RIP Sparky Anderson

Would love to see the statement from the wonderful Ilitch family, since their lies helped make up Sparky's mind to retire.

 

My favourite Sparky quote, from 1987, just after they picked up Doyle Alexander:

"With this guy, you don't never have to worry about no walks."

 

R.I.P.

 

Sparky used to drive me nuts sometimes with some of his little foibles (certain in-game and roster decisions), but he was an absolutely unforgettable personality.

He was also legendarily great with the media, which of course didn't make him a better baseball manager, but it made him a lot of friends.

It will be a fairly awkward situation with the current Tiger management, which has basically given most of the Sparky era short shrift for the last 15 years. My guess is their tributes will be polite, respectful but restrained.

 

Jeez ... with this and Clyde King, can Yogi be far behind?

 

RIP

 

RIP

As a little kid, I used to get him and Sparky Lyle confused. I'd wonder how an old guy could play for the Yankees.

 

Feller can't be long for this world either.

 

Yeah, and when I was a child of the '70s, I wondered why Dave Cash was involved in so many trades. I knew Norm Cash wasn't because I followed the Tigers, so it had to be Dave.

And, I wondered why Al Kaline had batteries named after him, but fellow Tigers like Mickey Lolich, Norm Cash, Willie Horton didn't.

 

Mine was always "Pain don't hurt."

 

RIP to one of baseball's true greats.

 

Sparky is in Cooperstown isn't he?