The Braves announced that longtime manager Bobby Cox he died at the age of 84. Cox led the Braves to the 1995 World Series title, and his 2,504 victories rank fourth on the all-time managerial victories list. According to the team’s official press release….
“Bobby was a favorite among the entire baseball community, especially those who played for him. His extensive knowledge of player development and the intricacies of game management was rewarded with a major sports award in 2014 – he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
And while Bobby’s love for the game was unmatched, his love for baseball was surpassed only by his love for his family. It is with heavy hearts that we send our condolences to his beloved wife, Pam, and their beloved children and grandchildren..”
Before starting his journey to Cooperstown as a manager, Cox spent 12 seasons as a player, spending time in the farm systems of the Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees, and Braves. He logged 220 games in the majors with the Yankees in the 1968-69 season, and the end of his playing career changed to the beginning of his post-playing career – Cox appeared in four games with the Yankees’ A-ball team in Fort Lauderdale in 1971 while also becoming the team’s manager. After six years of managing the minors, Cox was the Yankees first baseman in 1977 when the team captured the World Series, earning Cox his first championship ring.
The Braves came calling for Cox’s first MLB managerial assignment, but Cox’s first tenure in Atlanta resulted in a one-win record in four seasons from 1978-81. Fired following the 1981 campaign, Cox arrived in Toronto as the new manager of the Blue Jays, helping lead the fledgling team to its first success. The highlight was the AL East title in 1985, but after the Jays fell just shy of the AL pennant, Cox chose to return to Atlanta, this time as the team’s general manager.
Cox’s five years as GM is an often-overlooked chapter of his long tenure in Atlanta, in part because John Schuerholz took over following the 1990 season and ended up being elected to the Hall of Fame for his outstanding record as an executive. But, while the Braves continued to stay below .500 during the 1986-90 seasons, Cox’s front office realized the team’s draft and acquired many players who would become franchise cornerstones during the Braves’ future glory years.
Cox returned to the dugout during the 1990 season, and relinquished GM duties to Schuerholtz to focus solely on management. With most of the pieces in place, the Braves went from last place in the NL East in 1990 to NL champions in 1991 and 1992.
As the press release puts it, Cox’s “The managerial legacy of the Braves will never be matched.” The 1991 campaign marked the start of 14 NL East titles over the next 15 seasons. The only blip in this impressive streak was the 1994 season, as the Braves were in second place behind the Expos when the players’ strike ended the season early in August.
A World Series appearance in 91-92 was followed by three more pennants in 1995, 1996, and 1999. Championship glory came in 1995 when Atlanta swept Cleveland in six games, highlighted by a 1-0 win in Game Six powered by a one-hit inning from Tom Glavine.
Atlanta’s NL East title streak finally ended in 2006 when the team went 79-83. Cox’s final five seasons as manager saw the Braves post three winning records, and make their final appearance as a wild card team in 2010, falling in the NLDS to the eventual champions. Cox announced before the season that 2010 would be his last year in the dugout, and he remained associated with the Braves in official and unofficial advisory roles for years before health problems arose in the later years of his life.
Beyond his 2504-2001 managerial record, Cox also set an all-time benchmark that may not be topped – 162 career ejections, the most of any manager in history. Cox’s fiery personality and willingness to stand up for his teams made him a beloved manager and even mentor to many of his players, and clubhouse cohesion (and incredible talent, of course) was a key factor in the Braves’ continued success.
Between Cox’s passing and the passing of longtime Braves owner Ted Turner earlier this week, Atlanta has lost two baseball icons in as many days. Their legacies are intertwined among the greatest streaks in baseball history, and even after Cox and Turner are no longer directly involved with the organization, a clear line can be drawn between Cox’s teams and the Braves’ successful teams in recent years.
We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Cox’s family, friends, and many fans.
