Hall of Fame baseball manager Bobby Cox, who led the Atlanta Braves to a World Series championship in 1995, has died at the age of 84.
The Braves announced Cox’s death Saturday in a statement praising his impact on baseball, player development and the franchise’s sustained success during one of the most dominant eras in Major League Baseball history.
“Bobby was a favorite among all in the baseball community, especially those who played for him,” the Braves said while honoring the longtime manager and executive.
The organization also praised Cox’s understanding of player development and game management, describing his 2014 induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame as recognition of his achievements in the sport.
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cox briefly played as a third baseman for the New York Yankees during the 1968 and 1969 seasons before moving into coaching and management.
Cox first became manager of the Braves in 1978 and remained with the club until 1981 before later joining the Toronto Blue Jays as manager in 1982.
During his tenure with Toronto, Cox helped guide the franchise to its first winning season in 1983 and its first division title in 1985 before eventually returning to Atlanta.
Cox rejoined the Braves organization in 1990 and quickly oversaw one of baseball’s greatest turnarounds when Atlanta went from last place to first place in 1991.
The dramatic improvement earned Cox his first National League Manager of the Year award and launched a historic run of success for the Braves organization throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, per Trending Politics.
Under Cox, the Braves won 14 consecutive division titles between 1991 and 2005, excluding the strike-shortened 1994 season that interrupted Major League Baseball competition.
The Braves also reached the World Series five times during that stretch, appearing in the championship series in 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996 and 1999.
Cox’s greatest achievement came in 1995 when he led Atlanta to a World Series title, delivering the city’s first major professional sports championship since the Braves relocated from Milwaukee.
Major League Baseball described Cox as the fourth-winningest manager in league history and noted he finished his career with 2,401 victories.
MLB said only Connie Mack, Tony La Russa and John McGraw won more games than Cox during managerial careers in the major leagues.
As Braves general manager during the late 1980s, Cox also helped build the foundation of Atlanta’s dynasty by acquiring John Smoltz, drafting Chipper Jones and helping develop Tom Glavine.
