Cecil Cooper
Born: 12/20/1949 in Brenham, TX, USA
MLB Debut: 1971-09-08 | Final Game: 1987-07-12
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Cecil Celester Cooper
Biography
Cecil Cooper was a prominent figure in Major League Baseball, known for his impressive offensive skills and consistent performance during his career from 1971 to 1987. Born in 1949, Cooper played a total of 1,896 games, where he established himself as a formidable hitter with a career batting average of .298. Over his tenure, he accumulated 2,192 hits, 241 home runs, and 1,125 RBIs, making him one of the most productive first basemen of his era. His ability to combine power with a high batting average set him apart, and he showcased his talents in five All-Star selections.
Cooper's playing style was characterized by a keen eye for hitting and an ability to drive in runs, which was crucial for teams that relied on offensive production during the late 1970s and 1980s. He also demonstrated speed on the base paths, finishing his career with 89 stolen bases. A key player for the Milwaukee Brewers, Cooper contributed significantly to the team's success in the 1980s, including their run to the World Series in 1982. His legacy remains a testament to the impact of skilled position players during a transformative era in baseball, where power hitting began to take center stage.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1896 | 7349 | 1012 | 2192 | 415 | 47 | 241 | 1125 | 89 | 448 | 911 | 0.298 | 0.337 | 0.466 | 0.803 | 16119.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | BOS | AL | 14 | 42 | 9 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 0.310 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | BOS | AL | 12 | 17 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0.235 | 0.0 |
| 1973 | BOS | AL | 30 | 101 | 12 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 12 | 0.238 | -186.2 |
| 1974 | BOS | AL | 121 | 414 | 55 | 114 | 24 | 1 | 8 | 43 | 2 | 32 | 74 | 0.275 | 282.2 |
| 1975 | BOS | AL | 106 | 305 | 49 | 95 | 17 | 6 | 14 | 44 | 1 | 19 | 33 | 0.311 | 1421.8 |
| 1976 | BOS | AL | 123 | 451 | 66 | 127 | 22 | 6 | 15 | 78 | 7 | 16 | 62 | 0.282 | 675.2 |
| 1977 | ATL | AL | 160 | 643 | 86 | 193 | 31 | 7 | 20 | 78 | 13 | 28 | 110 | 0.300 | 813.0 |
| 1978 | ATL | AL | 107 | 407 | 60 | 127 | 23 | 2 | 13 | 54 | 3 | 32 | 72 | 0.312 | 1339.2 |
| 1979 | ATL | AL | 150 | 590 | 83 | 182 | 44 | 1 | 24 | 106 | 15 | 56 | 77 | 0.308 | 2295.6 |
| 1980 | ATL | AL | 153 | 622 | 96 | 219 | 33 | 4 | 25 | 122 | 17 | 39 | 42 | 0.352 | 3570.9 |
| 1981 | ATL | AL | 106 | 416 | 70 | 133 | 35 | 1 | 12 | 60 | 5 | 28 | 30 | 0.320 | 1740.4 |
| 1982 | ATL | AL | 155 | 654 | 104 | 205 | 38 | 3 | 32 | 121 | 2 | 32 | 53 | 0.313 | 2600.4 |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 160 | 661 | 106 | 203 | 37 | 3 | 30 | 126 | 2 | 37 | 63 | 0.307 | 2263.6 |
| 1984 | ATL | AL | 148 | 603 | 63 | 166 | 28 | 3 | 11 | 67 | 8 | 27 | 59 | 0.275 | -358.3 |
| 1985 | ATL | AL | 154 | 631 | 82 | 185 | 39 | 8 | 16 | 99 | 10 | 30 | 77 | 0.293 | 829.0 |
| 1986 | ATL | AL | 134 | 542 | 46 | 140 | 24 | 1 | 12 | 75 | 1 | 41 | 87 | 0.258 | -619.1 |
| 1987 | ATL | AL | 63 | 250 | 25 | 62 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 36 | 1 | 17 | 51 | 0.248 | -548.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 95 | 5 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 15 | 0.211 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ALCS | ML4 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0.150 |
| 1982 | WS | ML4 | 7 | 28 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0.286 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | ML4 | 5 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0.222 |
| 1975 | WS | BOS | 5 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.053 |
| 1975 | ALCS | BOS | 3 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.400 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1475 | 1436 | 13361 | 1000 | 121 | 1348 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | BOS | 1B | 11 | 11 | 82 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 1972 | BOS | 1B | 3 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1973 | BOS | 1B | 29 | 29 | 227 | 17 | 4 | 25 |
| 1974 | BOS | 1B | 74 | 63 | 637 | 40 | 12 | 66 |
| 1975 | BOS | 1B | 35 | 19 | 197 | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| 1976 | BOS | 1B | 66 | 62 | 600 | 42 | 4 | 49 |
| 1977 | ML4 | 1B | 148 | 147 | 1386 | 118 | 12 | 134 |
| 1978 | ML4 | 1B | 84 | 84 | 842 | 66 | 11 | 71 |
| 1979 | ML4 | 1B | 135 | 134 | 1323 | 78 | 10 | 119 |
| 1980 | ML4 | 1B | 142 | 142 | 1336 | 106 | 5 | 160 |
| 1981 | ML4 | 1B | 101 | 98 | 987 | 72 | 9 | 111 |
| 1982 | ML4 | 1B | 154 | 154 | 1428 | 98 | 5 | 156 |
| 1983 | ML4 | 1B | 158 | 157 | 1452 | 87 | 11 | 144 |
| 1984 | ML4 | 1B | 122 | 122 | 1061 | 98 | 10 | 106 |
| 1985 | ML4 | 1B | 123 | 123 | 1087 | 94 | 17 | 101 |
| 1986 | ML4 | 1B | 90 | 89 | 697 | 61 | 9 | 78 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1475 |
| Designated Hitter | 373 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Player of the Month | July |
| 1983 | Player of the Week | Week of 1983-07-01 |
| 1983 | Player of the Week | Week of 1983-09-30 |
| 1983 | Roberto Clemente Award | |
| 1982 | Player of the Week | Week of 1982-06-04 |
| 1982 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 1982 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1981 | Player of the Month | August |
| 1981 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 1981 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1980 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 1980 | Player of the Month | August |
| 1980 | Player of the Week | Week of 1980-09-26 |
| 1980 | Silver Slugger | 1B |
| 1980 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1979 | Gold Glove | 1B |
| 1979 | Player of the Month | April |
| 1979 | TSN All-Star | 1B |
| 1977 | Player of the Week | Week of 1977-09-30 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | ML4 | AL | $493,224 |
| 1986 | ML4 | AL | $607,322 |
| 1985 | ML4 | AL | $1,176,190 |
| Total Career Earnings | $2,276,736 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 123.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 152.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1981 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 96.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1980 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 160.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1979 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 23th | 4.0 | 392 | 0 |