Promise and dissappointment (1994)

Bobbie Cox began his 5th season in 1994 with the Atlanta Braves. The team started with huge promise. Unfortunately, they would end up dissapointing us all.

Many had felt the Braves would win the World Series. It would have been their first since 1957. The prospect of Fred McGriff in the line up for the whole season gave us hope. When we won 13 of the first 14 games, oh man, did we think the promise would come true.

Of course no one could predict a couple of things about this season. Montreal seemed to come out of nowhere. Our pitching was inconsistent. It would have helped to have some timely hitting. AND, playing 162 games might have helped but the players strike hit after 114 games. Atlanta was 6 games behind and when the players didn't come back from the strike, we ended with a 68-46 record. If we had played the whole season, who knows?

Worst to first (1991)

Ron Gant screamed it in the clubhouse, and it was true. “We shook up the world”!! This was the day the Braves (then in Atlanta) clinched the 1991 West Division. It was not an overstatement at all.

The Braves had entered the year as the laughingstock of baseball. The year before they had finished sixth, 25 games behind. It was Bobbie Cox’s first full season. Slow start and great finish. This was one of the great Cinderella teams in all sports history.

And so, they went from worst to first.

Good enough (1898)

Being good enough in baseball is what it is about some days. The 1898 Braves (then known as the Boston Beaneaters) weren't as good as they were in the previous season percentage wise. They ended up 6 games ahead to win the pennant. Frank Selee continuted to be a mastermind as the manager. Their record was 102-47. So, they were good enough. They won 9 more games than the year before. Their winning percentage was .685 and a little lower than the year before.

Part of this is about statistics. This was the year that the National League expanded to the 154 game schedule. 102 wins was VERY good. It tied the 1892 pennant winners for a record. It stood until Bobbie Cox and the Braves won 104 (of 162) in 1993.

The wild card (1978)

There were four candidates for the job. It is a very good job if you can handle the stress. You are competing against Ken Boyer, Tommie Aaron (Hank's brother) and Hall of Fame Catcher Yogi Berra. You are a former major league infielder of no great distinction. You are 36 and would be the youngest man ever to hold this kind of job. You have managed in the minors (the Syracuse Chiefs) but never the majors. If you get the job, you replace Dave Bristol.

The wild card in all of this is that Ted Turner is making the decision.

And so, Bobby Cox became the youngest manager in the history of baseball in 1978. The Braves had a record of 69-93. They finished sixth in the Western Division. They ended up 26 games behind the leader.

Bobbie as a player (1967)

Bobbie Cox played with Mickey Mantle. They were both from Oklahoma. I wish I could have played with Mickey. How cool that would have been? I am thinking he learned some stuff from that. It was Mickey's last season as a Yankee.

He also played with Clete Boyer and Graig Nettles. That was on the Yankees in 1967. He played there two seasons after being traded from the Dodgers (he never actually played for them). He mostly played third base. He had bad knees though. After the Yankees, he was acquired by the Braves. He never actually ended up playing for them though.

And so, he was destined to be a coach.