The one criticism that Cox endures is that in 15 postseason appearances — he led Toronto to the first playoff appearance in franchise history before returning to Atlanta for the record-setting 14 division titles in a row — is that he has only one world championship — in 1995. And he is haunted by having taken a 2-0 lead in 1996 only to see the Yankees rally to win the World Series for the first of what became four world championships in five years.

Cox, however, not only managed the Braves to those division titles, but he was the general manager who put the foundation for the success in place before John Schuerholz took over the front office job when Cox returned to the dugout.

Cox also is fourth all-time in victories and the only manager other than Joe McCarthy to manage six 100-game winners.

And while he has managed only one world championship:


Since Cox returned to the dugout in Atlanta midway in the 1990 season, there are only four franchises that have won more than one World Series — the Yankees (1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000), Boston (2004 and 2007), Toronto (1992 and 1993) and Florida (1997 and 2003).

Since Cox returned to the dugout in Atlanta midway in the 1990 season, eight teams haven’t even played in the World Series — Baltimore, Kansas City, Seattle, Texas, Washington/Montreal, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Eight teams have never won a World Series in their existence — Seattle, Texas, Washington/Montreal, Houston, Milwaukee, Colorado, Tampa Bay and San Diego.

Three teams have never even played in a World Series — Washington/Montreal, Seattle and Texas

I have been screaming this to all my friends who think it’s cute to say “you only won one!!!” Finally, a journalist puts it in writing!

Many years ago, when you were probably just laddies, I took a wonderful trip to the Yukatan ruins called Chichen Itza, there as you probably know, perhaps better than I do, is a ball park. In those days it was one of the few areas of the site cleared of encroaching jungle. I mean it, the jungle was hovering right outside the borders of the ball field on 2 sides. I stood in the middle of that long hand ball reminding court with those vertical stone walls, and tried to imagine what the sounds were like, the fans who knew the names of the players and their statistics. The sweating bodies, the flesh and flex of brown toned muscles, the sound of the groans and contact between the players, like rugby perhaps? Well, who knows the names or the stats of those heroes of the games? And what has happened since then which is more important than those men, some playing the games for the sake of their life?
What limited gore and sadness it probably was. Not exactly as refined as our sport , but spiritually much more in common than different I believe.