Cecil Cooper

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Cooper was born in Brenham, Texas, where he attended Brenham High School and later attended Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. He was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft and made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 1972 at the age of 21. On December 6, 1976, before the 1977 season, the Red Sox traded Cooper to the Milwaukee Brewers for George Scott and Bernie Carbo. After being traded to the Brewers, Cooper altered his batting stance to resemble the stance of Rod Carew, leaning far back on his left foot and his arms partially extended. The stance helped Cooper in hitting outside pitches to the opposite field, while still pulling inside pitches. The stance change was effective, as Cooper batted .302 as a Brewer, compared to the .283 average he had during his time in Boston. A five-time All-Star, Cooper hit .300 or more from 1977 to 1983. His most productive season came in 1980, when he hit a career-high .352 (finishing second in the American League behind batting champion George Brett's .390 average for the Kansas City Royals), and he also led the league in RBIs (122) and total bases (335). In 1983 Cooper hit .307 with 30 home runs and a league-leading and career-high 126 RBIs. He also posted three seasons with 200-plus hits, in 1980, 1982 and 1983, finished fifth in the AL MVP vote, and was named the Brewers' team MVP in three seasons (1980, 1982–83). An excellent defensive first baseman, he was a two-time Gold Glove winner (1979–80). He also won the Silver Slugger Award in three straight years (1980–82); the only other Brewer to have done so is Ryan Braun (2008–10). Cooper concluded his Major League career with 11 seasons as a Brewer, including an appearance in the 1982 World Series. Cooper holds the Milwaukee franchise record for hits (219 in 1980). Cooper held the team record for RBIs in a season with 126 until Prince Fielder broke that record on September 19, 2009, against the Houston Astros, who Cooper was managing at the time. Through 2011 he was one of three Brewers who have had four 100-RBI seasons, along with Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun. In 1983 he was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award, and in 2002 he was inducted into the Brewers Walk of Fame. Cooper was released by the Brewers in the middle of the 1987 season. In a 17-season career, Cooper posted a .298 batting average with 2192 hi

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Cooper's career is anchored by his time in Milwaukee, where he became a franchise cornerstone. In 1982, he led the Brewers to the World Series, marking the pinnacle of his on-field achievements alongside five All-Star selections and two Gold Glove Awards (1979–80). He holds the Brewers' single-season hits record with 219 in 1980. His RBI record of 126 stood until Prince Fielder broke it in 2009, a moment witnessed by Cooper while he was managing the Houston Astros. Despite his individual success, neither the Red Sox (1975) nor the Brewers (1982) secured a World Series title during his tenure. He concluded his playing days with the Brewers in 1987 after a 17-season career that accumulated 2,192 hits and a .298 batting average.

Reader's Guide

After his playing career, Cooper worked as a sports agent, representing clients including Randy Johnson, Wade Boggs and Joe Girardi. He later returned to the Brewers as Director of Player Development (farm director) for three years. He was named bench coach for Milwaukee in 2002 and also managed the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians in 2003–04. He returned to the Major League coaching ranks in 2005 as a bench coach for the Houston Astros. On August 27, 2007, he was named interim manager of the Astros, becoming the first African American field manager in Astros' history. He went 15–16 to close the year, and on September 28, 2007, his interim tag was dropped. The 2008 Astros finished 86–75, four games behind Milwaukee for the NL Wild Card. Cooper was fired on September 21, 2009, with 13 games remaining, finishing with a record of 171–170.

Did You Know?

• Cooper was a five-time American League All-Star and two-time AL RBI champion.
• He won three Silver Slugger Awards (1980–82) and two Gold Glove Awards (1979–80).
• Cooper holds the Milwaukee franchise record for hits in a season (219 in 1980).
• He was the first African American field manager in Houston Astros history.
• Cooper was inducted into the Milwaukee Brewers Walk of Fame in 2002.