His family announced the death on social media the following day, while the White Sox also confirmed his passing. Former Chicago White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper has died at age 70. Cooper died on September 22, 2026, at his home in Brentwood, Tennessee, according to his family.
The cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
Cooper spent 33 seasons with the White Sox organisation and served as the team’s major-league pitching coach for 18 full seasons. He was part of the staff that helped Chicago win the 2005 World Series, ending the franchise’s long wait for a championship. Cooper joined the White Sox organisation in 1988 after ending his playing career. He had made his MLB debut with the Minnesota Twins in 1981 and also played for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. He later worked his way through Chicago’s coaching system before becoming the major-league pitching coach in July 2002. Former White Sox player and 2005 World Series MVP Jermaine Dye responded to Cora’s post with: “Coop will be missed. Cooper left the White Sox after the 2020 season following 33 seasons with the organisation.
At the time, MLB reported that he was the longest-tenured pitching coach in the league. Former White Sox bench coach Joey Cora also shared a tribute.
Cora wrote that Cooper was “Not only a great coach, a great Person” and that “all he wanted to do in life was to help people.
