Sparky Anderson

 Hello Friends!

Today I want to do something a little differernt. It's in the same vein as Canadians in the Majors, but this one is kind of reversed.. Americans with Impact on Canadian Baseball

Now, obviously this would be an incredibly long series if I ever tried to make it into one. If anything, I only would have a few people I'd want to cover. 

Today is Sparky Anderson. Before he was a Hall of Fame Manager for the Reds and Tigers, he was a player that spent one season in the Majors with the Phillies. 

I guess you could say he was a Quad A player. Solid in AAA but not really cut out for MLB. 

Now, anyone can show the cards he had with the Reds and the Tigers. I'm going a different route. Honestly, these cards, aside from the Canadian Baseball HOF card, are not mine. I would like to get them at some point, seeing as I collect Canadian baseball. The Royals and Maple Leafs would be a natural progression. 

Speaking of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sparky played for the Maple Leafs from 1960-1963. He managed the team in 1964, kicking off his Hall of Fame Managerial Career. 

Here is the write up from the back of the CBHOF card

Here's the front. Of course, it shows Sparky as a Maple Leaf. Now, I'm not sure if he's in his player phase or his managerial phase in the photo. 

Speaking of the Montreal Royals, he was a player for them for two seasons. Oddly enough, he spent one season with them while the Dodgers were in Brooklyn, and the second season was while the Dodgers were in Los Angeles. 

Looking at his managerial record, he managed the Maple Leafs in 1964, at the time a farm team for the Braves. 

1965 Rock Hill Cardinals

1966: St. Petersburg Cardinals

1967: Modesto Reds (Oddly enough a Cardinals affiliate)

1968: Asheville Tourists

Nothing in 1969, then in 1970, he started Managing the Cincinnati Reds. 

We all know he has been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. He also was inducted in St Mary's.

He did have an impact on Canadian baseball both as a player and a manager. As I said previously, he was a solid player for the Royals and the Maple Leafs. His managerial career started with the Maple Leafs. Finally, in the 1980s, when he managed the Tigers, they were a thorn in the side of the Blue Jays. (and Vice-versa) 

Tell me what you think.