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Billy Cox (baseball)
William Richard Cox (August 29, 1919 – March 30, 1978) was an American professional baseball third baseman and shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles. He was one of the top fielding third basemen of his time, and played in three World Series for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Hall of fame third baseman George Kell once said, "'I never dreamed third base could be played with such artistry until I saw Cox in [the 1952 World] Series.'"
Cox was Born on August 29, 1919, in Newport, Pennsylvania. He attended Newport High School, where he was an exceptional baseball player for the Newport Buffaloes, graduating in 1939. Like his father Frederick Cox, he also played semi-pro baseball.
In 1940, Cox signed to play for the independent Class-B Harrisburg Senators of the Interstate League. Playing shortstop for the 1940 Senators, he had a .288 batting average, with eight home runs, five triples and twenty-four doubles in 120 games; and was named an all-star. In 1941 for the Senators, he hit .363, with six home runs, 15 triples and 42 doubles, leading the league in batting average, hits, doubles and total bases. Defensively, he set a league record for most assists by a shortstop.
Cox came to the attention of Pittsburgh Pirate scout Pie Traynor, who had been a Hall of Fame third baseman for the Pirates. Cox was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1941, after the Pirates paid the Senators $20,000. (It has also been stated the Pirates signed Cox as an amateur free agent in 1940.) Cox made his MLB debut with the Pirates on September 20, 1941, playing in ten games at shortstop that season. These would be his last games with the Pirates until 1946.
Cox entered military service on February 9, 1942. He did have the opportunity to play organized baseball at times in the military, and he was once allowed to play for the Pirates in an exhibition game against the Harrisburg Senators in 1942. Soon after, he was sent overseas as part of the 814th Signal Corps, the role of which was to follow front line troops and lay wire to set up communication centers. He served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. He also served 18 months on Guadalcanal. He was discharged from the service in November 1945.
He signed a new contract with the Pirates in early 1946, and returned to play in the 1946 season, again at shortstop. Among those teaching him how to better play the position were Hall of Famers Honus Wagner and Pirate manager Frankie Frisch. Although he had missed four years of major league baseball, he hit .290, and was 27th in Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting. In 1947, he hit .274, with career highs in home runs (15), triples (7), doubles (30), hits (145), runs batted in (RBI) (54), and runs scored (75). His fielding percentage at shortstop went from .935 in 1946 to .968 in 1947.
Cox was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers on December 8, 1947, along with Preacher Roe (Cox's friend and roommate) and Gene Mauch, for Dixie Walker, Hal Gregg and Vic Lombardi. Walker was a lifetime .300 hitter, but was nearing the end of his career; but more significantly, he had strongly opposed Jackie Robinson's joining the Dodgers in 1947 and breaking MLB's color barrier. Gregg's usage declined in the ensuing few years before his retirement, and Lombardi finished his major league career by 1950.
Roe would go on to have a 93–37 won–loss record for the Dodgers over seven years, including 15, 19, and 22 win seasons as a starting pitcher; and Cox became an important player for the Dodgers at third base, also playing seven years in Brooklyn. He developed a reputation as one of baseball's best fielding third basemen, and possibly the best at this time. He was also known for his timely hitting. After seeing Cox field in the 1952 World Series, Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell said, "'I never dreamed third base could be played with such artistry until I saw Cox in that Series.'"
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Billy Cox (baseball)
William Richard Cox (August 29, 1919 – March 30, 1978) was an American professional baseball third baseman and shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles. He was one of the top fielding third basemen of his time, and played in three World Series for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Hall of fame third baseman George Kell once said, "'I never dreamed third base could be played with such artistry until I saw Cox in [the 1952 World] Series.'"
Cox was Born on August 29, 1919, in Newport, Pennsylvania. He attended Newport High School, where he was an exceptional baseball player for the Newport Buffaloes, graduating in 1939. Like his father Frederick Cox, he also played semi-pro baseball.
In 1940, Cox signed to play for the independent Class-B Harrisburg Senators of the Interstate League. Playing shortstop for the 1940 Senators, he had a .288 batting average, with eight home runs, five triples and twenty-four doubles in 120 games; and was named an all-star. In 1941 for the Senators, he hit .363, with six home runs, 15 triples and 42 doubles, leading the league in batting average, hits, doubles and total bases. Defensively, he set a league record for most assists by a shortstop.
Cox came to the attention of Pittsburgh Pirate scout Pie Traynor, who had been a Hall of Fame third baseman for the Pirates. Cox was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1941, after the Pirates paid the Senators $20,000. (It has also been stated the Pirates signed Cox as an amateur free agent in 1940.) Cox made his MLB debut with the Pirates on September 20, 1941, playing in ten games at shortstop that season. These would be his last games with the Pirates until 1946.
Cox entered military service on February 9, 1942. He did have the opportunity to play organized baseball at times in the military, and he was once allowed to play for the Pirates in an exhibition game against the Harrisburg Senators in 1942. Soon after, he was sent overseas as part of the 814th Signal Corps, the role of which was to follow front line troops and lay wire to set up communication centers. He served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. He also served 18 months on Guadalcanal. He was discharged from the service in November 1945.
He signed a new contract with the Pirates in early 1946, and returned to play in the 1946 season, again at shortstop. Among those teaching him how to better play the position were Hall of Famers Honus Wagner and Pirate manager Frankie Frisch. Although he had missed four years of major league baseball, he hit .290, and was 27th in Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting. In 1947, he hit .274, with career highs in home runs (15), triples (7), doubles (30), hits (145), runs batted in (RBI) (54), and runs scored (75). His fielding percentage at shortstop went from .935 in 1946 to .968 in 1947.
Cox was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers on December 8, 1947, along with Preacher Roe (Cox's friend and roommate) and Gene Mauch, for Dixie Walker, Hal Gregg and Vic Lombardi. Walker was a lifetime .300 hitter, but was nearing the end of his career; but more significantly, he had strongly opposed Jackie Robinson's joining the Dodgers in 1947 and breaking MLB's color barrier. Gregg's usage declined in the ensuing few years before his retirement, and Lombardi finished his major league career by 1950.
Roe would go on to have a 93–37 won–loss record for the Dodgers over seven years, including 15, 19, and 22 win seasons as a starting pitcher; and Cox became an important player for the Dodgers at third base, also playing seven years in Brooklyn. He developed a reputation as one of baseball's best fielding third basemen, and possibly the best at this time. He was also known for his timely hitting. After seeing Cox field in the 1952 World Series, Hall of Fame third baseman George Kell said, "'I never dreamed third base could be played with such artistry until I saw Cox in that Series.'"