Pat Caputo: Remembering Sparky Anderson
There are certain people genuinely unique, so-called characters with character. Just different than anyone else. The late Sparky Anderson, for example.
They will retire his No. 11 Tigers' uniform at Comerica Park Sunday in a pregame ceremony. Sparky was unique because of his resume - and more.
He was the first manager to win the World Series with teams in both leagues. His Cincinnati "Big Red Machine" teams of the 1970s were among the most powerful of all time. His Tigers' team in 1984 had arguably the best single season of any club in major league history, leading from wire-to-wire during the regular season after an unprecedented 35-5 start, and winning seven of eight postseason games.
But beyond the record, was the personality. Sparky represented the game in an enlightening manner. He talked about it incessantly, and was its best ambassador. He was the face of the Tigers' franchise during one of the organization's greatest eras. The Tigers, despite a collapse in 1989, still were one game away from winning more games than any other organization under Sparky's watch during the 1980s.
Anderson wasn't book smart. He was the first to admit it, saying once, "I've written six books, but have never actually read one." It wasn't meant as a one-liner, it was true, and a brilliant way to express the key to his success. He understood people. And how to communicate. At the grass roots level.
On one hand, he was a living breathing malaprop. On the other, he was incredibly tough. Players didn't dare cross the line with him. And Sparky was amazingly competitive. Losing literally would make him physically ill.
He wasn't much of a major league player, lasting just one forgettable season with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1959. Yet, his brilliance was getting the most out of the stars he managed. To Sparky, not all players were created equal. His stars had different rules than other players. And he made no apologies for it.
He would not compromise his standards about playing only major league players. Some years, the Tigers would bring over former major league players from the minor league camp on the final day of spring training because Anderson wouldn't just put some prospect into the majors before he was ready.
Yet, he was legendary for building up young players he saw as having promise. Some of those decisions were misguided. Chris Pittaro. Torey Lovullo. Scott Lusader. Billy Bean.
Remember his comment, "If you don't like Dave Rucker, you don't like ice cream." But he didn't stick with them for long.
Ultimately, the notion of not playing anybody but major league players help lead to his departure from the Tigers. He refused to manage replacement players in the spring of 1995. It was his last year as Tigers' manager.
He had given no clue he was going to refuse to do it. I tracked him down in his hotel room when he arrived to Lakeland. He was only there to announce he wouldn't manage replacement players - and he was going home.
"You know there is no way I'm going to be a part of that," he said that night. He shocked the world the very next morning with his announcement.
There was acrimony between Sparky and the Tigers for years. He went into the Hall of Fame wearing a Reds' cap - after years of saying he would do so as a Tiger. But time heals wounds. He did come back for a day in his honor, and during the 2006 World Series, and for a night celebrating the '84 champs. He also visited the team last year in Los Angeles. Bygones, thankfully, are bygones in this case.
Now, Sunday, the journey will be complete. His number will be retired. He is the only Tigers' manager to receive such an accolade. The Tigers are giving away, to those in attendance, a very nice canvas plague of Sparky's likeness - every fan gets one. They have secured 45,000 of them.
It's tremendous Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson will be back with the Arizona Diamondbacks. So will many of Sparky's players. It should be a great setting in honor of a true Detroit icon.
