36 Facts About Sparky Anderson

George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball player, coach, and manager.

Sparky Anderson managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League.

Sparky Anderson was named American League Manager of the Year in 1984 and 1987.

Sparky Anderson was born in Bridgewater, South Dakota, on February 22,1934.

Sparky Anderson moved to Los Angeles, California, at the age of eight.

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Sparky Anderson attended Susan Miller Dorsey High School in Los Angeles.

Sparky Anderson began his playing career with the Santa Barbara Dodgers of the Class-C California League, where he was primarily used as a shortstop.

In 1955, Sparky Anderson was moved another step up the minor league ladder, playing for the Double-A Fort Worth Cats of the Texas League.

The Phillies gave Sparky Anderson their starting second base job, and he spent what would be his one full season in the major leagues in 1959.

Sparky Anderson played the next four seasons with the Triple-A Toronto Maple Leafs in the International League.

Sparky Anderson later handled minor league clubs at the Class-A and Double-A levels, including a season in the Reds' minor league system.

Sparky Anderson made his way back to the majors in 1969 as the third-base coach of the San Diego Padres during their maiden season in the National League.

Sparky Anderson's appointment reunited Anderson with Reds' general manager Bob Howsam, who had hired him as a minor-league skipper in the St Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati organizations.

Nonetheless, Sparky Anderson would become the third manager to lead a team to 100 wins as a rookie manager, doing so by leading the Reds to 102 wins and the National League pennant in 1970, where they lost the 1970 World Series in five games to the Baltimore Orioles.

Sparky Anderson moved on to the young Detroit Tigers after being hired as their new manager on June 14,1979.

Sparky Anderson's Tigers finished in third place in both 1985 and 1986.

Sparky Anderson led the Tigers to the Major Leagues' best record in 1987, but the team was upset in the ALCS by the Minnesota Twins.

Sparky Anderson won his second Manager of the Year Award that year.

Sparky Anderson continues to hold this distinction with 1,331 victories with the Tigers.

Sparky Anderson is the last American League manager to date to win a game by forfeit.

Sparky Anderson was not only concerned for the safety of his players, but believed the field was unplayable.

Sparky Anderson argued that the White Sox, as the home team, were obligated to provide acceptable playing conditions.

Sparky Anderson retired from managing on October 2,1995, reportedly disillusioned with the state of the league following the 1994 strike that had delayed the start of the 1995 season.

Sparky Anderson spent the largest portion of his career managing the Tigers, winning the World Series twice with Cincinnati and once with Detroit.

From 1979 to 1986, Sparky Anderson was often paired with Vin Scully and later Jack Buck on CBS Radio's coverage of the World Series.

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Sparky Anderson continued to support and participate in the charity well into his retirement.

Sparky Anderson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 2000.

Sparky Anderson chose to wear the Reds cap at his induction in honor of former GM Bob Howsam, who gave Anderson his first chance at a major-league managing job.

Sparky Anderson was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame the same year.

On June 17,2006, Sparky Anderson's number was retired by the Fort Worth Cats, for whom Sparky Anderson had played in 1955.

Sparky Anderson was the first manager to win a World Series for both a National League and American League team.

Sparky Anderson's accomplishment was equaled 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, and who considers Sparky Anderson his mentor—led his team to the title over the Detroit Tigers.

Sparky Anderson was famous for always stepping over the foul line, never on it when entering or leaving the field.

On November 3,2010, it was announced that Sparky Anderson had been placed in hospice care at his Thousand Oaks home because of his deteriorating dementia condition.

Sparky Anderson was survived by his wife of 57 years, Carol, sons Lee and Albert, daughter Shirlee Engelbrecht, and eight grandchildren.

On June 26,2011, the Detroit Tigers honored Sparky Anderson by retiring his number 11 from future use and placing his name and number on the outfield wall with the other past honorees and members of the Baseball Hall of Fame.