Wear your cap straight and your sunglasses too: Freddie Freeman still follows the ironclad rule he learned from the 84-year-old legendary manager who passed away

Bobby Cox, the Hall of Fame manager who led the Atlanta Braves’ golden era, died on May 10 at age 84. Major League Baseball mourned the loss of a giant.

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“Bobby is still inside me,” said Freddie Freeman, one of the few active players who played under Cox. Now with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Freeman learned the Braves’ way from Cox during his rookie season in 2010 and two spring trainings.

According to ESPN and local media, Freeman shared memories of his mentor. “It’s a sad day for Braves fans and the whole baseball community. I’ve been thinking about him all day,” he said. “I have a signed uniform from him hanging in my Atlanta house. It says, ‘To Freddie, keep hitting.'”

Freeman explained the small details he still follows. “Atlanta does things a little differently—that’s the Braves way. It’s how I was taught, and I still keep some of those habits. During batting practice, I button up my uniform completely and wear my cap facing straight forward. No backward caps, and same with sunglasses. Even if clouds roll in tomorrow, you won’t see me with sunglasses perched over the LA logo on my cap. I’ll hook them on the back. That’s the Bobby way. Bobby is still alive inside me.”

Freeman is known as an old-school player. He once scolded rookie Ronald Acuña Jr. for wearing big sunglasses and a tilted cap. At age 36, these rules he learned from Cox help him stay consistent and durable.

Cox required Braves players to wear full uniforms during batting practice, caps straight, and sunglasses only on the back of the cap so the team logo was visible. Loud music was not allowed in the clubhouse. While strict, Cox showed genuine care and encouragement.

Walt Weiss, current Braves manager who played under Cox from 1998 to 2000, said, “Being part of his legacy is a huge honor. He was one of the greatest leaders I’ve been around, best at inspiring loyalty. He always made players feel they were doing better than they really were.” Weiss recalled Cox’s reaction after losing the 1999 World Series to the Yankees: “Players felt they let him down. That’s not easy in pro sports. It shows how much he was respected.”

Cox, who played only two MLB seasons as a second baseman with the Yankees, became Braves manager in 1978. He was fired by owner Ted Turner in 1981, managed the Blue Jays (1982-1985), then returned to Atlanta as general manager. In 1990, he took over as manager again and began a historic run: 14 consecutive division titles (1991-2005, excluding the strike-shortened 1994 season) and the Braves’ first World Series title in 1995.

Cox’s career record: 2,504 wins and 2,001 losses in 4,508 games. His 2,504 wins rank fourth all-time among managers. His 2,149 wins with Atlanta and a .581 winning percentage from 1991-2010 were second only to the Yankees’ .582. He won 15 NL East titles, five NL pennants, one World Series, and four Manager of the Year awards. He also holds the record for most ejections (162), often defending his players against umpires.

Under Cox, superstars like Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, Fred McGriff, and Andrew Jones thrived.

Freeman, a future Hall of Famer himself, said, “Not many players get coached by a Hall of Fame manager. My first big league manager was one, and he always had our backs. He connected with every player personally, valuing a 19-year-old and a 40-year-old equally.” Freeman recalled his debut in September 2010: he was standing nervously in front of the locker room, almost throwing up from tension. Cox walked up and said, “Damn, what took you so long to get to the big leagues?” Freeman laughed, “That moment, all my nerves disappeared. He taught me camaraderie, unity, and how to act as a team. That’s how I grew up, and what he taught me. I’m still grateful for it.”