View source for Sparky Anderson

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[[Image:Sparky Anderson.jpg|thumb|A photo of Sparky Anderson.]]
'''George Lee "Sparky" Anderson''' (born [[February 22]], [[1934]] in [[Bridgewater, South Dakota]]) is fifth on the all-time list for [[MLB All-time Managerial wins|manager career wins]] in [[Major League Baseball]] (behind [[Connie Mack (baseball)|Connie Mack]], [[John McGraw (baseball)|John McGraw]], [[Tony La Russa]] and [[Bobby Cox]]) and is the first manager to win the [[World Series]] while leading clubs in both leagues. He piloted the [[National League]]'s [[Cincinnati Reds]] to the [[1975 World Series|1975]] and [[1976 World Series|1976]] championships, then added a third title in [[1984 World Series|1984]] with the [[Detroit Tigers]] of the [[American League]].

Either manager in the 1984 Series would have been the first to win in both leagues, since [[San Diego Padres]] (NL) manager [[Dick Williams]] had previously won the series with the [[Oakland Athletics]] (AL) in [[1972 World Series|1972]] and [[1973 World Series|1973]]. 

Anderson's accomplishment was equalled in the [[2006 World Series]], when [[St. Louis Cardinals]] manager Tony La Russa (who had previously won the World Series with the [[Oakland Athletics]] in [[1989 World Series|1989]], and who considers Anderson his mentor) led his team to the title over the [[Detroit Tigers]].  Coincidentally, Tigers manager [[Jim Leyland]] could also have achieved this same feat, having won a championship while managing the [[Florida Marlins]] in [[1997 World Series|1997]].

==Playing career==
Anderson was a "good field, no hit" middle infielder as a player.  He spent one season in the major leagues, as the regular [[second baseman]] for the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] in {{Baseball Year|1959}}. However, a .218 average with no power ended his big-league career at that point.

He played the next four seasons with [[Toronto Maple Leafs (minor league baseball)|Triple-A Toronto Maple [[minor league baseball|minor league]] clubs at the A and Double-A levels, including a season ({{Bthe [[Internatio the Leafs]] in Baseball Year|1964}}, Anderson moved into the manager's job in [[Toronto]] and later nal League]], but never got a second chance in the majors. Finally, in {{Baseball Year|1968}}) in the Reds' minor league system.  

During this period, he managed a [[Western Carolina League]], the California Leaguethe 1966  1966 with St. Petersburg of the [[Florida State League]], 1967 with Modesto of the [[pennant winner in four consecutive seasons: 1965 with Rock Hill ofseason that Sparky's club lost to Miami 4-3 in 29 innings, which remains the longest pro game pl]] and 1968 with Asheville of the [[Southern League (baseball)|Southern League]]. It was during ayed (by innings) without interruption.

He made his wayBaseball Year|1969}} as a coach for the [[San Diego Padres]]. Finally,  back to the majors in 1970, Anderson was named manager of the Reds.

==Manager==
Anderson won 102 games and the pennant in his first Major League season as manager, but then lost the World Series in five games to the [[Baltimore Orioles]]. After an injury-plagued {{Baseball Year|1971}} season, the Reds came back and won another pennant in {{Baseball Year|1972}}, but lost to the [[Oakland Athletics]] in the [[1972 World Series|World Series]]. They took the [[National League West]] division title in {{Baseball Year|1973}}, then finished a close second to the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] a year later.

Finally, in {{Baseball Year|1975}}, the Reds blew the division open by winning 108 games, swept the [[1975 National League Championship Series|National League Championship Series]] and then edged the [[Boston Red Sox]] in a drama-filled, seven-game [[1975 World Series|World Series]]. They repeated in {{Baseball Year|1976}} by winning 102 games and ultimately sweeping the [[New York Yankees]] in the [[1976 World Series|Series]]. Over the course of these two seasons, Anderson's Reds compiled an astounding 14-3 record in postseason play against the Pirates, Philles, Red Sox and Yankees, winning their last 8 in a row in the postseason after triumphing against the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 1975 World Series, and then winning seven straight games in the 1976 postseason.

During this time, Anderson became known as "Captain Hook" for his penchant for taking out a starting pitcher at the first sign of weakness and going to his bullpen, relying heavily on closers [[Will McEnaney]] and [[Rawly Eastwick]].

When the aging Reds finished second to the Dodgers in each of the next two seasons, Anderson was fired. The Reds won the division title again in {{Baseball Year|1979}} but lost three straight to the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] in the [[1979 National League Championship Series|League Championship Series]]. They would not make the playoffs again until they won the World Series in {{Baseball Year|1990}} by sweeping the heavily favored Oakland A's.

Anderson moved on to the young [[Detroit Tigers]] after being hired as their new manager on [[June 14]], {{Baseball Year|1979}}. The Tigers became a winning club almost immediately, but did not get into contention until {{Baseball Year|1983}}, when they finished second.

In {{Baseball Year|1984}}, Detroit opened the season 35-5 (a major league record) and breezed to a 104-58 record (a franchise record for wins). They swept the [[Kansas City Royals]] in the [[1984 American League Championship Series|American League Championship Series]] (ALCS) and then beat the [[San Diego Padres]] in five games in the [[1984 World Series|World Series]] for Anderson's third [[World Series Trophy|world title]].  After the season, Anderson won the first of his two [[Manager of the Year Award]]s with the Tigers.

With a 9-5 win over the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] on [[July 29]], {{Baseball Year|1986}} he became the first to achieve 600 career wins as a manager in both the American and National Leagues.

Anderson led the Tigers to the majors' best record in {{Baseball Year|1987}}, but the team was upset in the [[1987 American League Championship Series|ALCS]] by the [[Minnesota Twins]]. He won his second Manager of the Year Award that year. After contending again in {{Baseball Year|1988}} (finishing second to [[Boston Red Sox|Boston]] by one game in the AL East), the team collapsed [[1989 in baseball|a year later]], losing a startling 103 games. During that 1989 season, Anderson took a month-long leave of absence from the team as the stress of losing wore on him. First base coach [[Dick Tracewski]] managed the team in the interim.

In {{Baseball Year|1991}}, the Tigers finished last in batting average, first in batting strike outs and near the bottom of the league in most pitching categories, but still led their division in late [[1991#August|August]] before settling for a second-place finish behind the rival [[Toronto Blue Jays|Toronto]]. The team featured a power-packed lineup of sluggers [[Cecil Fielder]], [[Mickey Tettleton]], and [[Rob Deer]], which led the league in home runs and walks that season.

Anderson retired from managing after the {{Baseball Year|1995}} season, reportedly disillusioned with the state of the league following the 1994 strike that had also truncated the beginning of the 1995 season. It is widely believed that Anderson was pushed into retirement by the Tigers, who were unhappy that Sparky refused to manage [[replacement players]] during [[spring training]] in 1995. He finished with a lifetime record of 2194-1834, for a .545 percentage. He was elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] as a manager in {{Baseball Year|2000}}. His Hall of Fame plaque has him wearing a Cincinnati Reds uniform. He spent the larger portion of his career managing the Tigers (1970-78 with the Reds, 1979-95 with the Tigers), but he won two World Series with the Reds and one with the Tigers. He was also inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame the same year. A day in his honor was also held at Detroit's [[Comerica Park]] during the 2000 season. 

On [[May 28]], {{Baseball Year|2005}}, during pre-game ceremonies in [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]], Anderson's [[Jersey (clothing)|jersey]] number, 10, was retired by the [[Cincinnati Reds|Reds]]. Anderson's number in [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]], 11, has been inactive since [[1995]]. However, it has not been officially retired by the [[Detroit Tigers|Tigers]].

In {{Baseball Year|2006}}, construction was completed on the "Sparky Anderson Baseball Field" at [[California Lutheran University|California Lutheran University's]] new athletic complex. In 2007, Anderson was elected to the [[Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]].

Anderson has resided for many years in Thousand Oaks, California. He was universally known as "Sparky" during his time in baseball, but in private life goes by his given name of "George". Besides his love of baseball, he is also an avid, lifelong golfer.

==Media appearances==
* In [[1979 in television|1979]], Sparky guest-starred as himself on an episode of (appropriately enough) ''[[WKRP in Cincinnati]]''. The episode (titled '''''Sparky'''''), features Anderson as a talk-show host on the fictional station. Eventually Sparky is let go, which causes him to say, "I must be crazy. Every time I come to (Cincinnati) I get fired!"
* Anderson appears as himself in the 1983 [[Disney Channel]] movie ''[[Tiger Town]].''
* Since his retirement from baseball, he has occasionally appeared in the sports media with comments about the Tigers.
* He was often paired with [[Jack Buck]] on radio coverage of post-season action during the 1980s and 1990s.
* From 1996 to 1998, was an announcer for the Angels cable broadcast.
* Threw out the [[ceremonial first pitch]] of Game 2 of the [[2006 World Series]] at [[Comerica Park]].

==Watch==
[http://www.scvtv.com/html/sg012507-sports.html ''Interview with Sparky Anderson''] (10 min., free)

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
* [[1984 Detroit Tigers season]]
==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{baseball-reference|id=a/andersp01}}
* {{baseball-reference manager|id=andersp01}}
* {{bbhof|id=110238}}

{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" width=45% align="center"
|-
! style="background:#ccccff"| Accomplishments
|-
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{{start box}}
{{succession box | title=[[Cincinnati Reds/Managers and ownership|Cincinnati Reds Manager]] | before=[[Dave Bristol]] | years=1970-1978| after= [[John McNamara (baseball)|John McNamara]]
}}
{{succession box | title=[[Detroit Tigers/Managers and ownership|Detroit Tigers Manager]] | before=[[Dick Tracewski]] | years=1979-1995| after= [[Buddy Bell]]
}}
{{succession box | title=[[Manager of the Year|American League Manager of the Year]] | before=[[Tony La Russa]] | years=1984| after= [[Bobby Cox]]
}}
{{succession box | title=[[Manager of the Year|American League Manager of the Year]] | before=[[John McNamara (baseball)|John McNamara]] | years=1987| after= [[Tony La Russa]]
}}
{{end box}}
|}



{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Sparky}}
[[Category:1934 births]]
[[Category:Managers|Anderson, Sparky]]
[[Category:Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Cincinnati Reds managers]]
[[Category:Detroit Tigers managers]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball announcers]]
[[Category:Major league second basemen]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Major league players from South Dakota]]
[[Category:Manager of the Year Award]]
[[Category:People from McCook County, South Dakota]]
[[Category:People with Parkinson's disease]]
[[Category:Philadelphia Phillies players]]
[[Category:Hall of Fame]]
[[Category:Players]]