Sparky Anderson passed yesterday. I will not send him to hell even though his Big Red Machine destroyed Thurman and the Yankees in the Series that we played in 1976. He later did an even better job with the Tigers and is one of the few coaches or managers in sports who won a championship with two different organizations.
I will tell you one thing. With all the talent and all the Hall of Famers he had in Cincy he should have won more series. It makes what the Yankees of the 1990's did all the more impressive. Just sayn'
Rest in Peace Sparky.
3 comments:
It's more amazing that they won as much as they did given their best starter was probably Don Gullett!
Met Sparky once, and he was an absolute blast. RIP!
Got my son 2 autograph baseballs from the yankee team and the Big red team of the series... sined by all the players including sparky...worth a fortune today...
During his news conference after the Series finale in 1976, Anderson was asked to compare Yankee catcher Thurman Munson, who was voted the American League’s most valuable player that season, with Bench, the Reds catcher and eventual Hall of Famer who had been the National League’s M.V.P. in 1970 and 1972. The question lighted the bonfire of Anderson’s loyalty to his players.
“Munson is an outstanding ballplayer and he would hit .300 in the National League,” he replied sharply, “but don’t ever compare nobody to Johnny Bench; don’t never embarrass nobody by comparing them to Johnny Bench.”
Standing nearby, Munson heard Anderson’s words, and when he followed Anderson to the microphone, he said he felt “belittled.” Three weeks later, Anderson wrote Munson a letter of apology, released by the Reds, that he had “no intention of trying to belittle you or any other catcher.”
Thanks, Sparky, and Trooper, for the memories.
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