Some coaches leave behind numbers, some leave behind trophies, but Don Cooper left behind a pitching legacy that became part of Chicago White Sox history. His blunt philosophy, “Starting pitching will either lead you to the White House or the out house,” perfectly captured the importance he placed on the mound. And as his family announced his death on Wednesday, September 23, Chicago lost not just a longtime coach, but one of the key figures behind its unforgettable 2005 championship run.

Cooper’s legendary status stems from his role in the 2005 championship, not his playing career

In the 2005 American League Championship Series, Mark Buehrle, Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia and Jose Contreras delivered four consecutive complete games to eliminate the Angels, a feat no team had accomplished since the 1928 Yankees. One week later, Chicago swept the Houston Astros to capture its first World Series title since 1917. Decades later, Cooper’s words about pitching still echo through the legacy of that historic team.

“The White Sox send our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Don Cooper, who has passed away at 70. Don Cooper spent 33 seasons as a coach in the White Sox organization from 1988-2020, including 18 full seasons as the major-league pitching coach. Cooper served as the pitching coach for the 2005 World Series champion club, which became the first team since the 1928 Yankees to toss four consecutive complete games in a single postseason. Forever in our thoughts,” the Chicago White Sox shared via X.

While the family has not disclosed the cause, the White Sox community has begun sharing memories of his impact.

Cooper’s connection with the White Sox was much more than his 18-year career as their pitching coach. The White Sox first hired Cooper in 1988 as a minor league pitching coach and roving coordinator before getting named the permanent big-league pitching coach in July 2002.

Cooper’s playing career was brief and unremarkable: 44 games and a 1-6 record, but his coaching legacy eclipsed it entirely, crystallized in 2005. His biggest baseball moment came in 2005 when the White Sox went on to win the World Series.

In the 2005 ALCS, Cooper’s rotation delivered four consecutive complete games, Buehrle, Garland, Garcia, and Contreras each pitching the distance, a feat unseen since 1928. During this stretch, the White Sox bullpen was called upon for exactly zero outs. In Game 2, Mark Buehrle set the tone with his signature lightning-fast pace and pinpoint control, refusing to walk a single Angels batter. He kept the game tied 1–1 going into the 9th inning.

In Game 3, Garland struck out 7 hitters and gave up just 4 hits. Then, in Game 4, Garcia completed 9 innings without allowing a single earned run. In Game 5, Contreras completed 9 innings with 3 ERs. And all this happened with Don Cooper as the pitching coach.

“On the day I met him, he gave me a hug, as he had known me for a long time,” Contreras recalled his first outing with Cooper. “He spoke with me in Spanish a little bit. I said, ‘Ok, that’s good. That’s what I need.'”

However, apart from Cooper’s coaching skills, he was also known for his fiery demeanor.

The White Sox have also witnessed Cooper’s fiery side

The White Sox’s former pitching coach had a problem with online criticism. “Listen, I’ll be honest, the worst part of my job — and I think I have the best job in the world — is to deal with negative people and taking people to the negative side,” Cooper said. “Kicking us when we are down. It’s easy to do in a rebuild. But I’ll remember everybody who is doing it.”

“The worst thing in the world that’s come along as far as I’m concerned is Twitter and a lot of social media [stuff] that gives voice to people who shouldn’t really have a voice, who don’t know what the hell the hitting coach’s job, the manager’s job, the pitching coach’s job, they have no clue what this job is.”

Apart from this, in 2013, he made headlines by slamming the dugout phone in frustration during a rocky outing by pitcher Hector Santiago, publicly calling messy performances “unacceptable” and unsuited for professional baseball.

While managers and coaches often take a stand for their players and get ejected, Cooper got ejected in a March 2020 spring training argument over a balk call by umpire Ángel Hernández.

Although outspoken, the White Sox will certainly miss perhaps one of their most dominant pitching coaches.