Harold Cooper

Harold Mckinley Cooper

• Born February 14, 1923 in Ohio USA
• Died October 4, 2010 in Ohio USA

Biographical Information

One of the most prominent individuals in the history of Columbus baseball and a former Franklin County Commissioner, Harold Cooper got his start in 1935 as the clubhouse boy for the Columbus (OH) Red Birds. In 1942, he left the team to serve in the armed forces, but returned to baseball and was the lower minors Minor League Executive of the Year in 1950 with the Hutchinson Elks. He later returned to Columbus baseball as General Manager of the new Columbus Jets in 1955 after leading the drive to buy the Ottawa A's to replace the departed Red Birds. From 1955 till 1968 he was GM of the Jets. In 1965 he was named International League Executive of the Year and was also named Minor League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News.

In 1978 Cooper was elected president of the International League and served in that capacity for 12 years. He was also commissioner of the Triple-A Alliance in 1988 and 1989. In 1990 Randy Mobley replaced Cooper as president of the IL. Cooper served as a vice president of the IL until his death in 2010, 70 years after he began his involvement with minor league baseball. In 2007 he was elected to the International League Hall of Fame.