Bobby Cox, the Hall of Fame manager who guided the Atlanta Braves to a World Series title in 1995 and was a four-time Manager of the Year, has died at the age of 84. The Braves announced his passing in a statement on Saturday, though no cause of death was provided.
“We are overcome with emotion on the passing of Bobby Cox, our treasured skipper,” the team said. “Bobby was the best manager to ever wear a Braves uniform. He was a favorite among all in the baseball community, especially those who played for him. His wealth of knowledge on player development and the intricacies of managing the game were rewarded with the sport’s ultimate prize in 2014 – enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame. And while Bobby’s passion for the game was unparalleled, his love of baseball was exceeded only by his love for his family. It is with the heaviest of hearts that we send our sincerest condolences to his beloved wife, Pam, and their loving children and grandchildren.”
Cox managed the Braves in two stints: first from 1978 to 1981, then from 1990 to 2010. During his second tenure, Atlanta became a National League powerhouse, winning 14 consecutive division titles—a feat unmatched by any professional sports team. The Braves reached the World Series five times, including a 1995 victory over Cleveland that secured the franchise’s third championship. He also managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985 before returning to Atlanta as general manager and later appointing himself manager.
Cox ranks fourth all-time with 2,504 wins, fifth with 4,508 games managed, first with 15 division titles, first with 16 playoff appearances, and fourth with 67 playoff wins. He also holds the record for most ejections in baseball history with 162. “He is the Atlanta Braves,” longtime catcher Brian McCann said in 2019. “He’s the best.”
Before becoming a manager, the Oklahoma native coached in the New York Yankees’ system and served on Billy Martin’s staff during the Yankees’ 1977 World Series win. Cox retired in 2010 and was unanimously inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. He suffered a stroke in 2019 and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2020. Health issues prevented him from attending the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta, but he later appeared at Truist Park to honor the 30th anniversary of the Braves’ championship.
Ted Turner, the Atlanta media magnate who owned the Braves from 1976 to 2007, died earlier this week at age 87. Turner hired Cox in 1978 and later fired him in 1981. When asked what he sought in a replacement, Turner said he wanted someone exactly like Cox.
“Bobby Cox led one of the greatest eras of sustained excellence in baseball history,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “As manager of the Braves, his clubs became an October fixture, representing consistency, professionalism, and championship-caliber baseball for an entire generation of fans. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Bobby’s family, the Braves organization, the many players and coaches whose lives he impacted throughout his 29-year managerial career, and Braves fans everywhere.”