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Famed Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox has died at age 84, the team announced Saturday.
The Braves said in a statement that their “treasured skipper” was the “best manager to ever wear a Braves uniform.”
His Braves leadership legacy will never be matched. Bobby was a favorite of everyone in the baseball community, especially those who played for him. His wealth of knowledge about player development and the intricacies of managing the game was rewarded with the sport’s ultimate award in 2014 – enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame,” the Braves said.
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Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox celebrates with his team on the field after the San Francisco Giants’ win over the San Diego Padres earned the Braves the wild card following their 8-7 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Turner Field on October 3, 2010. (John David Mercer/USA TODAY Sports)
“And while Bobby’s passion for the game was second to none, his love for baseball was surpassed only by his love for his family. It is with the heaviest of hearts that we send our sincere condolences to his beloved wife, Pam, and their loving children and grandchildren.”
Cox’s 2,504 wins as a manager are the fourth most in MLB history, trailing only Connie Mack, Tony La Russa and John McGraw.
Cox has two stints with the Braves, the first of which began in 1978 and ended three years later. After managing the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985, he returned to Atlanta for the 1990 season, where he stayed for 21 seasons.
Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after game six of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on October 28, 1995. (Sporting News/Getty Images)
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He was named Manager of the Year four times and was one of two managers, along with Kevin Cash, to win it in back-to-back seasons. His No. 6 was retired by the Braves in 2011, shortly after his final season with the club.
Cox was the first base coach for the New York Yankees when they won the World Series in 1977, but of course he was much better known for the World Series brought to Atlanta in 1995.
During his second stint with Atlanta, he led the team to 14 division titles and made every postseason from 1991 to 2005 (there was no postseason in the strike-shortened 1994 season, but the Braves were 68-46 and in second place behind the Montreal Expos).
Manager Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves high fives teammates before the game against the New York Mets at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia on April 8, 2005. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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The Braves made five World Series under Cox, who also held the MLB record for most ejections.
He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
