.
ESPN notes a notable feature of Truist Park is its massive canopy. The stadium’s cover reportedly spans about 108,000 square feet and was chosen over a retractable roof during planning, making it one of the most prominent overhead structures in Major League Baseball.
ESPN highlights Grant Holmes as an origin story worth knowing. Drafted in 2014, Holmes spent a decade in the minor leagues before debuting in the majors in 2024. His journey included stops with the ACL Dodgers, Ogden Raptors, Great Lakes Loons, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, Midland RockHounds, Stockton Ports, Las Vegas Aviators, FCL Braves, Rome Braves and Gwinnett Stripers. Now 30 and in his third season as a big leaguer, Holmes made his MLB postseason debut in the Braves’ decisive win against the Phillies.
Season-defining moments for Atlanta include a Sept. 11 game in which the Braves beat the Phillies 6-5 after scoring in the bottom of the ninth to force extras, then overcoming deficits in the top halves of the 10th and 11th before a walk-off in the 11th, according to ESPN. The guide also points to Game 4 of the 2021 World Series — highlighted by a seventh-inning tying homer from Dansby Swanson and a follow-up from Jorge Soler — as a recent memorable playoff moment. Elton John is listed as a celebrity who might appear at Braves games.
On the South Side, ESPN calls the Campfire Milkshake 2 the White Sox’s marquee treat. Debuting in 2024, it is topped with graham crackers, marshmallows and pieces of chocolate and returned this year in a larger cup after originally being sold as a 16-ouncer. ESPN also reports that Rate Field is the only MLB stadium with a Pope mural and contains multiple nods to Leo XI.
