[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 5, 2010)]
[House]
[Page H3199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1830
                           HONORING BOBBY COX

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bright). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor one of the 
greatest managers in the history of major league baseball, Bobby Cox, 
the manager of my hometown team, the Atlanta Braves. He is an icon in 
the managing profession, and after giving selflessly to the Braves for 
over 25 years, I want to congratulate him on his retirement at the end 
of this season. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that he is my constituent in 
the 11th Congressional District of northwest Georgia.
  A lifetime man of the game, Bobby played in both the minor and major 
leagues for 12 years. At the age of 30, he retired as a player and 
launched a coaching career which will go down in history as one of the 
best in the game. Bobby's first coaching job allowed him to manage the 
Braves, but he left Atlanta in 1982 to work with the Toronto Blue Jays.
  Bobby realized success quickly in Toronto as he led the Blue Jays to 
the American League East Crown in 1985. For these efforts, he was named 
Major League Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of 
America, the Associated Press and the Sporting News.
  After his winning seasons in Toronto, Bobby returned to Georgia to 
work with the Braves again in 1985, this time as general manager. It 
was then that he began creating a baseball empire, by restructuring the 
team from the farm system up through the major leagues. In the 1990s, 
he was back in the dugout as manager of the Braves, and he led them to 
five National League pennants, one World Series Championship, and 14 
consecutive division titles. He was named Manager of the Year once 
again, and to this day he is still the only coach to win Manager of the 
Year in both the American and the National Leagues.
  Bobby has won over 2,000 games and is the all-time winningest coach 
in Braves history. Bobby has made a name for himself amongst his 
players by being a true ``players'' coach and always going to bat for 
his team and his players. That passion and love for the game have 
earned him another distinction, Mr. Speaker: The all-time record for 
the most ejections from the game.
  Mr. Speaker, Bobby's skills, dedication, and attitude will be missed 
in both the Braves dugout and also in the stadiums wherever the Braves 
have played. He will continue to assist the organization by advising 
the minor league teams in the Atlanta area. Bobby's imprint on the 
Atlanta Braves organization will undoubtedly be remembered and revered 
for years to come.

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