Updated
Updated · MLB.com · Sep 24
Former White Sox Pitching Coach Don Cooper Dies at 70 After 18-Year Run
Updated
Updated · MLB.com · Sep 24

Former White Sox Pitching Coach Don Cooper Dies at 70 After 18-Year Run

3 articles · Updated · MLB.com · Sep 24

Summary

  • Don Cooper, the White Sox pitching coach from 2002 through 2020, has died at 70, the team said.
  • His legacy is tied most closely to Chicago’s 2005 World Series title, when the rotation capped the ALCS with four straight complete games — a postseason feat unmatched since 1928.
  • Cooper also shaped standout runs from Mark Buehrle, Chris Sale and Esteban Loaiza, while earning a reputation among fans and players that “Coop’ll fix ’em.”
  • Former players and team officials said his impact went beyond mechanics, crediting him with building pitchers’ confidence and becoming part of the franchise’s fabric.

Insights

Beyond the historic 2005 World Series, what secret psychological methods made Don Cooper the ultimate pitcher whisperer?
How did a brief playing career forge a legendary 33-year coaching legacy that completely transformed a historic franchise?