
Here is Bobby Cox's cake in its original form. And . . .
(Updated with details and comments from Bobby Cox and Johnny Isakson’s spokesperson.)
Bobby Cox’s final season as Braves manager is not quite going as expected. The team is struggling and even a cake ordered for his honor on Capitol Hill spelled his name incorrectly.
I mean, REALLY incorrectly.

. . . here is the cake after some nifty editing by Isakson staffers.
Cox was being honored for his 50 years in baseball. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) hosted a ceremony, inviting the Braves’ manager, as well as players and officials. But the cake, which was to read, “Thanks for 50 great years Bobby Cox” had an unfortunate and profane misspelling of his last name.
Come on. I know the Braves probably should have won another World Series or two during Cox’s reign. But isn’t this a little harsh for a sendoff?
Sheridan Watson, Isakson’s spokesperson, confirmed Tuesday’s gaffe and gave this accounting of the day’s events: “Bobby and the players came to the Hill and spoke at our staff meeting. Immediately after the staff meeting, he and players posed for pictures and signed baseballs for our staff members. The scheduler and I then went to the Capitol to get ready for the reception. The catering company had delivered the cake and we immediately realized his last name was spelled incorrectly. The only people who saw it were me, the scheduler and unfortunately some media members who had arrived early and took pictures. We immediately started cutting the cake.”
And what happened to those pieces of cake that were cut out?
“We smeared the icing so you couldn’t make out what it said,” she said.
And then they were served.
Cox said he didn’t find out about CakeGate until somebody from the Braves told him Wednesday.
“That’s funny,” Cox said. “What bakery did he get that cake? That’s what I want to know.”
A Washington area reporter in the visiting manager’s office had missed the story and asked Cox how they spelled his name.
“The wrong way,” Cox said, drawing a round of laughter.
Cox said he did eat a piece of the cake: “It was good.”
Nonetheless, Watson said the manager will be getting an apology from Restaurant Associates, the catering company used at the Capitol.
How does something like this happen?
According to Watson, Restaurant Associates ordered the cake from a bakery that they don’t normally use and gave the order over the phone. They never specified how to spell Cox, as if that would seem necessary.
“I’m sure one day I’ll be able to laugh about this.”
Staff writer Carroll Rogers contributed to this story.
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314 comments Add your comment
Delbert D.
May 5th, 2010
1:27 pm
For all you bad spellers, once and for all it’s “touche.”
Carlton
May 5th, 2010
1:30 pm
We have the “first” people and the people that can’t spell, we’re just missing the ALL CAPS guy…
Lank
May 5th, 2010
1:30 pm
Here’s my question: how many comments have been removed from this blog so far?
Mr. Turnip-Green Jeans
May 5th, 2010
1:37 pm
I know a guy named Richard Holder. Make of that what you will.
GDawg
May 5th, 2010
1:37 pm
Reminds of a Spring game I went to in Orlando. As Cox entered the field, A fan stood up and yelled “I Love Cox !” When he sat down, his friend looked at him and said, “I don’t believe I would have said that”
SimpleDawg
May 5th, 2010
1:40 pm
Surprise! The caterer must a bunch of crack smokin’, Obama votin’, former government workers in the kitchen……
…..or the proof reader from the AJC was responsible for proofing the cake inscription.
No wonder things are so fouled up in Washington.
srh
May 5th, 2010
1:40 pm
Rodney Ho must have decorated the cake. For some reason, this AJC “writer” can’t spell correctly to save his own life.
Tucker T
May 5th, 2010
1:42 pm
That is funny but I also feel bad for Bobby. How stupid are the people at this catering company. Somebody should have been fired for that.
Ray Ferraro's Bobble Head Doll
May 5th, 2010
1:43 pm
This is a story?
The city is on edge trying to find out who the next Thrashers’ coach will be, and we get a story about cake?
J.B.
May 5th, 2010
1:45 pm
I hate to ruin all the ha-ha-they-made-a-dirty-cake talk, but yeah, some people with the name pronounced the same way as Bobby’s DO legitimately spell it that way. Seriously, Jeff, Google is your friend.
Bobby
May 5th, 2010
1:45 pm
Just another example of how our country is run by professional politicians. How can you possibly honor someone and misspell his name, unless you are just going through the motions and don’t give a crap about him?
Uh
May 5th, 2010
1:46 pm
Simple Dog, you aren’t coming down on the private bakery, are you? I mean, isn’t this an indictment of our entire American society? You can say what you want… but we won’t sit here and listen to you badmouth
the United States of America! (Deltas humming the national anthem)
Well...
May 5th, 2010
1:47 pm
Figures… it was someone on Johnny Isakson’s staff!
Bill Mc
May 5th, 2010
1:50 pm
Uh, you know what you’re talking about. You must be pre-med. Go Delta !
Justine
May 5th, 2010
1:50 pm
First thing I want to know is who paid for this. Was it the taxpaeyers. Secondly, this is what happens when one does not pay attention as most of our politicans do not do. If you watch any of the television programs regarding cakes. They always ask the purchaser to spell the name and print it out. So the question rest with the Senators and their staff not the bakery. But again, as Politicans always do they blame their shortcomings on someone else. Ok, I Got it. Lets blame it on President Obama or a member of his staff.
Dolores
May 5th, 2010
1:51 pm
I waitressed a retirement party and a cake was ordered from the restaurant’s bakery. They ordered a rum cake with the inscription “Congratulations John” on the order form at the bottom they requested “no nuts”. The cake came back “Congratulations John No Nuts”. Unbelievable!
KDFatlanta
May 5th, 2010
1:51 pm
Enough about the Cox, let’s talk about the Hawks’ Coach Woody…
My Boy Blue
May 5th, 2010
1:56 pm
Blaming politicians who had nothing to do with this (Simple Dawg referencing Obama)? It’s a classic teabagger move – just place blame for everything on others…
Johnny Kakes
May 5th, 2010
2:01 pm
Now now..l Let’s not be too hard on Woody or Cox….
OldDog
May 5th, 2010
2:03 pm
Reckon’ that spellin’ means Cox is the only Brave swingin’ the wood
The Truth Hurts
May 5th, 2010
2:06 pm
What’s a douch?
Is that some sort of a Dutch couch?
Alabamastan
May 5th, 2010
2:06 pm
“When asked if she was aware of anybody named Cox who actually spelled their name differently, Watson responded, ‘I didn’t think so.’”
There’s a famous screenwriter in Hollywood named Jay Cocks.
Willy
May 5th, 2010
2:07 pm
I’d like to see what they can come up with for Woodson…
James
May 5th, 2010
2:08 pm
Hey, I’m Bobby Cocks! Ohhh! Fuggghet about it!
jw
May 5th, 2010
2:09 pm
Maybe Jonny Izaksun isn’t as big a fan as we thought – MR Rockerfeller, I understand – what a stupid, dumb, thing to do – guess the cake decorator thought this was for a new film starring the next great porn star – geez!
Mitchell
May 5th, 2010
2:09 pm
Tell him to save me a piece… of the wedding cake!
-The Graduate
Come on people. Give it up for a Graduate reference.
The make-out king? Anybody? When Dustin Hoffman goes to Elaine’s fiance’s fraternity and they call him the “make-out king”… whatever that means.
Innuendo.
Okay, I’m done.
Ben Rapistberger
May 5th, 2010
2:10 pm
FIRST!!?!?!?!
Teabagger
May 5th, 2010
2:13 pm
Hey “My Boy Blue”……You are so right! It was obviously George Bush’s fault. At least that’s what Osama bin Biden has been telling me for the last couple of years…
PDawg
May 5th, 2010
2:14 pm
If a UGA grad had done the cake it would have read:
“Tanks for 50 grate years”
Johnny Kakes
May 5th, 2010
2:16 pm
Just pass the cake, Milton. Milton replies: Yeah, but last time I didn’t receive a piece. And I was told… I could set the building on fire.
Classic Office Space…
My Boy Blue
May 5th, 2010
2:18 pm
To Teabagger: Fool me once, shame on… me…. Fool me twaaaaace… Ya git fooled ya won’t git fooled again!
NC Braves Fan
May 5th, 2010
2:18 pm
Good Lord! Is this cake decorator from the K-Mart School of Culinary Suckitude?
Uh
May 5th, 2010
2:19 pm
I hear that’s some rich creamy icing on that thar Cox cake!
GeoffDawg
May 5th, 2010
2:19 pm
Unfortunately, they mixed up his order with a retiring chicken farmer.
Tale of Woe
May 5th, 2010
2:19 pm
It light of how bad Tuesday was for the Atlanta sports teams, this was awesomely funny
Marcus
May 5th, 2010
2:23 pm
Good thing the Braves managers’ name isn’t Hugo.
Paddy
May 5th, 2010
2:24 pm
I can just hear the cake company supervisor now as he/she comes to inspect the final product. That looks perfect!!!! ” Lets take a break.” Any of you girls have any Redman or Skole?” ” Cocks is going to be so proud!”
t
May 5th, 2010
2:24 pm
Government at work – Obama Health Care is going to be even worse – can’t manage a birthday cake – just imagine neurosurgery!
Teabagger
May 5th, 2010
2:25 pm
My Boy Blue…I really don’t think you want to start this battle.
I’m kind of busy anyway. I planning my summer trip to visit all 57 states. Plus, I’m having an asthma attack…so I need to find my “breathalizer”…errrr….I mean my “inhalator”…
By the way, how about those Navy “corpse-men”???
Paddy
May 5th, 2010
2:27 pm
Wow, that hurts
The Truth Hurts
May 5th, 2010
2:27 pm
I grew up with a kid named Alex Cox. Would hate to see how they would have spelled his full name.
Joe
May 5th, 2010
2:28 pm
I want a piece of that cake it looks good.
Johnny Cakes
May 5th, 2010
2:29 pm
Good point, Tale of Woe… good thing there’s only a few more months until Georgia plays…. ahhhh… I mean…. Frig it – nothing is going well with Atlanta sports teams…
Dawg Days
May 5th, 2010
2:29 pm
Oh please, people have been making fun of that name since time began. Get over it already.
dpelfrey
May 5th, 2010
2:30 pm
I say we launch a federal investigation into the cake industry. Should only cost the taxpayers about $4 billion.
dpelfrey
May 5th, 2010
2:31 pm
Dawg Days…I will not get over it. There is always a place for a few mispelled Cox jokes.
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May 5th, 2010
2:33 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by David_Lilenfeld, Christina Grieco. Christina Grieco said: Really? http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2010/05/05/cake-honoring-bobby-cox-has-unfortunate-misspelling/?cxntlid=thbz_hm [...]
geno
May 5th, 2010
2:33 pm
should have read ” cobby box “…….ive been sayin that for years.
NANA
May 5th, 2010
2:34 pm
Didn’t have time to read them all but I think it is really very sad. The whole thing. From not checking it when it arrived to that idiot who iced the cake. And, I am curious as to why Jay Rockefeller was hosting. Is Bobby from WV?
Tom
May 5th, 2010
2:36 pm
Guess the stupidity of washington has spread to the catering business. However, since all the congressional staffers aren’t typically from the actual districts or even the states, the person ordering the cake is the one at fault.