Cox was selected by the Red Sox with the seventeenth pick in the first round of the 1973 draft, ahead of Fred Lynn. Listed at 6' 3", 195 lb., Cox played five years in the Boston minor league system, stepping up a class every year, that was hastened by a phenomenal season in 1977 with Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. In 95 games, he hit .334 with 14 home runs and 81 RBI, which was highlighted by an All-Star selection, helping Pawtucket to clinch the regular season championship. After the season, he won both the Topps Minor League Player of the Year and the International League MVP awards, and was recalled by Boston in September 1977.
Cox debuted with the Red Sox on September 18, on Thanks Brooks Robinson Day at Baltimore. Cox went 4 for 4 plus a walk in his first major league game, a 10–4 Boston victory over the Orioles.[1] After the game, reporters told Cox he had tied the American League record for most hits in a first game. Casey Stengel, Willie McCovey and Mack Jones also share the mark. Boston returned to Fenway Park to face the New York Yankees the next day. In his first at-bat against the Yankees, Cox hit a single to tie a record set in 1933 by Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators, of five consecutive hits at the start of a major league career. Then, in his second at-bat Cox singled off Ed Figueroa, giving him a 6 for 6 hitting streak.
Cox ended 1977 with a .362 average (21 for 58), and drew considerable attention to himself. Before the 1978 season he was traded by Boston along with Bo Díaz, Mike Paxton, and Rick Wise to the Cleveland Indians for Dennis Eckersley and Fred Kendall.[2] After two years in Cleveland as a backup outfielder and playing all four infield positions, Cox joined the Seattle Mariners in 1980 and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1981, his last major league season.
In a five-season career, Cox was a .245 hitter with 10 home runs and 79 RBI in 272 games. On April 9, 1980, Cox became the first player in American League history to collect a game-winning RBI,[3] a statistic that was official only from 1980 to 1988.
In November 2019, Cox was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He died in Midwest City, Oklahoma, on March 11, 2020. Cox was survived by his mother Ernestine, wife Debbie (Pulliam) Cox and sons Billy and Joey.[4]
Referencesedit
^Montgomery, Paul L. (September 19, 1977). "Red Sox Set Back Orioles, 10‐4, As Both End Ungainful Weekend". The New York Times. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
^"Red Sox Acquire Eckersley". The New York Times. March 31, 1978. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
^"You Could Look It Up: The first time ..." seattlepi.com. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. March 23, 2003. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
^ abcd"Ted Cox, ex-Red Sox player with hits in 1st 6 at-bats, dies at 65". ESPN.com. Associated Press. March 13, 2020.
Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet or Pura Pelota
The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia – Gary Gillette, Peter Gammons, Pete Palmer. Publisher: Sterling Publishing, 2005. Format: Paperback, 1824pp. Language: English. ISBN1-4027-4771-3
January 01, 1970
baseball, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, baseball, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, . This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Ted Cox baseball news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2020 Learn how and when to remove this message William Ted Cox January 24 1955 March 11 2020 was an American third baseman who played Major League Baseball from 1977 through 1981 for the Boston Red Sox 1977 Cleveland Indians 1978 1979 Seattle Mariners 1980 and Toronto Blue Jays 1981 He batted and threw right handed Ted CoxThird basemanBorn 1955 01 24 January 24 1955Oklahoma City Oklahoma U S Died March 11 2020 2020 03 11 aged 65 Midwest City Oklahoma U S Batted RightThrew RightMLB debutSeptember 18 1977 for the Boston Red SoxLast MLB appearanceOctober 4 1981 for the Toronto Blue JaysMLB statisticsBatting average 245Home runs10Runs batted in79TeamsBoston Red Sox 1977 Cleveland Indians 1978 1979 Seattle Mariners 1980 Toronto Blue Jays 1981 Contents 1 Career 2 Later life 3 Death 4 References 5 External linksCareer editCox was selected by the Red Sox with the seventeenth pick in the first round of the 1973 draft ahead of Fred Lynn Listed at 6 3 195 lb Cox played five years in the Boston minor league system stepping up a class every year that was hastened by a phenomenal season in 1977 with Triple A Pawtucket Red Sox In 95 games he hit 334 with 14 home runs and 81 RBI which was highlighted by an All Star selection helping Pawtucket to clinch the regular season championship After the season he won both the Topps Minor League Player of the Year and the International League MVP awards and was recalled by Boston in September 1977 Cox debuted with the Red Sox on September 18 on Thanks Brooks Robinson Day at Baltimore Cox went 4 for 4 plus a walk in his first major league game a 10 4 Boston victory over the Orioles 1 After the game reporters told Cox he had tied the American League record for most hits in a first game Casey Stengel Willie McCovey and Mack Jones also share the mark Boston returned to Fenway Park to face the New York Yankees the next day In his first at bat against the Yankees Cox hit a single to tie a record set in 1933 by Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators of five consecutive hits at the start of a major league career Then in his second at bat Cox singled off Ed Figueroa giving him a 6 for 6 hitting streak Cox ended 1977 with a 362 average 21 for 58 and drew considerable attention to himself Before the 1978 season he was traded by Boston along with Bo Diaz Mike Paxton and Rick Wise to the Cleveland Indians for Dennis Eckersley and Fred Kendall 2 After two years in Cleveland as a backup outfielder and playing all four infield positions Cox joined the Seattle Mariners in 1980 and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1981 his last major league season In a five season career Cox was a 245 hitter with 10 home runs and 79 RBI in 272 games On April 9 1980 Cox became the first player in American League history to collect a game winning RBI 3 a statistic that was official only from 1980 to 1988 Later life editAfter his playing career Cox operated Grand Slam batting cages in Oklahoma City 4 In addition he was Oklahoma baseball director for the United States Specialty Sports Association 4 He was also an assistant baseball coach at Midwest City High School and Oklahoma City University 4 Cox worked with the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association to raise money for charities and civic causes 5 Death editIn November 2019 Cox was diagnosed with multiple myeloma He died in Midwest City Oklahoma on March 11 2020 Cox was survived by his mother Ernestine wife Debbie Pulliam Cox and sons Billy and Joey 4 References edit Montgomery Paul L September 19 1977 Red Sox Set Back Orioles 10 4 As Both End Ungainful Weekend The New York Times Retrieved April 22 2020 Red Sox Acquire Eckersley The New York Times March 31 1978 Retrieved April 22 2020 You Could Look It Up The first time seattlepi com Seattle Post Intelligencer March 23 2003 Retrieved April 22 2020 a b c d Ted Cox ex Red Sox player with hits in 1st 6 at bats dies at 65 ESPN com Associated Press March 13 2020 Ted Cox Obituary Visitation amp Funeral Information www bffuneralhome com Retrieved March 12 2020 External links editCareer statistics and player information from MLB or Baseball Reference or Baseball Reference Minors or Retrosheet or Pura Pelota The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia Gary Gillette Peter Gammons Pete Palmer Publisher Sterling Publishing 2005 Format Paperback 1824pp Language English ISBN 1 4027 4771 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ted Cox baseball amp oldid 1215602809, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
