The Atlanta Braves retired longtime manager Bobby Cox’s #6 before Friday’s 10-4 win against the Chicago Cubs. The ceremony featured not only Cox, but former players such as Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. Cox is only the ninth Brave to have his number retired and is the only manager.
[caption id="attachment_309" align="alignright" width="565" caption="Photo by The Associated Press / Dave Tulis"]
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[caption id="attachment_310" align="alignright" width="389" caption="Cox leads all managers with 158 career ejections (Photo by The Associated Press / John Bazemore"]
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Bobby Cox served as the Braves manager in two different stints, but for a total of 25 years. During his tenure with Atlanta, Cox won three Manager of the Year awards in 1991, 2004, and 2005 and is one of only four managers ever to win the award in both the National and American Leagues. He won two World Series titles including one as Atlanta’s manager in 1995. His 2,504 career wins as a manager puts him fourth on the all-time list. His 158 career ejections are the most all-time by a manager.
Awards, accomplishments, and records aside, Bobby Cox was without a doubt the greatest manager in Atlanta Braves history. He ranks #1 in just about every managerial list for the franchise.
Cox lived and breathed baseball. He was part of four organizations in his life as a player and manager and brushed shoulders with many of the greats. As a third baseman with the New York Yankees, Cox played with Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle and Thurman Munson. He managed some of the greats as well such as Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, David Justice, Dale Murphy, and Andruw Jones. Cox respected his players and was considered to be a players’ manager, one players respected back and wanted to play hard for.
Before rookie Mike Minor took the mound on Bobby Cox night Friday, Cox threw out the first pitch to Chipper Jones. Even at age 70 Cox threw a pretty good fastball that was along the inside edge of the plate. After shaking hands with Chipper and the game’s umpires, Cox was ejected for an unofficial 159th time in a kind, joking gesture. Cox will become eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2014 and as the fourth winning-est manager in Major League history, he is all but sure to be heading to Cooperstown.
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