Don Cooper Dies at 70

Don Cooper, longtime pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox, has died at the age of 70, the team confirmed on Wednesday.

Cooper spent 33 seasons in the White Sox organization, with 18 of those years as the team’s big-league pitching coach.

During his tenure, he coached some of the best pitching staffs of the 2000s, including the 2005 World Series-winning team featuring Mark Buehrle, Freddy Garcia, Jon Garland, and Jose Contreras.

Former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski praised Cooper’s impact, stating he helped develop numerous pitchers, including Buehrle, Garland, and Contreras, both on and off the field.

Cooper also played in the major leagues from 1978 to 1985, drafted by the Yankees before being claimed by the Twins in the Rule 5 draft.

After retiring as a player, Cooper began his coaching career in 1988 and eventually became the White Sox’s full-time pitching coach in 2002, a role he held until 2020.