Don Cooper, a longtime pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox, has died at the age of 70, according to a Facebook post from his family. Cooper passed away on Tuesday in Brentwood, Tennessee. He spent 33 years with the White Sox organization, including 18 years as the major league pitching coach, and was part of the coaching staff during the team's 2005 World Series victory.
The family’s post noted that Cooper was believed to have 'passed away peacefully.' They described his passion for baseball and his dedication to the coaches and players around him, stating, 'This passion was superseded only by his unbreakable love for his family and friends.'
Cooper was born in New York and raised in Woodside. He attended Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School and later the New York Institute of Technology, where he played baseball and basketball. He was selected by the New York Yankees in the 17th round of the 1978 draft and made his MLB debut with the Minnesota Twins in 1981. He also played for the Blue Jays and Yankees during his career.
After retiring as a player, Cooper began coaching and joined the White Sox organization in 1987. Former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen paid tribute to Cooper on social media, stating, 'My career wouldn’t have been the same without Don Cooper. Coop was one of a kind and taught me so much about pitchers, pitching, and their mindset.'
Cooper was relieved of his coaching duties in 2020. During the 2005 season, he oversaw a pitching staff that achieved four consecutive complete-game victories in the American League Championship Series, a feat not accomplished since the 1928 Yankees.