Charleston, S.C. - Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox, who is retiring at the conclusion of this season, will be the featured speaker at the 7th Annual Hot Stove Banquet & Silent Auction on January 28 at the Holliday Alumni Center on The Citadel campus.
The Hot Stove Banquet is an annual collaboration between the Charleston RiverDogs and The Citadel to whet the appetite of Charleston area baseball fans. In addition to the banquet, a silent auction will be held with proceeds going to The Citadel and to MUSC's Storm Eye Institute, the RiverDogs' primary charity.
The event is being sponsored for the fourth consecutive year by Tom McQueeney State Farm Insurance Company.
"The Hot Stove Banquet is gaining a reputation as one of the premiere in the region and I believe this will be our best one yet," said RiverDogs General Manager Dave Echols. "We think that Braves and baseball fans of all ages will enjoy seeing and hearing Bobby Cox speak."
"Bobby Cox is a sure-fire Hall of Famer who is quite familiar with Citadel Baseball," said Head Coach Fred Jordan. "The Hot Stove Banquet has evolved into a great event and Cox will certainly be one of the best speakers we've had yet."
A native of Tulsa, Okla., Cox played briefly at third base for the New York Yankees (1968-69) and concluded his playing career because of bad knees. He managed in the Yankees farm system from 1971-76 and earned his first World Series ring as the Yankees first base coach in 1977. After that, Cox served as the Braves manager from 1978-81. He moved to manage the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982-85, and was brought back to the Braves and served as the General Manager from (1986-90). He returned to the dugout as Atlanta's manager from 1990-present, and captured his second World Series ring in 1996.
In 1991, the Braves, along with the Minnesota Twins, became the first teams to go from last place in one season to first place the next. The two teams met in the 1991 World Series. Although the Braves lost, they continued to win division titles for a total of fourteen times in fifteen seasons. Cox's 15 division titles is a Major League record for a manager. On five separate occasions, the Braves have won the National League pennant and played in the World Series, including four in a six-season stretch (1991, 1992, 1995, and 1996).
Cox, the fourth-winningest manager in baseball history, has been named Manager of the Year four times (1985, 1991, 2004 and 2005) and is one of only four managers to have won the award in both the American and National League. He is also the only person to have won the award in consecutive years. Cox has also been named Manager of the Year by The Sporting News eight times (1985, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005).
Previous speakers for the Hot Stove Banquets include former New York Yankees Bobby Richardson and John Blanchard, Jim Bouton and Tommy John, former Brave and current New York Met Jeff Francoeur, Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry and one the most popular Braves ever, Dale Murphy.
The reception begins at 6 p.m. with the dinner to start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $65 per person and include dinner, beverages and admission to the auction. Tables with preferred seating for eight individuals are available for $500.
For individual tickets and additional information, please contact the RiverDogs at (843) 577-DOGS (3647). Tickets may also be purchased online at www.riverdogs.com.
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