LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Bobby Cox is headed to the Hall of Fame, and although his time with the Toronto Blue Jays was but a footnote in his illustrious 29-year managerial career, it doesn’t diminish his impact on the franchise.
Cox was elected to Cooperstown on Monday in a vote by the Hall’s Expansion Era Committee, a unanimous selection alongside Tony La Russa and Joe Torre. The bulk of Cox’s work in the dugout came with the Atlanta Braves, where he posted a 2149-1709 record and won 14 consecutive NL East titles, five pennants and one World Series.
Still, his first successes as manager came with the Blue Jays, taking over the club in 1982 as it began emerging from its initial expansion struggles and leading it to an AL East crown in 1985.
He rejoined the Braves the next season to take over as general manager, returning to the dugout midway through the 1990 season. In Toronto, he compiled a 355-292 record.
“Strictly family,” Cox said when asked about the decision to leave. “I was only on a one-year contract, the contract expired, it got the call from Ted (Turner, the former Braves owner) about working for them and we lived in Atlanta. I loved Toronto, believe me, that’s one of the greatest experiences I ever had in baseball, managing for Pat Gillick and Paul Beeston. I had more fun there than probably anywhere in the world. I didn’t want to leave, but with family needs, it was the right thing to do as a father.”
Jimy Williams succeeded Cox as Blue Jays manager, a tumultuous run that ended with his firing early in the 1989 season. Cito Gaston took over and led the team to its only two championships, and the franchise hasn’t been to the playoffs since the second title in 1993.
Cox was one of baseball’s most feisty managers and he holds the record with 161 career ejections. Still, he doesn’t see himself as someone who had a bad relationship with the men in black.
“I like to think that I got along with the umpires as good as anybody, to be honest with you,” he said. “I always had their back, too, although I complained quite a bit. We always had good teams, you’ve got to remember that and any close call could determine a game with the Braves all those years, because we were always in the games, it was like life and death for me. The umpires knew that as well. I don’t have one negative thing to say about any umpire I’ve been associated with. They’ve always given their best.”
