William Richard Cox (August 29, 1919, in Newport, Pennsylvania – March 30, 1978, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) was a Major League Baseball third baseman.

Signed as an amateur free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates 1940, Cox made his Major League Baseball debut with the Pirates on September 20, 1941, and appeared in his final game on June 11, 1955.

Cox served in the military during World War II.

Cox was the third baseman of a stellar Brooklyn Dodgers infield in the 1950s that included Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, and Pee Wee Reese.

The book Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings (2004) includes short stories from the former Dodger pitcher. Cox is prominent in many of them.

Billy is also featured in Roger Kahn's 1971 book The Boys of Summer which tells the stories of the Brooklyn Dodgers from the early 1950s and then catches up with them later in life.

The youth baseball park on North Second Street in Newport, PA is named after Billy Cox, and hosts Cal Ripken Division baseball games (Babe Ruth baseball's equivalent to Little League) as well as an annual tournament.

[edit] External links

• Billy Cox at Baseball Reference.com
• Billy Cox at Find a Grave

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