Bobby Cox, the folksy Atlanta manager whose teams ruled the National League during the 1990s and gave the city its first major title as well as World Series trips that fell short, died Saturday. He was 84.
Cox died in Marietta, Ga., according to the team. He had a stroke in 2019 and heart issues that complicated his recovery.
Cox took over a last-place team in June 1990 and led Atlanta to a worst-to-first finish in 1991, losing the World Series to the Minnesota Twins in seven games. That was the start of what was to become a record 14 consecutive division titles, a feat no professional team in any sport had accomplished.
He managed Atlanta for 25 years and led the club to its first World Series title in 1995, retired after the 2010 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
“Bobby was a favourite among all in the baseball community, especially those who played for him. His wealth of knowledge on player development and the intricacies of managing the game were rewarded with the sport’s ultimate prize in 2014 — enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame,” the team said in a statement.
As of Saturday, Cox ranks fourth all-time with 2,504 wins, fifth with 4,508 games, first with 15 division titles including a record 14 in a row, first with 16 playoff appearances and fourth with 67 playoff victories.
Only Connie Mack, John McGraw and Tony La Russa had more regular-season wins than Cox. His 158 regular-season ejections also was the most among managers.
Gov. Brian Kemp said the state of Georgia and the team lost a true legend in Cox.
“His vision, talent and management style not only earned him a spot in the National Hall of Fame, but also built a legacy that will endure for generations to come,” Kemp said.
Cox’s death came four days after that of fellow Atlanta icon Ted Turner, who as owner of the club lured Cox back to the team in 1990.
Atlanta retired Cox’s No. 6 jersey in 2011, when he joined the team’s Hall of Fame.
4 seasons with Blue Jays
Cox spent 29 seasons as a major league manager, including four with Toronto. He managed 16 postseason teams. He brought an old-school approach to the dugout. He always wore spikes and stirrups, and his fatherly demeanor inspired loyalty from his players.
Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux said players around the league always wanted to know what it was like playing for Bobby Cox: “The first word that comes to mind is respect. He had that from players. When Bobby talked, we listened. We wanted to play for him.”
Cox was the first NL manager to win at least 100 games in a season five times. He was Manager of the Year four times and the only one to win in consecutive years (2004, 2005). He also had close ties with his successors, Fredi Gonzalez and Brian Snitker.
We are saddened to learn about the passing of former Blue Jays Manager Bobby Cox. Before tonight’s game, we held a moment of silence to remember one of the game’s greats.
Bobby managed us to our first division title in 1985, also winning Manager of the Year that year.
Our… pic.twitter.com/WPxXBZHSRw
He regularly attended games and spring training before a stroke in 2019 that affected his speech and movement. Cox recovered enough to visit Atlanta’s team later that season, watching a game from the press box level. His wife, Pam, said in 2020 that heart trouble slowed his recovery from the stroke.
His long marriage survived a 1995 confrontation in which he was accused of hitting his wife in the face. He was charged with simple battery and in custody for an hour. The following day, Bobby and Pam appeared at a news conference and each denied he hit her in the face.
Cox said the couple would seek counseling. The charge was eventually dropped.
Despite all that regular-season success, Cox won only the one World Series title in five tries. He led Atlanta to the city’s first major professional sports championship in 1995, beating Cleveland in six games to win the World Series. Cox said critics usually focused on the World Series losses despite all the team’s other success.
“We have been to a lot of World Series, and we’ve played great,” Cox said. “We probably didn’t play as good in the one that we won.”
Atlanta lost in 1992 to Toronto in six games and in 1996 in six to the New York Yankees before being swept by the Yankees in 1999.
“It’s a game of breaks when you get down to a four-game, must-win series,” Cox said. “We’ve played well. We’re proud of what we’ve done. They always ask that, though. It is irritating, to be honest with you.”
Tom Glavine played for Cox during those glory years and believed it was unfair to blame the manager for Atlanta’s playoff woes.
“It always amazes me that when we win in the regular season, Bobby Cox gets no credit,” Glavine said. “But when we don’t win in the postseason, he gets the blame.”
Born in Tulsa, Okla., on May 21, 1941, Cox graduated from Selma High School in California in 1959 and attended nearby Reedley Junior College before signing with the Dodgers for a $40,000 US bonus.
He spent seven years in the Dodgers’ farm system before being traded to Atlanta’s organization, playing one year at Richmond (1967). He was traded to the Yankees for Bob Tillman and Dale Roberts and played third base for his only two seasons in the majors (1968-69) before bad knees forced him to retire at age 30.
Cox began the first of six years as a minor league manager in 1971. He returned to the majors in 1977 as a first base coach for the Yankees, who went on to win the World Series.
His first major league managerial job came with Atlanta in 1978. The best season of his first stint in Atlanta was an 81-80 finish in 1980, and he went 266-323 in four seasons.
Led Toronto to 1st AL East title
The Toronto Blue Jays hired Cox in 1982, and he led them to their first American League East championship in 1985, in his fourth and final year there. He was lured back to Atlanta as general manager by Turner, their outrageous owner and visionary media mogul, in 1986.
As GM, his Atlanta teams never had a winning season. Cox did develop many of the players key to Atlanta’s success in the ’90s: Glavine, John Smoltz, Jeff Blauser, Mark Lemke, Dave Justice, Javy Lopez and Ron Gant. He also had two No. 1 draft picks who excelled, Steve Avery and Chipper Jones.
Cox returned as field manager on June 22, 1990, after Russ Nixon was fired.
“It’s pretty impressive that he starts as a GM; he signs half the guys down there up front, and then he comes down and manages them,” Maddux said.
Cox usually shied away from the limelight and was uncomfortable when talking about himself.
“Honestly, I’m just doing my job. I let everything else fall where it may,” he said.
