Sparky Anderson

Podium Intro

Few people in sports or any walk of public life enjoy instant recognizability, simply by mention of their first name.

Sparky is one of those few.

A veteran of 26 years as a major league manager, Sparky has left his mark on baseball and has made a lasting impression on every person he has touched in life.

The records speak for themselves. With 2,194 victories, Sparky stands as the third winningest manager in major league history. Only Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGraw (2,763) finished with more. In addition to that lofty spot in history, Sparky is one of only four ever to have managed 4,000 games in the big leagues. Sparky joined Mack, McGraw and Bucky Harris for that distinction.

Sparky's major league managerial career included only two stops -- a true measure of his gift for longevity. From 1970 through the end of the 1978 season, he guided the hard-hitting Cincinnati Reds. Under his leadership, the Reds won five National League West Division titles, four pennants and two World Series. Cincinnati became only the third National League team and the first in 54 years to win back-to-back World Series in 1975 and 1976.

Sparky took over the Detroit Tigers mid-way through the 1979 season and stayed at the helm through 1995. Under his leadership, the Tigers won their first World Series in 16 years in 1984. They also took the American League East Division title in 1987.

Sparky is the only manager in history to lead two franchises in victories -- Detroit (1,331) and Cincinnati (863). He also is the only manager to win a World Series in both leagues and the first to win 100 games in a season in both leagues.

Sparky was named Manager of the Year in the National League in 1972 and 1975. He received the same honor in the American League in 1984 and 1987. He was named to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.

An ambassador for baseball, Sparky is a much sought after speaker. He also is a veteran of a variety of commercial projects and network television shows.

Of far greater importance to Sparky than any of his baseball accomplishments, however, is the charity he created in 1987. The charity is called CATCH (Caring Athletes Team for Children's and Henry Ford Hospitals) and it helps to aid underprivileged children in the Detroit area. Since its inception, Sparky has directed efforts which have led to an endowment that now stands at more than $4 million.

The name Sparky says it all. But he's much more than just a major league manager.