Sparky and Me: My Friendship with Sparky Anderson and the Lessons He Shared About Baseball and Life

Sparky Anderson, who from 1970 to 1995 managed the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers, was the “first manager in history to lead a team from each league to a World Championship (Tony LaRussa became the second last fall); he retired with the third most victories, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Ewald was the Detroit Tigers public relations director when Anderson was hired to manage the Tigers; it was the beginning of a business association and friendship that lasted until Anderson’s death 32 years later. Ewald (Bless You Boys with Sparky Anderson) poignantly remembers their final three days together at Anderson’s kitchen table with “no schedule, no script to follow.” They both knew he was dying as they swapped the “same precious stories we had laughed about… for years.” Although there are occasional lapses into prolonged eulogies, Ewald avoids becoming mired in the maudlin while fondly remembering the generosity of an American icon. His homage to his friend and “come-to-life cartoon figure” who “demolished the English language more thoroughly than a wrecking ball” brings the great manager to life. Photos. (May)