Hwas known as "The Main Spark" or "The Crank That Turned The Big Red Machine!" Sparky Anderson, the Hall of Fame manager of the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers, died today, he was 76. Reports indicate that Anderson died at his home in Thousand Oaks, California, of complications related to dementia.
Many of us know Sparky as a splendid manager. He played second base in the minors and one year in the major leagues. That was 1959 at Philadelphia where he hit .218.
Sparky's real name was George. "Sparky" was given to him by a baseball announcer in Fort Worth, as Anderson was causing "sparks" in the Texas League in 1955.
As a manager, he will be remembered for his humility...and for his lack of patience with his pitchers. This caused him to earn the nickname of "Captain Hook."
His plaque at the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown reads, in part: “Revered and treasured by his players for his humility, humanity, eternal optimism and knowledge of the game.”
