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Famed Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox has died at the age of 84, the team announced Saturday.
The Braves said in a statement that their “valuable skipper” was the “best manager to ever wear a Braves uniform.”
His Braves managerial legacy will never be equaled. Bobby was a favorite among everyone in the baseball community, especially those who played for him. His wealth of knowledge on player development and the intricacies of game management were rewarded with the sport’s ultimate prize 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’ victory over the San Diego Padres clinched the wild card for the Braves 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 unparalleled, his love of baseball was surpassed only by his love for his family. It is with the heaviest of hearts that we send our deepest condolences to his loving wife, Pam, and their beloved children and grandchildren.”
Cox’s 2,504 wins as a manager are the fourth-most in MLB history, behind Connie Mack, Tony La Russa and John McGraw.
Cox had 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 remained for 21 seasons.
Bobby Cox of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after Game 6 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on October 28, 1995. (Sports 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 consecutive seasons. His number 6 was retired by the Braves in 2011, shortly after his final season with the club.
Cox was the first base coach of the New York Yankees when they won the World Series in 1977, but he was of course much better known for the world title won in Atlanta in 1995.
During his second stint in Atlanta, he led the team to 14 division titles and appearances in every playoff from 1991 to 2005 (there was no playoff in the shortened 1994 season, but the Braves were 68-46 and ranked second behind the Montreal Expos).
Atlanta Braves teammates manager Bobby Cox before the game against the New York Mets at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia on April 8, 2005. (Matthieu Stockman/Getty Images)
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The Braves appeared in 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.
