Ted Turner and Bobby Cox, who helped build the Braves into the organization it is today, passed away within days of each other.
The Atlanta Braves are off to a white-hot start in 2026. As of May 14, they are in first place in the National League East Division with a very impressive 30-14 record. That’s also the best record (by two games) in the National League.
But off the field, it’s a different story, one of sadness. Just a few days ago, on May 6, 2026, Ted Turner passed away at age 87. Three days later, on May 9, Bobby Cox died at age 84.
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Ted Turner was a giant in the media and television world. He founded CNN, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, TCM, and the 24-hour news cycle. Aside from being a trailblazer in television, Turner also ventured into sports. In 1976, Turner purchased the Atlanta Braves. The purchase price for the Braves in 1976 was between $10 and $12 million.
Turner purchased for two reasons.
The first reason was to keep the team in Atlanta. The franchise was struggling financially, and until Ted Turner came along, it was on the verge of relocating to Toronto. The second reason was to secure flagship sports programming for TBS. Aside from keeping the Braves in Atlanta, Ted Turner would also be responsible for hiring, firing, and rehiring the man who would turn the Braves into the dynasty of the 1990s, Bobby Cox.
Courtesy CNN
Turner hired Bobby Cox for the first time in 1977 to be the manager of the Braves. However, after the 1981 season proved disappointing, Turner fired Cox. This led to a very famous quote from Turner when asked about the shortlist for the new manager: “It would be Bobby Cox if I hadn’t just fired him.”
After the firing, Bobby Cox would have a successful stint with the Toronto Blue Jays and was eventually brought back to Atlanta by Turner in 1985 as the Braves’ general manager. In 1990, he would once again return to the dugout as the manager for the Braves and began one of the greatest runs in baseball history.
Under the leadership of Ted Turner and Bobby Cox, the Braves won the National League Championship five times between 1990 and 2000. The Braves won eleven straight NL East Division titles from 1995 to 2005. In 1995, the Braves reached the top of the mountain by winning the World Series.
Ted Turner would remain the owner of the Braves until 2007. Bobby Cox would finish out his career in Atlanta as the Braves manager (until his retirement) in 2010.
Without these two men, the Atlanta Braves would not be the team they are today. They may be gone, but their legacy and memory will live forever in the hearts of Braves fans everywhere.
Courtesy FOX 5 Atlanta
