RIP Sparky Anderson

[TroyinEwa/Perv]

Non-Americans will probably not know this guy but pretty famous baseball name was lost earlier today, Nov 4th.

 

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Sparky Anderson, the white-haired Hall of Fame manager who directed Cincinnati's Big Red Machine to back-to-back World Series championships and won another one in Detroit, died Thursday. He was 76.

 

Anderson died from complications from dementia, family spokesman Dan Ewald said. A day earlier, Anderson's family said he had been placed in hospice care.

 

Link

 

Edit........just an observation........I have my settings to show the last 50 threads on each page. Of the last 50 threads in The Board Bar, 10 of them, 20%, are about recent deaths. Don't really know what to think other than that seems like a high number. Sad.

[dave32]

I don't like what baseball has become and don't watch it anymore.

 

But when I was a kid, I dug the Detroit Tigers under Sparky Anderson. Good memories. And I still have my official league Detroit Tiger cap.

 

RIP.

 

Sidenote: for people that don't know, the criteria for being placed in Hospice care means that you've got quite a serious diagnosis and have less than 6 months to live. Hospice care is more about preparing for death and easing pain than it is a treatment plan and a cure. I respect the people who do it.

[shygye]

... is your name Magnum?

[dave32]

... shall I call you Higgins henceforth?

[Steve]

I wasn't a big collector of baseball cards (relatively speaking compared to some kids I know) but one of the ones I recall having for a very long time was his manager card when he managed the Reds. I 'inherited' (or more accurately stole it from a box in his closet) from my older brother when he went into the military.

 

The big red machine of the '70s has to be the most loaded team in terms of hitters ever. Top to bottom they had 'basts' as we used to say. Pitchers had no break even at the top of the line up. Didn't they have more than a few .300 hitters or close at that time?

[TroyinEwa/Perv]

1975 they had 4 .300 hitters.....Morgan, Rose, Foster and Griffey.

 

1976 same 4 plus Cesar Geronimo, so a total of 5.

 

 

[Steve]

Okay, did a little googling. What a friggin' line up!!

Johnny Bench (great guy from what I could tell, as well as great catcher and hitter)

Tony Perez (good power hitter I think wasn't he?)

Joe Morgan (the flapping arm thingy, remember?)

Dave Concepcion (good base runner as well wasn't he?

Pete Rose (he really should be in the Hall)

George Foster (I remember he had power)

Cesar Geronimo

Ken Griffey (sr not jr to the youngsters on here..hehe)

 

I know the Yankees had the famed Murderers Row and some great teams with great hitters over the years but can any baseball aficianado (I'm not one) tell me if there was a team more loaded? Okay, subjectivity is part of it but shit!!

[dave32]

Yeah, quick note, when you brought up the Reds I was just thinking: Johnny Bench.

 

I think that was my first Baseball Card. First one that I kept that meant something.

[USVirgin]

There was a rumor going about that Bench was gay. I don't know and I don't give a fuck. That was an outstanding lineup. My Dodgers were overachievers to even compete with those guys.

 

And Sparky was an LA guy.