Bobby Cox Begins Last Season with Braves

As spring training gets into full swing, so do the reporters and Brave's supporters hounding Bobby Cox about his last year as the Atlanta Braves manager.

It's difficult to imagine the Braves without watching Bobby Cox rocking back and forth on the bench, but making his retirement plans public was one way he plans on making himself stick to it, according to the Atlanta Journal and Constitution (AJC).

Had he not made his retirement announcement public Bobby Cox may have gone on adding year after year to his contract. That's exactly what he did when his contract was up last year. He extended just one more year. This time, Bobby Cox is serious, but it has to be difficult for a man who has been involved in baseball longer than many of us have been alive.

Bobby Cox told the AJC, "I'd rather die with the uni on, but I'm not going to do that."

Apparently, approaching the age of 69, Cox is faced with mortality and the prospect of having time to do things away from the baseball field. I don't think he can stay completely away from the ballpark, but Cox will have time to do other things.

The Braves manager joined the Dodgers farm team in 1960 and started in the Majors in '68, according to the AJC. His longevity in baseball is legendary and his legacy will remain with Atlanta Braves fans forever. We watched Bobby Cox walking head down year after year as the Braves ran one of the longest losing streaks in baseball history, and then, we saw him lead the team "from worst to first," taking the team to the World Championship more than once.

Bobby Cox has earned a long and restful retirement, which is one of the reasons Brave fans are going to have a hard time letting him go. One of the most difficult things about baseball this year will be the retirement that looms ahead for Bobby Cox. We can only hope that the Braves will rally to bring him a season finale that will go down in history.

Bobby Cox has never been a camera or media hog. Having heard him on local radio and TV over the years he has always remained humble and deferred wins to the quality sportsmanship of the men on the Atlanta Braves. Cox will likely not want his retirement to be the topic of the year, but there are already media hounds and fans with pressing questions. In his unique style, Bobby Cox answers, but quickly returns the discussion to the game of baseball.

Right now, Bobby Cox is focused on spring training. Before he knows it, October will be here. That's the way time flies as we get older.

As a Brave's fan I'm wishing the best for Bobby Cox and, selfishly, that the Atlanta Braves have a slam banging year. I still expect to see Cox explode off the bench every now and then to defend his players. That's part of who he is.

Sources:

Hummer, Steve. A Season of 'lasts.' The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sunday, Feb 28, 2010

Saying Goodbye to Bobby Cox, Active Atlanta