Don Cooper, the longtime Chicago White Sox pitching coach who helped guide the franchise to its first World Series championship in 88 years, has died. He was 70.
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Cooper died Tuesday in Brentwood, Tennessee, the White Sox announced. His family also shared the news on social media. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
"Coop dedicated nearly four decades of his life to the White Sox organization, leaving a lasting impact on countless players, coaches and fans," the team wrote.
Cooper became Chicago's major league pitching coach in July 2002 after spending 14 years developing pitchers in the organization's minor league system. He remained in the position through the 2020 season, working under managers Jerry Manuel, Ozzie Guillen, Robin Ventura and Rick Renteria.
His greatest achievement came in 2005. During the American League Championship Series, Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras pitched four consecutive complete games as Chicago eliminated the Los Angeles Angels.
The White Sox then swept the Houston Astros to capture their first World Series title since 1917.
Cooper also coached Buehrle through a no-hitter and perfect game, helped Esteban Loaiza win 21 games in 2003 and oversaw Chris Sale's rise into one of baseball's top pitchers.
"My career wouldn't have been the same without Don Cooper," Guillen wrote on X. "Coop was one of a kind and taught me so much about pitchers, pitching, and their mindset."
Before becoming a coach, the New York City native pitched in parts of four major league seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees.
