Raymond Clifford Cook (born August 20, 1936) is an American former professional baseball player who appeared in 163 games played over parts of five Major League Baseball seasons. Primarily a third baseman, though he played some games as an outfielder during his career, Cook stood tall, weighed , and threw and batted right-handed.
A power hitter in minor league baseball, Cook made his Major League debut in September 1959 with the Cincinnati Reds after he had slugged 32 home runs in the Class A Sally League. In his second and third MLB games, when he played both ends of a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs on September 10, 1959, at Wrigley Field, Cook had six hits in nine at bats, including a double and a triple, with four runs batted in. He also made two errors in the field. That torrid start at the plate enabled Cook to bat .381 during his nine-game late-season trial.
But for the rest of his MLB career, Cook would have trouble making consistent contact. He hit .208 in 149 at bats in , then spent almost all of in Triple-A, going hitless in five at bats with the Reds. Early in the season, on May 7, he was traded to the New York Mets with left-handed pitcher Bob Miller for veteran infielder Don Zimmer.
Cook played in 90 games for the Mets over portions of 1962 and , batting a composite .188 in 218 at bats. Overall, his big-league statistics were 163 games played, 398 at bats, 80 hits, 17 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 35 RBI, 33 RUNS and a .201 batting average. He hit 195 home runs in the minor leagues, and retired from pro ball after the 1964 season.