A lot of lives can be touched in 37 years. Just ask some BRAVES greats, past and present.
Coach Bobby “Dewsy” Dews, who retired from the Atlanta BRAVES Club in 2012 made his way to the Great Baseball Diamond in the Sky. He was 76.
Dewsy joined the BRAVES in 1974 managing at multiple minor league levels during road games for the majors. He retired as Bullpen coach in the majors in 2006 when he became roving coach.
Dews was also known for his sense of humor. Tom Glavine, BRAVES Hall of Famer fondly remembers:
“Bobby was a special person with a great baseball mind. He had the ability to combine hard work with fun. When you were around him you knew two things would happen — you would learn something and you would laugh.”
One of his stories told of one of his former roommates, “The Georgia Peach”. When asked if he was referring to Ty Cobb, Dews’ responded with a sly smile saying, “No, a beautiful woman I met in downtown Atlanta.”
After being ejected from a minor league game he coached, Dews shared a few drinks with the umpire. Dews had no intention of dealing with his hangover in the hot sun during the next day’s game. After a close call at second base in an early inning, Dews marched to the same ump to argue with the goal of getting tossed. The ump won the argument, not by ejecting Dews, but by ending the argument saying, “Bobby, if I have to be out here, so do you.”
Many tweets showing respects were posted by the likes of Chipper Jones, Eddie Perez, Freddie Freeman, David Ross and Dale Murphy, who also shared his experience:
“[Dews] pulled me aside a few years ago and said, ‘Murph, I just wanted you to know I came up with that idea to move you to the outfield.’ We had a good laugh. Dewsy was always thinking about the game and how to make us kids get better. He had seen guys switch positions, and I am forever grateful that he thought I maybe could, too. I wouldn’t have had much of a career if it weren’t for Bobby Dews.”
Bobby Cox described the tight bond that developed between himself and Coach Dews:
“He was a special guy,” Cox said. “He helped so much in getting this organization going.”
If only we could bring the coaching team of Cox, Dews and Company back. Even if only for a few, priceless moments. If only.
