Sparky Anderson Links: Local and national writers share their stories about the legendary manager

>Jerry Green has a great column where he recounts a number of stories including when Sparky Anderson placed a silent wager with slugger Kirk Gibson right before he hit a home run in the 1984 World Series. [DN]

>Just like when Ernie Harwell passed back in May, you're going to get a lot of columns talking about what a nice guy Anderson was. There might not be a better one than Jason Erardi's for the Cincinnati Enquirer. [CE]

>Before the 2000 season, Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker was making headlines with rants laced with homophobia and racism. Looking to counter the attention Rocker was getting, the Sporting News' Dave Kindred wrote about baseball's polar opposite; Sparky Anderson. [SN]

>Here is a great quote from Drew Sharp's column: In a sport that’s grown scripted and bland, Sparky was that prism that transformed conformity into vibrant color. [DFP]

>Joe Lapointe wonders how much Pete Rose's gambling scandal impacted Anderson's emotional state toward the end of his managerial career. [FH]

>Hal McCoy tells comical stories about Anderson, including a night where he intentionally gave opposite answers to the same question just minutes apart. [MJ]

>If you're looking for a statistical look at Anderson's career, ESPN has you covered. [ESPN]

>Jo-Anne Barnas recounts a 2006 interview she had with Sparky in his hometown of Thousand Oaks. She shares many of the small philosophical nuggets Sparky said during the interview that didn't make her original story. A great read if you have the time. [DFP]

>Former MLive.com beat reporter Danny Knobler writes: He understood how to run a clubhouse, just as much as he understood how to run a baseball game. There are managers who are brilliant strategists and managers who are great at dealing with people, but Sparky was both. [CBS Sports}

>Sports Illustrated has a wonderful photo gallery. Sparky always looked older than he was, but it's fascinating how much he appeared to age between the 1959-69. [SI]

>Another Hal McCoy column where he tells some of the same stories, but shares how Sparky admitted to treating star players differently. "Yes, I treat the stars differently, give them more space and more freedom. They’ve earned it – guys like Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez. Anybody else has to earn it. When they accomplish what those guys have accomplished then they’ll get the same respect." [FSO]

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