Cecil Cooper

Five-time All-Star, two-time RBI champion, and former Brewers first baseman.

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, where he attended Brenham High School and later attended Prairie View A&M University. 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, 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, leaning far back on his left foot.

He batted .302 as a Brewer, compared to .283 in Boston. Cooper hit .300 or more from 1979 to 1983. His most productive season came in 1980, when he hit a career-high .352, led the league in RBIs (122) and total bases (335). In 1983 he hit .307 with 30 home runs and a league-leading and career-high 126 RBIs.

He posted three seasons with 200-plus hits (1980, 1982, 1983), finished fifth in the AL MVP vote, and was named Brewers team MVP in 1980, 1982, and 1983. He won Gold Glove Awards in 1979 and 1980, and Silver Slugger Awards in 1980, 1981, and 1982. Cooper holds the Milwaukee franchise record for hits (219 in 1980). He held the team record for RBIs in a season with 126 until Prince Fielder broke it in 2009.

Through 2011 he was one of three Brewers with four 100-RBI seasons, along with Fielder and Ryan Braun. Cooper was released by the Brewers in the middle of the 1987 season. In a 17-season career, he 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.

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 for three years. He was named bench coach for Milwaukee and also managed the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians in 2003–04. He returned to the Major League coaching ranks 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, finishing 73–89. On September 28, 2007, his interim tag was dropped. In 2008, the Astros finished 86–75, four games behind Milwaukee for the NL Wild Card. Cooper was fired on September 21, 2009, with 13 games remaining, after the team fell to 70–79. He finished with a record of 171–170.

Did You Know?

He won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1983.
Cooper was inducted into the Milwaukee Brewers Walk of Fame in 2002 and the Brewers Wall of Honor in 2014.
He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were Cecil Cooper's major achievements?

During his time with the Brewers, he earned five All-Star selections and won two Gold Glove Awards for his defensive skills at first base. He also led the league in RBIs twice, specifically in 1980 and 1983.