View source for Bobby Cox

{{Short description|American baseball player and manager (born 1941)}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Bobby Cox
|image=Bobby Cox signs autograph CROPPED.jpg
|caption=Cox with the Braves in 2009
|position=[[Third baseman]] / [[Manager (baseball)|Manager]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1941|5|21}}
|birth_place=[[Tulsa, Oklahoma]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 14
|debutyear=1968
|debutteam=New York Yankees
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=October 1
|finalyear=1969
|finalteam=New York Yankees
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.225 
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=9 
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=58
|stat4label=Managerial record
|stat4value=2,504–2,001
|stat5label=Winning %
|stat5value=.556
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1968}}–{{mlby|1969}})
'''As manager'''
* [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{mlby|1978}}–{{mlby|1981}})
* [[Toronto Blue Jays]] ({{mlby|1982}}–{{mlby|1985}})
* [[Atlanta Braves]] ({{mlby|1990}}–{{mlby|2010}})
'''As coach'''
*[[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1977}})
|highlights=
* 2× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1977}}, {{wsy|1995}})
* 4× [[Manager of the Year Award|Manager of the Year]] (1985, 1991, 2004, 2005)
* [[Atlanta Braves#Retired numbers|Atlanta Braves No. 6]] retired
* [[Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame|Braves Hall of Fame]]
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate = [[2014 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|2014]]
|hofvote = 100%
|hofmethod=Expansion Era Committee
}}
'''Robert Joe Cox''' (born May 21, 1941) is an American former professional [[baseball]] [[third baseman]] and [[manager (baseball)|manager]] in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB). Cox played for the [[New York Yankees]] and managed the [[Atlanta Braves]] and [[Toronto Blue Jays]]. He is a member of the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]]. He recorded a 100-win season six times, a record matched only by [[Joe McCarthy (manager)|Joe McCarthy]].

Cox first managed the Braves from 1978 to 1981, and then managed the Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985. He rejoined the Braves in 1986 as a [[general manager (baseball)|general manager]]. He moved back to the manager's role during the 1990 season and stayed there until his retirement following the 2010 season. Cox led the Atlanta Braves to the [[World Series]] championship in {{wsy|1995}}. The Braves have since retired No.&nbsp;6 in his honor. Cox holds the all-time record for ejections in MLB with 158 (plus an additional three post-season ejections<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2010/10/08/atlanta-braves-manager-bobby-cox-ejected-one-more-time/ |title=Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox ejected one more time |work=[[The Mercury News]] |last=Stiglich |first=Joe |date=October 8, 2010 |access-date=June 22, 2017}}</ref>), a record previously held by [[John McGraw]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.courant.com/sdut-bba-braves-red-sox-062109-2009jun21-story.html|title=Green's homer gives Boston 6–5 win over Atlanta|date=June 21, 2009|first=Howard|last=Ulman|agency=Associated Press|publisher=Hartford Courant|access-date=February 21, 2023|archive-date=February 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221071749/https://www.courant.com/sdut-bba-braves-red-sox-062109-2009jun21-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He also leads the league in playoff appearances as manager with sixteen, and he was the first since [[Casey Stengel]] to have qualified for the postseason ten times (four managers have since followed him). He became the first manager to exceed three consecutive appearances in the League Championship Series, doing so by qualifying for the [[National League Championship Series]] from 1991 to 1999 (excluding 1994, which had no NLCS).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/|title = Major League Managers}}</ref>

==Playing career==
As a player, Cox originally signed with the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]], but was never able to make the Dodgers' major league team. Eventually he was acquired by the Braves, but never appeared in an MLB game for them either. Instead, he was traded to the [[New York Yankees]] on December 7, 1967. Cox played two seasons, mostly at [[third base]], for the Yankees.

==Managerial career==
===Prior to managing===
Prior to managing in the States, Cox played from 1967 to 1970 for the [[Cardenales de Lara]] and [[Leones del Caracas]] clubs of the [[Venezuelan Professional Baseball League|Venezuelan Winter League]].<ref>[https://www.pelotabinaria.com.ve/beisbol/mostrar.php?ID=coxbob001 Venezuelan League batting statistics]</ref> He later managed the Cardenales during three consecutive seasons from 1974–75 through 1976–77.<ref>Gutiérrez, Daniel; Alvarez, Efraim; Gutiérrez (h), Daniel (2006). ''La Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela''. LVBP, Caracas. {{ISBN|980-6996-02-X}}</ref> In between, he coached and managed in the Yankees minor league system.

===New York Yankees farm system===
Cox began his managerial career in the Yankees [[farm system]] in 1971. In 1976, he led the [[Syracuse Chiefs]] to the [[International League]]'s [[Governors' Cup]] title. This team featured such future major leaguers as [[Ron Guidry]], [[Mickey Klutts]], [[Terry Whitfield]] and [[Juan Bernhardt]]. Overall, Cox had a highly successful six-year tenure as a minor league manager, compiling a record of 459 wins and 387 defeats (.543) with two league championships. He then spent the [[1977 New York Yankees season|1977 season]] as the [[coach (baseball)|first base coach]] on [[Billy Martin]]'s staff with the [[1977 World Series|World Series–winning Yankees]] before beginning his MLB managerial career.

===Atlanta Braves (1978–1981)===
Cox replaced [[Dave Bristol]] as the manager of the Atlanta Braves prior to the 1978 season, inheriting a team that had finished last in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] [[National League West|West]] during the previous two seasons and, in 1977, compiled a worse record than the first-year [[Seattle Mariners]] of the [[American League]]. Building from the ground up, the Braves finished last in both [[1978 Atlanta Braves season|1978]] and [[1979 Atlanta Braves season|1979]]. Entering [[1980 Atlanta Braves season|1980]], Cox made one of the unusual moves for which he is known, moving power-hitting [[first baseman]]&ndash;[[catcher]] [[Dale Murphy]], who had developed a throwing block as a catcher that hindered his ability to play, to center field. Murphy later won two [[National League Most Valuable Player]] Awards and five [[Gold Glove]]s, and became one of the premier players of the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/m/murphda05.shtml |title=Dale Murphy |work=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=April 5, 2007}}</ref> In 1980, the Braves finished fourth with their first record above .500 since 1974. However, Cox was undone by the [[1981 baseball strike]] when the Braves finished fourth in the first half and fifth in the second. After the season, owner [[Ted Turner]] fired him. Asked at a press conference who was on his short list for manager, Turner replied, "It would be Bobby Cox if I hadn't just fired him. We need someone like him around here." The Braves won the [[National League West]] division title in 1982 and finished second in both [[1983 Atlanta Braves season|1983]] and [[1984 Atlanta Braves season|1984]] under Cox's successor [[Joe Torre]]. Cox finished with a record of 266 wins and 323 losses in the regular season.<ref name="managerial record">{{cite web|title=Bobby Cox|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/coxbo01.shtml|publisher=Baseball Reference|access-date=February 13, 2014}}</ref>

===Toronto Blue Jays (1982–1985)===
Cox joined the Toronto Blue Jays in [[1982 Toronto Blue Jays season|1982]], who steadily improved over the four years of his management. [[Cito Gaston]] was brought in as a coach for the team because of Cox, and Gaston would be named manager of the Jays years later. In [[1983 Toronto Blue Jays season|1983]], Cox led the Blue Jays to the first winning record in franchise history. In 1985, Cox's [[1985 Toronto Blue Jays season|fourth season]] with the club, the Blue Jays finished in first place in the [[American League East]], the franchise's first division title m. That season, the [[1985 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]] was expanded to a best-of-seven format after 16 seasons of a best-of-five format. This change ultimately made the difference when Cox's Blue Jays became only the fifth team to lose a playoff series after leading three games to one to the [[1985 Kansas City Royals season|Kansas City Royals]], with the decision by [[Dick Howser]] to counter Cox's platooning by starting a right-handed pitcher before going with left-handed relievers in the middle innings proving key.<ref name="managerial record" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Dakers |first=Tom |date=2013-12-10 |title=Bobby Cox and the Blue Jays |url=https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2013/12/10/5197416/bobby-cox-and-the-blue-jays |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Bluebird Banter |language=en}}</ref> 

After the 1985 season, the Braves asked for permission to ask him about their general manager position, which Toronto allowed despite nearly signing Cox for the next season. While he didn't think he would be going, he ultimately came to accept their idea. On October 22, 1985, Cox left to return to Atlanta as general manager; he stated that a key reason was to be closer to his family, who had continued to live in suburban [[Marietta, Georgia]]. Cox and incoming manager [[Chuck Tanner]] both received five-year contracts from Turner. Cox finished his stint as Jays manager with a record of 355 wins and 292 losses for his regular season record. Cox was replaced in Toronto by [[Jimy Williams]].<ref name="managerial record" /><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=1985-10-23 |title=Blue Jays' Cox Leaves Land of the Freeze for the Home of the Braves |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-10-23-sp-13995-story.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Los Angeles Times |language= |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

===Second stint with the Atlanta Braves (1986–2010)===
{{More citations needed|section|date=January 2025}}

====General manager====
After going through two managers over the course of less than five years with disastrous results in attendance and performance, Cox fired [[Russ Nixon]] in June 1990 and named himself field manager. Cox had spent the prior four seasons accumulating talented players, including [[Tom Glavine]], [[Steve Avery (baseball)|Steve Avery]], [[John Smoltz]], [[Ron Gant]], and [[David Justice]]. He was also responsible for drafting [[Chipper Jones]] with the first overall pick in the 1990 draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/j/jonesch06.shtml |title=Chipper Jones |work=Baseball-Reference.com |date=April 5, 2007 |access-date=June 22, 2017 }}</ref> After the 1990 season, he handed the general manager's post to [[Kansas City Royals]] general manager [[John Schuerholz]].

====1991====
In 1991, the [[1991 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]], along with the [[1991 Minnesota Twins season|Minnesota Twins]], became the first teams to go from last place to first place from one year to the next. The two teams met in the [[1991 World Series]], which the Twins won in seven games. It was the second World Series in which the home team won every game. The first was in 1987 when the Twins defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

====1992–1993====
In 1992, Cox's Braves held a 3–1 lead in the [[1992 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]] against the [[1992 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]] before losing Games 5 and 6, although they did win Game 7 on [[Francisco Cabrera (baseball)|Francisco Cabrera]]'s ninth-inning, two-out, pinch-hit, two-run single. They went on to lose the World Series to the Blue Jays, his former club. In 1993, the Braves had the best record in baseball after a pennant race where they overcame a 10-game deficit in August to beat the [[1992 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]]. By going 51–17 over the last two and a half months of the season, they won the division by a game. However, they lost the [[1993 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]] in six games to the [[1993 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]].

====1995–96====
In 1995, the [[1995 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]] won Cox's only [[1995 World Series|World Series]] championship as a manager, over the [[1995 Cleveland Indians season|Cleveland Indians]]. Their division title in 1995 marked the first time since 1989 that neither [[Phillies–Pirates rivalry|Pennsylvania]] team won the [[National League East]].

In May 1995, Cox was arrested on simple battery charge after his wife called police and alleged Cox struck her. She retracted the statement the following day, and the charges were dropped after the couple attended court-ordered counseling.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=http://deadspin.com/5019197/smack-my-bitch-up-major-league-baseballs-continuing-domestic-abuse-problem|title=Smack My Bitch Up: Major League Baseball's Continuing Domestic Abuse Problem|last=Rys|first=Rich|date=June 24, 2008|work=Deadspin|access-date=June 22, 2017}}</ref>

In 1996, the [[1996 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] again won the division title. After sweeping the [[1996 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Los Angeles Dodgers]] in the [[1996 National League Division Series|division series]], the Braves fell behind the [[1996 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]], three games to one in the [[1996 National League Championship Series]]. Facing elimination, the Braves offense outscored the Cardinals 33–1 over the final three games and won the pennant. Cox became the only manager in history to lose a series leading three games to one and win a series trailing three games to one.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws.jsp?feature=recaps_index |title=World Series History: Recaps and Results |publisher=MLB Advanced Media, L.P. |access-date=April 6, 2007}}</ref> The scoring continued into the first two games against the [[1996 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] as the Braves took a two games to none lead by winning with scores of 12–1 and 4–0 in the [[1996 World Series|World Series]]. In game four, the Braves led 6–0 in the fourth inning, but the Yankees came from behind. [[Jim Leyritz]] homered to tie the game, and the Yankees tied the series with a win in 11 innings, 8–6.  The Yankees would ultimately win in six games. Cox was ejected in Game 6; he was the most recent person to be ejected in a World Series game until [[Dave Martinez]] in 2019 in Game 6 against the Houston Astros.

====1997–2001====
The Braves lost to the [[1997 Florida Marlins season|Florida Marlins]] in the [[1997 National League Championship Series|1997 NLCS]] and the [[1998 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]] in the [[1998 National League Championship Series|1998 NLCS]]. The [[1999 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] made it back to the World Series in [[1999 World Series|1999]], but lost to the defending World Series Champion [[1999 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in four straight games. Cox's [[2001 Atlanta Braves season|2001 team]] won the division title and upset the favored [[2001 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]] in three straight games in the [[2001 National League Division Series|division series]]. However, the [[2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season|Arizona Diamondbacks]] defeated the Braves in five games in the [[2001 National League Championship Series|NLCS]].

One of Cox's memorable games as manager of the Braves during this period came on September 21, 2001, when they played [[Braves–Mets rivalry|rival]] [[2001 New York Mets season|New York Mets]] in the first major professional sporting event played in New York City since the [[September 11 attacks|9/11 attacks]].

In 2001, he tied a record held by John McGraw, [[Bill Dahlen]] and [[Paul Richards (baseball)|Paul Richards]] by being ejected from eleven games in a single season.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=David |title=Ejections Through the Years and the Impact of Expanded Replay |url=https://retrosheet.org/Research/SmithD/EjectionsThroughTheYears.pdf |access-date=August 16, 2021 |publisher=[[Retrosheet]] |date=2020}}</ref>

====2002–2010====
Cox's Braves did not advance past the first round of the playoffs in any of their last five appearances. In 2002, the Braves won 101 games and led the [[Wild card (sports)|wild card]] [[2002 San Francisco Giants season|San Francisco Giants]] 2 games to 1 before dropping the last two. In 2003, the [[2003 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] pushed the [[2003 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] to the fifth game before falling. The [[2004 Major League Baseball season|following year]], the [[2004 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] lost in the best-of-five [[2004 National League Division Series|Division Series]] for the third straight year. In 2005, the [[2005 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] lost to the [[2005 Houston Astros season|Houston Astros]], with the finale taking 18 innings to decide in the [[2005 National League Division Series|2005 NLDS]]. On September 23, 2009, Cox signed a one-year contract extension through 2010, and on the same day announced that 2010 would be his final year as manager. He also announced that he agreed to stay on as an advisor for team baseball operations for the next five years after he retires. On October 2, 2010, the Atlanta Braves honored Bobby Cox at Turner Field in a sold-out game. On October 3, 2010, Cox led the Braves to an 8–7 win over the Phillies and clinched both his and the Braves' first [[Major League Baseball wild card|wild card]]. His final game was on October 11, 2010, when the Braves were eliminated by the [[San Francisco Giants]] in Game 4 of the [[National League Division Series]]. He was given a standing ovation by the crowd and both teams immediately following the game.<ref name=Extension>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/print?id=4497952&type=story|title=Cox gets one-year extension|date=September 24, 2009|agency=Associated Press|publisher=ESPN }}</ref> He finished with a record of 1,883 wins and 1,386 losses in the regular season and 64 wins and 65 losses in the post-season. His record from both stints as manager is 2,149 wins and 1,709 losses for a .557 winning percentage in 3,858 games. His overall managerial record is 2,504 wins and 2,001 losses in the regular season and 67 wins and 69 losses in the post-season.<ref name="managerial record"/>

===Managerial record===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Games!!Won!!Lost!!Win %!!Finish!! Won !! Lost !! Win % !! Result
|-
|-
![[1978 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1978}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|69|93}}|| 6th in NL West || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1979 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1979}}
||160||{{WinLossPct|66|94}}|| 6th in NL West || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1980 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1980}}
||161||{{WinLossPct|81|80}}|| 4th in NL West || – || – || – || –
|-
!rowspan="2"| [[1981 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| rowspan="2"| {{mlby|1981}}
||54||{{WinLossPct|25|29}}|| 4th in NL West || rowspan="2"| – || rowspan="2"| – || rowspan="2"| – || rowspan="2"| –
|-
||52||{{WinLossPct|25|27}}|| 5th in NL West
|-
!colspan="11"|
|-
![[1982 Toronto Blue Jays season|TOR]]|| {{mlby|1982}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|78|84}}|| 6th in AL East || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1983 Toronto Blue Jays season|TOR]]|| {{mlby|1983}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|89|73}}|| 4th in AL East || – || – || – || –
|-
![[1984 Toronto Blue Jays season|TOR]]|| {{mlby|1984}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|89|73}}|| 2nd in AL East || – || – || – || –
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1985 Toronto Blue Jays season|TOR]]|| {{mlby|1985}}
||161||{{WinLossPct|99|62}}|| '''1st in AL East''' || {{WinLossPct|3|4}} || Lost [[1985 American League Championship Series|ALCS]] ([[1985 Kansas City Royals season|KC]])
|-
! colspan="2"|TOR total ||647||{{WinLossPct|355|292}}|| || {{WinLossPct|3|4}} ||
|-
![[1990 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1990}}
||97||{{WinLossPct|40|57}}|| 6th in NL West || – || – || – || –
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1991 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1991}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|94|68}}|| '''1st in NL West''' || {{WinLossPct|7|7}} || Lost [[1991 World Series|World Series]] ([[1991 Minnesota Twins season|MIN]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1992 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1992}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|98|64}}|| '''1st in NL West''' || {{WinLossPct|6|7}} || Lost [[1992 World Series|World Series]] ([[1992 Toronto Blue Jays season|TOR]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1993 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1993}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|104|58}}|| '''1st in NL West''' || {{WinLossPct|2|4}} || Lost [[1993 National League Championship Series|NLCS]] ([[1993 Philadelphia Phillies season|PHI]])
|-
![[1994 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1994}}
||114||{{WinLossPct|68|46}}|| 2nd in NL East || – || – || – || –
|-style="background:#fde910"
![[1995 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1995}}
||144||{{WinLossPct|90|54}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|11|3}} || '''Won [[1995 World Series|World Series]] ([[1995 Cleveland Indians season|CLE]])'''
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1996 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1996}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|96|66}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|9|7}} || Lost [[1996 World Series|World Series]] ([[1996 New York Yankees season|NYY]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1997 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1997}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|101|61}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|5|4}} || Lost [[1997 National League Championship Series|NLCS]] ([[1997 Florida Marlins season|FLA]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1998 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1998}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|106|56}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|5|4}} || Lost [[1998 National League Championship Series|NLCS]] ([[1998 San Diego Padres season|SD]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[1999 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|1999}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|103|59}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|7|7}} || Lost [[1999 World Series|World Series]] ([[1999 New York Yankees season|NYY]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2000 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2000}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|95|67}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|0|3}} || Lost [[2000 National League Division Series|NLDS]] ([[2000 St. Louis Cardinals season|STL]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2001 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2001}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|88|74}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|4|4}} || Lost [[2001 National League Championship Series|NLCS]] ([[2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season|ARI]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2002 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2002}}
||160||{{WinLossPct|101|59}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|2|3}} || Lost [[2002 National League Division Series|NLDS]] ([[2002 San Francisco Giants season|SF]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2003 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2003}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|101|61}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|2|3}} || Lost [[2003 National League Division Series|NLDS]] ([[2003 Chicago Cubs season|CHC]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2004 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2004}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|96|66}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|2|3}} || Lost [[2004 National League Division Series|NLDS]] ([[2004 Houston Astros season|HOU]])
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2005 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2005}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|90|72}}|| '''1st in NL East''' || {{WinLossPct|1|3}} || Lost [[2005 National League Division Series|NLDS]] ([[2005 Houston Astros season|HOU]])
|-
![[2006 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2006}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|79|83}}|| 3rd in NL East || – || – || – || –
|-
![[2007 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2007}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|84|78}}|| 3rd in NL East || – || – || – || –
|-
![[2008 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2008}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|72|90}}|| 4th in NL East || – || – || – || –
|-
![[2009 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2009}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|86|76}}|| 3rd in NL East || – || – || – || –
|-style="background:#fdd"
![[2010 Atlanta Braves season|ATL]]|| {{mlby|2010}}
||162||{{WinLossPct|91|71}}|| 2nd in NL East || {{WinLossPct|1|3}} || Lost [[2010 National League Division Series|NLDS]] ([[2010 San Francisco Giants season|SF]])
|-
! colspan="2"|ATL total ||3858||{{WinLossPct|2149|1709}}|| || {{WinLossPct|64|65}} ||
|-
! colspan="2"|Total<ref name="managerial record"/> ||4505||{{WinLossPct|2504|2001}}|| || {{WinLossPct|67|69}} || 
|}

==Personal life==
Bobby Cox is married to Pamela and has eight children.<ref name="ibtimes.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.com/bobby-cox-net-worth-legendary-braves-manager-hospitalized-after-possible-stroke-2782509|title=Bobby Cox Net Worth: Legendary Braves Manager Hospitalized After Possible Stroke|website=[[International Business Times]]|date=April 3, 2019}}</ref>  In 1995, Cox was arrested on simple assault charges against his wife.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tht.fangraphs.com/mlb-turned-a-blind-eye-to-bobby-coxs-domestic-abuse/|title=MLB Turned a Blind Eye to Bobby Cox's Domestic Abuse|website=Fangraphs.com|date=October 13, 2016 |language=en|access-date=May 22, 2024}}</ref>

One day after participating in the [[Atlanta Braves|Braves]]' home opening day (April 1, 2019) festivities, Cox was hospitalized after suffering a stroke.<ref name="ibtimes.com"/> Five months after his stroke, Cox made a visit to [[SunTrust Park]] on September 2, 2019, to watch the Braves play the [[Toronto Blue Jays]], a game which the Braves won 6–3. As a result of the stroke Cox suffers from paralysis in his right arm which requires it to be in a sling.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/former-braves-manager-bobby-cox-attends-first-game-in-atlanta-since-suffering-stroke/|title=Former Braves manager Bobby Cox attends first game in Atlanta since suffering stroke|website=CBSSports.com|date=September 2, 2019 |language=en|access-date=September 4, 2019}}</ref> The stroke did not cause cognitive impairment, as Cox follows and retains interest in baseball, receiving regular visits with long-time baseball colleagues such as Braves manager [[Brian Snitker]], but caused some difficulties communicating.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Jonathan Chadwick |author2=Ben Ingram |author3=Joe Simpson |title=From the Braves Booth Episode 53 |url=https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/ENTDM9148652744 |website=Megaphone |publisher=Atlanta Braves |access-date=6 July 2024 |language=English |format=Podcast |date=2 July 2024}}</ref> He was diagnosed with [[congestive heart failure]] in 2020. Cox attended the July 6, 2024 Atlanta Braves game versus the visiting, division-leading [[Philadelphia Phillies]], his first in-person attendance at a Braves game since 2019. Cox visited the home clubhouse, met with Braves players, and took a group photo. He was shown on the videoboard before the fourth inning to a standing ovation.

Due to poor health, Cox was unable to attend the [[2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2025 All-Star Game]], the first held in Atlanta since he managed the National League in the [[2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2000 All-Star Game]]. Before the game, tributes were paid to him in the media by his former players.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Bob Nightengale |title=Atlanta icon Bobby Cox's absence felt at MLB All-Star Game: 'Make him proud' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2025/07/14/bobby-cox-atlanta-all-star-game-manager-hall-of-fame/85137368007/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |work=USA Today |publisher=Gannett |date=14 July 2025}}</ref>

==Accomplishments==
{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = BravesRetired6.png
|Name   = Bobby Cox
|Number = 6
|Team   = Atlanta Braves
|Year   = 2011
|}}
Cox has been named [[Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award|Manager of the Year]] four times (1985, 1991, 2004, 2005) and is one of only four managers to have won the award in both the American and National League. He and [[Kevin Cash]] are the only managers to have won the award in consecutive years. Cox has also been named Manager of the Year by ''[[The Sporting News]]'' eight times (1985, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005).

On May 12, 2007, Cox passed [[Sparky Anderson]] to become the [[MLB All-time Managerial wins|fourth-winningest manager]] in major league history, with a record of 2,195 wins and 1,698 losses. He led the Braves to a division title every season from 1991 to 2005, excluding the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|strike-shortened]] 1994 season; the Braves have competed in the National League East since 1994 and competed in the National League West prior to that. He won a World Series Championship in 1995. In 2001, he took sole possession of first place for most wins as a manager in Braves history.<ref name=BA_BravesManagers>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/mgrtmab.shtml |title=Atlanta Braves Managers |work=Baseball Almanac |access-date=April 5, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000119052917/http://baseball-almanac.com/mgrtmab.shtml |archive-date=January 19, 2000 }}</ref> Cox's .561 winning percentage is fourteenth in all-time among managers with at least 1,000 games managed, and is the second highest among those who managed the majority of their career after the creation of divisions within each league in 1969. On June 8, 2009, Cox won his 2,000th game with the Atlanta Braves, becoming only the fourth manager in Major League history to accomplish that feat with one team.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ajc-ajc-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/sports/cox-honored-for-000th-win/LUN9V3rSwsatgU5DRii4BO|title=Cox honored for 2,000th win|date=June 9, 2009|first=David|last=O'Brien|newspaper=[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|access-date=February 21, 2023}}</ref> Cox reached career win number 2,500 on September 25, 2010, becoming only the fourth manager in Major League history to do so.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2010/09/25/cox-reaches-2500-wins-for-career/|title=Cox reaches 2,500 wins for career|date=September 25, 2010|first=Carroll|last=Rogers|newspaper=Atlanta Journal-Constitution|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927194114/http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/2010/09/25/cox-reaches-2500-wins-for-career/|archive-date=September 27, 2010}}</ref>

[[Image:Bobby Cox.jpg|thumb|right|Bobby Cox following an ejection from a game in September 2009.]]
On September 17, 2010, Cox was ejected for the 158th time in his Major League coaching career during the second inning of a Braves game against the [[New York Mets]]; he currently holds the all-time record for most ejections (set on August 14, 2007, with his 132nd), previously held by John McGraw.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snmy.shtml |title=Baseball Managers |work=Baseball Almanac |access-date=April 5, 2007}}</ref> By a strange twist of fate, his first ejection happened while managing of the Braves in a game against the Mets on May 1, 1978.<ref name=Ejections>{{cite magazine|magazine=Sports Illustrated|title=Thumbing his Way back home|first=Thomas|last=Lake|date=July 26, 2010|page=49|publisher=Time Inc.}}</ref> Unlike McGraw, Cox did not have a reputation for having a fiery temper and Cox generally only got ejected to prevent his players from being ejected. In the 158 games from which Cox was ejected, his teams had a winning percentage of .385.<ref name=Ejections/> In a July 2006 game, Cox was unable to save outfielder [[Jeff Francoeur]] from ejection; speaking with ''[[Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]'' beat writer David O'Brien, Francoeur recounted his manager's advice after both men had been sent to the Braves clubhouse:
:"I’m like, ‘What do I do?’ He said, ‘Go have a couple cold beers and get in the cold tub or something and relax. And then you’ll probably have to write a $500 check. Or you can do what I do, write a $10,000 one and tell them when it runs out, let me know'."

Cox is also the only person among all players and managers to be [[Ejection (sports)#Baseball|ejected]] from two World Series games ({{wsy|1992}} and {{wsy|1996}}). He was ejected in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the [[1992 World Series]] for throwing a batting helmet onto the field at the [[SkyDome]]. Cox was trying to slam the helmet against the lip of the dugout and missed, throwing it onto the field.<ref name=BA_WS_Ejections>{{cite web|url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/wsmgrej.shtml |title=World Series Ejections |work=Baseball Almanac |access-date=April 5, 2007}}</ref> Cox was tossed again in the final game of the [[1996 World Series]] after protesting an out call of [[Marquis Grissom]] attempting to take second base on a [[passed ball]]. Although video replays appeared to show Grissom was safe, umpire [[Terry Tata]] called him out, and Cox was tossed in the ensuing argument.<ref name=BA_WS_Ejections/>

In 1981, Cox was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fresnoahof.org/current-past-inductees|title=Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees|website=Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame|access-date=June 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731195939/https://www.fresnoahof.org/current-past-inductees|archive-date=July 31, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On August 12, 2011, a luncheon was held by the Braves, and Cox was inducted into the [[Atlanta Braves#Achievements|Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame]] and his number six jersey was retired. Afterward, an on-field ceremony was held that recognized the long-time Braves manager prior to the scheduled game versus the [[2011 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110322&content_id=17058046&vkey=news_atl&c_id=atl|title=Braves to retire Cox's No. 6, add him to Hall|website=Atlanta Braves|publisher=MLB|date=March 22, 2011|access-date=March 23, 2011|archive-date=March 25, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110325032144/http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110322&content_id=17058046&vkey=news_atl&c_id=atl|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110812&content_id=23112220&vkey=news_atl&c_id=atl|title=Cox humbled by entrance into Braves' Hall|website=Atlanta Braves|publisher=MLB|date=August 12, 2011}}</ref>

Cox was unanimously elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] by the 16-member [[Veterans Committee]] on December 9, 2013. The ceremony was held on July 27, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/la-russa-torre-cox-unanimously-elected-to-hall/article_943c3ec2-30c0-5d64-b85d-ed05f9087463.html |title=La Russa, Torre, Cox unanimously elected to Hall |last1=Goold|first1=Derrick|last2=Hummel|first2=Rick|work=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |date=December 9, 2013|access-date=June 22, 2017}}</ref>

Cox was hired on September 22, 2014, to return on a part-time basis to help the Atlanta Braves choose their next general manager and director of player development after the dismissal of general manager Frank Wren and player personnel director Bruce Manno.

In 2019, the [[International League]] announced that Cox would be inducted into its [[International League Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]], noting especially his managerial experience with the Chiefs.<ref>{{cite web |title=International League Announces 2019 Hall of Fame Class |url=https://milb.bamcontent.com/documents/6/4/2/303278642/Class_of_2019_Announcement_Packet.pdf |website=International League |publisher=Minor League Baseball |access-date=January 29, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129195449/http://www.milb.com/documents/6/4/2/303278642/Class_of_2019_Announcement_Packet.pdf |archive-date=January 29, 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}
* [[List of Major League Baseball managers with most career ejections]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball managers with most career wins]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Bobby Cox}}
{{baseballstats|mlb=112764|espn=20499|br=c/coxbo01|fangraphs=1002693|brm=cox---001rob|retro=C/Pcox-b103}}
{{baseball-reference manager|coxbo01}}

{{s-start}}
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{{succession box | title=[[Ejection (sports)#Baseball|All time MLB ejections]]|  before=[[John McGraw]] |years= 161| after=Incumbent}}
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{{2014 Baseball HOF}}
{{Baseball Hall of Fame members}}
{{Toronto Blue Jays HOF}}
{{Toronto Blue Jays managers}}
{{Atlanta Braves managers}}
{{Atlanta Braves general managers}}
{{1977 New York Yankees}}
{{1995WorldSeriesBraves}}
{{Atlanta Braves retired numbers}}
{{Braves Hall of Fame}}
{{Atlanta Braves HOF}}
{{AL Managers of the Year}}
{{NL Managers of the Year}}
{{Sporting News Manager of the Year Award}}
{{2010–present International League Hall of Fame}}
{{Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Bobby}}
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