Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson dies at 76

R.I.P: Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson dies at 76

Interestingly enough, Sparky also looked 76 when I was in college, forty years ago. It seems impossible to believe that he was actually 36 then, when he took the job managing the Reds. Man, he was one grizzled sumbitch.

Sparky was the first manager ever to manage a World Series champ in each league, so he knew his baseball. Two of this teams, the '76 Reds and the '84 Tigers, are considered among the all-time greats. He also was widely known to reporters as the gabbiest and nicest guy you could possibly interview. The only problem in interviewing him was figuring out how to get out of his office once he started talking. Some guys in the spotlight are fake - nice and approachable until the light is off of them - but Sparky was genuine. He acted exactly the same with all people in all social situations.

He is generally credited with inventing the five-man rotation. In the mid-seventies, he was the first successful manager to start using his starters on four days rest instead of three.