He is recognized as the father of modern baseball in Columbus, Ohio,[1] for twice helping return the game to the park that would subsequently be named Cooper Stadium in his honor.
Cooper grew up in the Columbus neighborhood of Franklinton, just a few blocks from the site where the St. Louis Cardinals built a home for their American Association franchise in 1932.
After one such apprehension, Red Birds president George Trautman gave him an unpaid job cleaning mold off hot dogs.
[2] In 1935, he was promoted to the paid job of clubhouse boy, cleaning uniforms, shining shoes and running errands for the players.
The renamed Columbus Clippers returned from Charleston,[5] with the county taking the unique step of buying the affiliate itself from the Pittsburgh Pirates for $25,000.