New Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee, Manager Bobby Cox: Thoughts and Reminisces

Last week Bobby Cox was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. His record of getting into the playoffs is incredible and though his teams could claim but one world title, I can accept his choice though he was not exactly Joe McCarthy or Casey Stengel in the “alchemy” of converting post season appearances into World titles.

I met Mr. Cox once at Citi Field and conducted a TV interview with him as batting practice ended.

Cox won 4 true, “one quarter of the pie” divisional titles and I asked about his first one, the lone one not managing the Atlanta Braves, when he was with the  1985 Toronto Blue Jays.

Playing on the final weekend of the season in a Friday night game, Cox and the Jays were one out away from the divisional title.

However, Butch Wynegar of the New York Yankees hit a game tying solo home run and the Yankees eventually won the game.

I said to Bobby a few years back how that must have caused a sleepless night but also recalled his calling the ABC studio where I worked that Saturday, confident in his team.

Then in 1985 and in the interview with me Cox talked of “letting it go” and the fact “no one is going to feel sorry for you and do it yourself.”

Those words still resonate with me and can with all of us. “Congrats” Bobby on a stellar managerial career and imagine how proud your 1968 Yankees’ teammate, friend, and fellow Oklahoman, Mickey Mantle is of your achievements.