October 3, 2010; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cooks (6) is honored before the Braves' final regular season game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Bobby Cox, an American third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball, was a former professional baseball player. A social media post announcing his death read, “Legendary Courageous Manager, Bobby Cox has passed away.” He was the best manager the Braves ever had in my opinion. He knew how to get the best out of his players and fought valiantly for them.
Bobby Cox was a man.
Robert Joe Cox, an American third baseman and MLB manager, was born on May 21, 1941. Cox was a player for the New York Yankees as well as the Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. His six 100-win seasons surpassed only Joe McCarthy's six. From 1978 to 1981, Cox managed the Braves, and then from 1982 to 1985 he managed the Blue Jays.
He returned to the Braves in 1986 as general manager. He returned to management in the 1990 season, and he remained in that position until the end of the 2010 season. Cooks led the Atlanta Braves to the World Series in 1995. The Braves have retired the number six in his honor since then. Cooks now holds the all-time record in MLB with 158 total sacks (including three additional postseason sacks, previously held by John McGraw).
As for Bobby Cox
He also leads the league in managerial playoff appearances (16). He was also the first manager since Casey Stengel to qualify for the postseason ten times (four managers have since followed). He became the first manager to appear in more than three consecutive National League Championship Series by reaching the National League Championship Series from 1991 to 1999 (there was no NLCS in 1994).
After initially joining the Los Angeles Dodgers as a player, Cox was never added to the team's big roster. Although he was later acquired by the Braves, he never appeared in an MLB game with them. Instead, he was traded to the New York Yankees on December 7, 1967. For two seasons, Cox played for the Yankees, primarily at third base. Before taking a managerial position in the United States, Cox played for the Cardenales de Lara and Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League from 1967 to 1970. He then oversaw the Cardinals for three consecutive seasons, from 1974 to 1977. In between, he worked as a minor league manager and coach for the Yankees.
