SPARKY ANDERSON
Manager, 1979-1995
"Captain Hook"
#11
--Class of 1995--
Born - 2/22/1934
Biography:
George "Sparky" Anderson was no dumb man. When given a contract to manage the Detroit Tigers early in the 1979 season, he had a five-year plan to get the Tigers to the World Series. Not coincidentally, that was the exact length of his first contract with the team. A master psychologist, Anderson is credited as the one that shaped, molded, and developed a bunch of young talented players into a respected group of professionals that propelled the Tigers to one of the greatest seasons in the organization's history. In 1984, his fifth season in Detroit, he led the Tigers to a 35-5 start en route to a wire-to-wire A.L. East title and the team's fourth World Championship. During his 17-year managerial reign in Detroit, Anderson recorded 1,331 wins while losing 1,248, making him the winningest manager in team history and helping him to notch a remarkable 2,194 total wins during his 26-year Hall of Fame career. In doing so, Anderson also became the only manager to lead two franchises in total victories -- Detroit and Cincinnati (863) -– and the first skipper to win Manager of the Year in both leagues. "When Sparky Anderson walks into a room, he immediately grabs your attention," said Alan Trammell. "You know he’s in charge." And Anderson's run of memorable seasons didn't end in 1984. After an 11-19 start to the 1987 season, the Tigers rebounded and captured the American League East title during the last weekend of the season, beating out second place Toronto both on the field and in the standings in a thrilling finish. Nicknamed Captain Hook for his tendency to lift his starting pitcher earlier than most (a strategy that most managers had adopted by the end of his career), he also tried to put hitters in beneficial positions. Many players were platooned. Rarely did a position player spend too much time on the bench. This approach kept everyone prepared. By the end of his career, however, Anderson and the Tigers fell on hard times. He found it increasingly difficult to remain patient with younger players, and the Tigers struggled as a result of their thinning talent. Then came the 1995 season, when Anderson refused to manage "scab" players during the ongoing players' strike. Reportedly these actions didn't please owner Mike Ilitch, and as a result Anderson was fired at the end of the season. But Sparky still has ties to Detroit. His charity, "CATCH", is one of his greatest achievements, and he continues to be active with the organization. And he has also made a few appearances at the ballpark. "Sparky Anderson Day" was held at Comerica Park, and he later threw the opening pitch during Game 2 of the 2006 World Series. Anderson achieved the ultimate honor when he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Managerial Record:
Code:
Year League Team Age G W L WP Finish Champs
1979 AL East Detroit 45 106 56 50 .528 5
1980 AL East Detroit 46 163 84 78 .519 5
1981 AL East Detroit 47 109 60 49 .550
1982 AL East Detroit 48 162 83 79 .512 4
1983 AL East Detroit 49 162 92 70 .568 2
1984 AL East Detroit 50 162 104 58 .642 1 WS
1985 AL East Detroit 51 161 84 77 .522 3
1986 AL East Detroit 52 162 87 75 .537 3
1987 AL East Detroit 53 162 98 64 .605 1 DIV
1988 AL East Detroit 54 162 88 74 .543 2
1989 AL East Detroit 55 162 59 103 .364 7
1990 AL East Detroit 56 162 79 83 .488 3
1991 AL East Detroit 57 162 84 78 .519 2
1992 AL East Detroit 58 162 75 87 .463 6
1993 AL East Detroit 59 162 85 77 .525 4
1994 AL East Detroit 60 115 53 62 .461 5
1995 AL East Detroit 61 144 60 84 .417 4
YR From To G W L WP BstFin WstFin PostSsn Pennts WrldSer
TOTALS 17 1979 1995 2580 1331 1248 .516 1 7 2 1 1