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. He visited Red Bird Stadium while it was still under construction, bringing lunch to grandfather who was serving as a foreman. Later, he would sneak into games frequently, occasionally getting caught. After one such apprehension, Red Birds president George Trautman gave him an unpaid job cleaning mold off hot dogs. In 1935, he was promoted to the paid job of clubhouse boy, cleaning uniforms, shining shoes and running errands for the players.
Following the 1954 season, the Cardinals pulled out of Columbus, promoting their Omaha affiliate to replace the Red Birds in the American Association. Cooper led a group that purchased the struggling Ottawa Athletics and Red Bird Stadium. From 1955-1968, he would serve as GM of the rechristened Columbus Jets, once again earning Minor League Executive of the Year honors in 1965. Cooper stepped down in 1968 to begin a 17-year run as a Commissioner of Franklin County. Two years later, the Jets were relocated to Charleston when Columbus refused to allocate funds to refurbish the then 39-year-old Jets Stadium.
In 1977, Cooper persuaded his fellow commissioners to purchase and renovate the stadium, which was renamed Franklin County Stadium. The county also took the unique step of buying its own International League affiliate from the Pittsburgh Pirates for $25,000. The gamble paid off; as of 2016, Forbes valued the Columbus Clippers franchise at $41 million, and the team made a profit for the county of $1.33 million in 2015. While still serving as a County Commissioner, Cooper became president of the International League in 1978, a post he held for 12 years. From 1988 to 1989, he served as commissioner of the Triple-A Alliance, an interleague partnership between the International League and American Association. In 1984, the old ballpark he watching being built as a child has renamed Cooper Stadium in recognition of his contributions to baseball in Columbus. When the Clippers outgrew Cooper Stadium in 2009, they erected a statue of Cooper, entitled The Father of Columbus Baseball, at the main entrance of their new home, Huntington Park.
