Bobby Cox
From BR Bullpen
Robert Joseph Cox
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.
- School Reedley College
- Debut April 14, 1968
- Final Game October 1, 1969
- Born May 21, 1941 in Tulsa, OK USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
Bobby Cox played two seasons as a third baseman with the New York Yankees and was named to the 1968 Topps All-Star Rookie Team. After bad knees ended his playing career at age 30, he became an extremely successful manager. Some consider him to be among the greatest managers of all time.
He was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers for a $40,000 bonus, and spent seven years in the minors with them. He spent the 1967 season with the Atlanta Braves AAA farm club in Richmond.
With the Yankees in 1968, he replaced Charley Smith, the 1967 third baseman. People have disparaged Cox's .229 batting average that year, but it was the heart of the second dead-ball era and his average was actually 15 points higher than the team average of .214. In 1969, the team average went up to .235, while Cox went down to .215. Jerry Kenney became the regular third baseman.
After his major league playing career, Cox played one season for the Syracuse Chiefs and was a player-manager for the Single A Ft. Lauderdale Yankees in 1971 (even appearing in 3 games as a pitcher). He then managed one year in Double A and four years in Triple A before coming to the majors as a coach. Cox was a member of the New York Yankees coaching staff in 1977.
He managed the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1981, and led the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985, winning a division title in his final season with the Jays.
He rejoined the Braves as General Manager after the 1985 season and returned to managing the Braves in 1990. In 1991, his first full season back at the club's helm, he turned the Braves from a last place club into a pennant winner. He has led the Braves to a World Series championship in 1995, five National League pennants, and fifteen division titles. From 1991 to 2005, he and the Braves did not miss a single postseason.
[edit] Miscellany
Cox holds the records for most postseason appearances (15) and division titles (also 15).
He has won four Manager of the Year awards.
On August 14, 2007, Cox broke John McGraw's record for the most ejections in major league history, with 132. As 14 of McGraw's ejections came as a player, Cox had held the ejections-as-manager record outright prior to this point. Ted Barrett issued the 132nd ejection.
Cox holds the record for the most birthday wins by a manager: he is 17-6 through April 14, 2008. Second are Al Lopez (14-3) and Joe McCarthy (14-4).
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1968 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 4-time Manager of the Year Award (1985, 1991, 2004 & 2005)
- Division Titles: 15 (1985, 1991-1993 & 1995-2005)
- NL Pennants: 5 (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996 & 1999)
- Managed one World Series Champion with the Atlanta Braves in 1995
- 100 Wins Seasons as Manager: 6 (1993, 1997-1999, 2002 & 2003)
| Preceded by Dave Bristol | Atlanta Braves Manager 1978-1981 | Succeeded by Joe Torre |
| Preceded by Bobby Mattick | Toronto Blue Jays Manager 1982-1985 | Succeeded by Jimy Williams |
| Preceded by John Mullen | Atlanta Braves General Manager 1986-1990 | Succeeded by John Schuerholz |
| Preceded by Russ Nixon | Atlanta Braves Manager 1990-Present | Succeeded by Current |
