Charlie Culberson, the Braves' 26th man, makes season debut

There was nothing special about a Friday night game in June, but pregame, Charlie Culberson was taking his time. He’d finished taking batting practice, but as his teammates headed down the tunnel to the clubhouse, Culberson lingered.ExploreCharlie’s back! Utility man, fan favorite back with teamHe started on the opposite side of home plate, closer to the opposing dugout, and reached over the partition into fans watching the Braves warm up. He started signing. And he smiled. And he signed. And he signed some more. He took photos and took his time, never said no to a request, and slowly made his way towards his own dugout. In all, he signed for nearly a half hour.Culberson is the 26th man on the Braves’ 26-man roster. He may not be the star fans pay to see, but he might as well have been, signing for as many fans as he could. When he left, it was less because he was done, but instead, because it was 5:29 p.m. and he had a pregame meeting at 5:30.“Honestly, I cherish those moments with the fans during batting practice, before the game, after games,” Culberson said. “… They make us feel good. They’re supporting us.
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