Cecil Cooper

Five-time All-Star first baseman and former Astros manager

via Wikipedia: Cecil Cooper · see source

Cecil Celester Cooper (born December 20, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, manager and sports agent. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman from 1971 to 1987 for the Boston Red Sox and the Milwaukee Brewers. Cooper was a member of the Red Sox team that won the 1975 American League pennant but he rose to prominence as a member of the Brewers, where he became a five-time American League All-Star player and a two-time American League RBI champion.

Quick Facts

Position: First baseman; Manager
Bats: Left
Born: 20 December 1949
Birthplace: Brenham, Texas, U.S.
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: September 8
Debut year: 1971
Debut team: Boston Red Sox

Lore & Background

Cooper was born in Brenham, Texas, attended Brenham High School and later Prairie View A&M University. He was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 1968 MLB draft and made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 1972 at the age of 21. On December 6, 1976, the Red Sox traded Cooper to the Milwaukee Brewers for George Scott and Bernie Carbo. After being traded, Cooper altered his batting stance to resemble Rod Carew's, which helped him bat .302 as a Brewer. He holds the Milwaukee franchise record for hits (219 in 1980). Cooper was inducted into the Milwaukee Brewers Walk of Fame in 2002, and the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor in 2014.

Reader's Guide

Cooper concluded his Major League career with 11 seasons as a Brewer, including an appearance in the 1982 World Series. In a 17-season career, Cooper posted a .298 batting average with 2192 hits, 1012 runs, 415 doubles, 241 home runs, 448 bases on balls and 1125 RBIs in 1896 games. He was a five-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove winner (1979–80), and won the Silver Slugger Award in three straight years (1980–82). In 1983 he was honored with the Roberto Clemente Award. After his playing career, he worked as a sports agent, then as the Brewers' Director of Player Development, bench coach, and manager of the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. He managed the Houston Astros from 2007 to 2009, finishing with a record of 171–170.