Former Atlanta Brave Gary Cooper goes to bat for aging former ballplayers who don't receive a pension from MLB
Once considered the fastest man in baseball, Cooper is speaking out for former players who could use support in their golden years from perhaps the wealthiest labor union in America.
A few weeks ago, I wrote a story about a former Major League Baseball player that made national news. It took me more than a year to write the Gary Cooper story, and I only hope I did it justice.
I first heard the incredible story of former Atlanta Braves outfielder Gary Cooper from SABR scouts guru Rod Nelson in 2022.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
Once considered the fastest man in baseball, Cooper is one of some 500 former MLB players who don’t receive a pension — but his story is rather unique. Cooper, 67, is just one day shy of qualifying for a pension from the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Not only that — one of his games was rained out, and they never made it up.
After ESPN’s Andscape.com published my story in March, it’s taken the baseball world by storm, with more reporting from Georgia Public Broadcasting, WJCL, WTOC, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Savannah Morning News, and CNN.
Now Cooper’s opening up about his decades-long struggle to obtain a pension from the MLBPA.
By doing so, Coop is helping to shed light on MLB’s controversial pension issues, going to bat for other former ballplayers who don’t receive any retirement benefits from what is arguably the wealthiest labor union in America.
Monday night, Coop and I joined "The Knee Jerks" podcast to discuss these issues and more.
To watch the interview, click the play button below.
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