Sparky Anderson Dead read the headlines this morning. The baseball world has lost one of it’s most prized possessions.
Sparky Anderson was the prototypical manager for me. He was a no nonsense, hard nosed, motivator that was beloved by fans and his players.
He started his managerial career in Cincinnati in 1970 and then moved onto become the Tigers skipper in 1979. While manager, he compiled over 2,000 wins and three world series titles. He will be missed for his love of the game and for the lives he has shaped.
That latter is what I would like to concentrate on here. Anderson was manager of the Big Red machine of the 1970’s and of the Tigers that won it all in 1984. Throughout his years he has touched the careers of many fantastic ball players. Here are the best.