Atlanta, GA

Former Atlanta Braves player hopes to be signed for 1 day to receive pension

Published

9 months ago

April 21, 2024

Former Atlanta Braves player hopes to be signed for 1 day to receive pension

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC/Gray News) – A former Atlanta Braves player is calling on the team to sign him again – for just one day – so he can qualify for a pension he’s been trying to get for more than 40 years.

For 67-year-old Garden City native Gary Cooper, baseball was everything. He spent several seasons playing in the minor leagues with the AA Savannah Braves, WTOC reports.

“That’s all we did, played baseball… That was our thing growing up. From then on, that was the love of my life,” Cooper said. “I got the chance to play at home for three years. That was a beauty.”

Then, in the summer of 1980, he got word the legendary Hank Aaron was calling him up to play for the Atlanta Braves.

“I said, ‘Man, you crazy.’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ So when I got home, my father told me. My mother and father already knew before I did,” Cooper said. “It was a dream come true.”

The Braves were playing the Pittsburgh Pirates, the reigning World Series champions, when Cooper made his major league debut.

“The bottom of the 9th, one of the fastest guys in the major league came up to bat. They were down by two runs. He hit a fly ball. I was playing left field, and I came in. It bounced over my head, so I had to make a 360 [degree] turn. When I did, I grabbed the ball and threw it to second base, and I threw him out to end the game,” Cooper said.

The season ended for the Braves 42 days and 21 games later, and Cooper was eventually sent back to the minors, not knowing he was just one service day short of qualifying for a pension. In order to be eligible for a pension from Major League Baseball and MLB Players Association, players must have 43 days on an active roster.

“When they called me up, I did what I was supposed to do, and right now, today, I can’t understand why I got sent back down,” he said.

Dave Mesrey spent more than a year working on a story about Cooper, talking to baseball historians and industry experts. He says the same year Cooper went to the MLB, the requirements for a pension had just changed.

“They changed the minimum from four years to 43 days, so when Gary Cooper and anyone who made their debut in Major League Baseball in 1980 or there after, all they needed were 43 days to qualify for the minimum pension,” Mesrey said.

Cooper has appealed to the MLB and Players Association twice and was denied a pension. Now, he is hoping to be signed to the Braves for one day in efforts to meet the qualification.

“‘Cause it has happened. Mr. Aaron did it back in the day and… Satchel Paige never got to play, but he got his pension. That’s history. You know, why can’t it happen the same for me?” he said. “Just that day would be awesome. It would be just like being drafted again.”

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson spoke out in support of Cooper.

“It just makes sense. I’m reminded that the Atlanta Braves, for the pitching legend Satchel Paige, signed him to a contract for him to reach his pension. We’re only talking $500 or $600 a month, but for someone in their late 60s, that makes a whole lot of difference. We’re hoping the Braves do the right thing,” Johnson said.

Not only is the mayor behind him, but more than 10,000 people and counting have signed a Change.org petition asking the Braves to sign Cooper again.

“Just one day. For the two and a half hours that is how long the game lasts, just forget about those 44 years, just for that day,” Cooper said.

The Change.org petition says Cooper, who works part time as a landscaper, has struggled with homelessness in recent years. He has no car, no home, no savings and struggles to pay his phone bill every month.

WTOC has reached out to the Braves for comment.

Source link

Click to comment

Atlanta, GA

Braves News: Short term free agent options, rumors, more

Published

4 hours ago

January 12, 2025

Press Room

We are nearing the opening of the International Free Agency signing period, on January 15th. The Braves are reportedly set to sign one of the top prospects in the class, but the biggest story of the signing period is that Roki Sasaki will be able to sign with a team formally. Reportedly he has not made a decision yet, which will pose problems for teams hoping to sign him, as they will need to hold open space in their bonus pool for him. If the Braves are involved, look for them to delay finalizing deals with the free agents they are expected to sign until Sasaki informs them they are out of the running or makes a final decision. While there hasn’t been any reporting to the point, there are some reasons to believe that Atlanta could be desirable for Sasaki. Sasaki’s agent has indicated some interest in having a friendlier and less invasive media market, a team set up for short and long term success, and having a team with a good pitching development reputation, all of which fit Atlanta. Furthermore, Atlanta’s extensive history of handing out extensions to their young players must be appealing to a player in Sasaki’s financial situation, as his short term income is dramatically limited by the international free agency process, and Atlanta has been polled among the most desirable teams to play for among MLB players. I will be interested to see if Atlanta is involved in the Sasaki sweepstakes.

Braves News

We are really at the bottom of the barrel here, with no moves of note and not to the point of Spring Training news either.

MLB News

Players like Anthony Santander and Jack Flaherty are reportedly at the point of considering more short term, high AAV deals, which could be of interest to an Atlanta front office that has been fond of that type of deal.

Garrett Crochet has talked with the Red Sox about signing an extension, after the star lefty was traded to Boston from Sox to Sox earlier this offseason.

International Amateur Free Agent Darell Morel has flipped to sign with the Pirates, after initially agreeing on a deal with the Dodgers, as the Dodgers are holding open space in hopes of signing Roki Sasaki and Morel gets nearly double the bonus he was set to receive.

Source link

Atlanta, GA

Georgia elects first representative born after 2000

Published

11 hours ago

January 11, 2025

Press Room

Georgia elects first representative born after 2000

Rep. Bryce Berry, 23, won his race for the 56th district in a landslide. That makes Berry, born in 2001, Georgia’s first representative to be born after the year 2000.

Posted January 11, 2025 6:40pm EST

Source link

Atlanta, GA

NBA postpones Houston Rockets v Atlanta Hawks game for winter storm

Published

19 hours ago

January 11, 2025

Press Room

NBA postpones Houston Rockets v Atlanta Hawks game for winter storm

The game between the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks scheduled for Saturday has been postponed because of a winter storm.

The NBA said the decision was made “to prioritize the safety of the players, fans and staff due to the severe weather and hazardous icy conditions in the Atlanta area”.

The league said a date for a rescheduled game will be announced at a later time. The Rockets’ team flight arrived in Atlanta before the postponement was announced.

A winter storm dumped snow and ice on the Atlanta area Friday and roads were expected to refreeze Saturday night.

Power outage numbers around Atlanta crept up Friday night as falling trees on power lines became a widespread issue. More than 110,000 customers were without electricity, mostly in the Atlanta area.

On Friday, four passengers were injured after a Delta Air Lines jet bound for Minneapolis aborted its takeoff. Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant said the plane experienced an engine problem.

While the issue happened during the snowstorm that caused widespread cancellations and delays in Atlanta – the world’s busiest airport – officials couldn’t say if the problem was related to the weather.

The 201 passengers, two pilots and five flight attendants aboard evacuated the Boeing 757-300 using inflatable slides and were bused back to a concourse. One of the injured passengers was taken to a hospital, while three were treated at the airport for minor injuries.

Source link