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Sparky Anderson began his professional baseball career as a second baseman in the Dodger organization. Signed by Brooklyn as a teenager, Anderson’s first pro season was in 1953 for the Dodger C-Level team in Santa Barbara.

In the collection is this letter written by a 20-year old Anderson to longtime Dodger executive Fresco Thompson in 1954. Anderson asks about the Colombian Winter League that’s due to start in mid-October.

The youngster writes about his eagerness to make arrangements for a passport for travel. Three months shy of his 21st birthday, Sparky has signed his full legal name, “George Lee Anderson”.

Anderson played 11 pro seasons, ten at the minor league level. Autographs from this early in his professional career remain exceedingly difficult to find.

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Sparky Andeson’s 11-year professional baseball playing career was highlighted by his 1959 campaign with the Phillies. His only stop at the big league level featured a .218 average in 152 games.

After his taste of competition at baseball’s highest level, Anderson returned to the minors with the Triple-A Toronto Maple Leafs. He played north of the border until wrapping up his playing career in 1963.

Shown here is Anderson’s first Topps card. This 1959 edition is signed by the future Hall of Fame manager.

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Sparky Anderson retired as a player after the 1963 season with the Triple-A Toronto Maple Leafs. The following season he was named the team’s manager.

In 1965 Cardinals General Manager Bob Howsam hired Anderson to manage the Single-A Rock Hill Cardinals. Sparky remained in the St. Louis organization through the ’68 season.

Then in 1969 Anderson was hired by the expansion San Diego Padres as third base coach. At season’s end Howsam, now the Cincinnati GM shocked the baseball world by hiring the 35-year old Anderson to manage the Reds.

Anderson took over a team that finished in third place in ’69 and led them to 102 wins and the 1970 National League championship.

The Reds nucleus included Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Tony Perez as well as all-time hit king Pete Rose. In the NLCS, the Reds vanquished Eastern Division Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-game sweep. Sparky was a pennant-winner for the first time.

Shown here is the first Topps cards Sparky Anderson appeared on as a manager. The 1970 edition bears the skipper’s signature.

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In the 1970 World Series, the Reds faced Earl Weaver’s 108-win Baltimore Orioles. The powerhouse American League champs dominated the regular season, leading the Junior Circuit in runs scored. On the pitching side they allowed the fewest runs scored.

In the Fall Classic, Oriole third baseman Brooks Robinson put on a show. In the field he made a series of spectacular plays. At bat he hit .429 with two doubles, two homers, and team-high six runs batted in. His performance earned him the World Series MVP award.

Shown here is a ticket to Game 1 of the 1970 World Series. Robinson came up big in that contest, slugging the go-ahead home run in the 7th inning to give the Orioles the victory. The third baseman autographed the ticket and added the inscription “1970 WS MVP”.

Though Baltimore turned back Cincinnati in five games, Sparky’s Reds continued to dominate the National League during the decade.

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After a disappointing fourth-place finish in 1971, the Reds responded with a 95-win campaign the following year. The victory total was enough for a Western Division championship over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In the NLCS Cincinnati came out on top in a hard-fought five-game Series victory over the Pirates. The triumph gave skipper Sparky Anderson his second National League pennant in three seasons.

Shown here is a signed Topps card from that 1972 season.

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Once Sparky Anderson’s Reds reached the 1972 World Series against the A’s, baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn wrote the letter shown above. Baseball’s chief recounts the Fall Classic’s place in the American culture.

“The World Series is the premier event of American Sports. No other event has been able to capture it’s special appeal or match its magnificent history.”

The Hall of Fame executive later writes of the 1971 seven-game thriller. His final sentence alludes to Anderson’s second trip to the Fall Classic.

“To our loyal fans, I dedicate the 1972 World Series.”

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After winning their second National League pennant of the decade, the 1972 Reds faced the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. Unfortunately for Cincy fans, Sparky Anderson’s Reds had no answer for World Series MVP Gene Tenace. In the 7-game tilt the A’s catcher went 8-for-23 with a double, four homers, and 9 runs batted in.

In the deciding Game 7, Tenace held the spotlight. He drove in the game’s initial run with a first inning two-out RBI single. After the Reds tied it in the 5th, Tenace came to bat in the next half-inning.

With two out and Bert Campaneris on second, Tenace slammed a double deep down the left-field line. Campaneris scored easily to put the A’s in front, 2-1.

Tenace gave way to pinch runner Allen Lewis. Sal Bando came up next and drove the ball over the centerfielder’s head to score Lewis.

The three runs – two driven in by Tenace, one scored by his pinch runner – proved to be enough. The A’s held on for a 3-2 victory Series-clinching victory.

Above is an image of a ticket to Game 7 of the ’72 World Series. Tenace’s signatures adorns it. He added the inscription, “1972 World Series MVP”.

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The Cincinnati Reds won consecutive World Series titles in 1975 and 1976. Known as the Big Red Machine, they won six division titles, four pennants, and two World Series titles during the decade. From 1970-1979 the averaged more than 95 wins per season.

Built by GM Bob Howsam, the Reds boasted future Hall of Famers at multiple positions and Cooperstown manager Sparky Anderson at the helm.

After World Series losses in 1970 and ’72, the Reds returned to the Fall Classic in 1975. That year’s Cincinnati squad won 108 games and finished 20 games ahead of the second-place Dodgers. Cincinnati swept Pittsburgh in the NLCS before facing the Boston Red Sox for the title.

The Series was highlighted by one of the most memorable games in postseason history. Facing elimination in Game 6, the Red Sox fought the Reds to a 6-6 tie after 11 1/2 innings.

Carlton Fisk led off the bottom of the 12th inning at Fenway Park. After taking ball one, Fisk sent Pat Darcy’s next offering high into the air.

As it angled toward the foul pole, Fisk willed the ball fair, waving both hands toward the field of play. Announcer Dick Stockton made the call. “There it goes, a long drive…if it stays fair…home run! We will have a 7th Game in this 1975 World Series!”

The next night, Cincinnati prevailed 4-3, capping one of the sport’s greatest Fall Classics ever. Though his walk-off dinger was all for naught, the image of fist watching the ball sail out of Fenway remains etched in the minds of a generation of baseball fans.

Shown here is a ticket that allowed a lucky fan into Fenway Park to witness Fisk’s momentous home run. His signature is authenticated by PSA/DNA as is the inscription, “Gm 6 WALK OFF HR STAY FAIR! STAY FAIR!”.

 

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A month after their triumph, Cunard Cruise Lines put together a promotional tour for the world champs. They offered an all-expenses-paid luxury cruise for Howsam, Anderson, players Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Tony Perez, and announcer Marty Brennaman. To earn their keep, each man did a presentation and fielded questions from those who attended.

Shown here is the baseball itinerary from that cruise. It is signed by all seven Reds and authenticated by Beckett. The itinerary describes the Cincinnati skipper, “Sparky Anderson – Manager of the Big Red Machine, named Manager of the Year”.

The Reds pilot presented, “INSIDE THE WORLD SERIES – The inside story of the 1975 World Series from scouting the potential opponents to playing the games. Lean about Sparky Anderson’s pitching rotation strategy; front-office planning and the players’ tactics and reactions.”

Other on-board presentations included the following:

“BUILDING A BALL CLUB – Bob Howsom [sic], Sparky Anderson, and Marty Brennerman [sic], discuss how a team is put together; the influence of astro turf, recruiting, drafting, scouting, trading; from front office to dugout.”

“BASEBALL COMMUNICATIONS – (Signs and Signals) – the secrets of signs to and from the coaches such as ‘take’ vs. ‘hit’, ‘bunt’ vs. ‘hit’, and ‘steal’ (what about Joe Morgan on his own?). Defensive players station themselves according to the pitch called for.”

“PARA NUESTROS PASAJEROS QUE HABLAN ESPANOL – A special bi-lingual [sic] meeting with Tony Perez, Marty Brennerman [sic], and others will be held. This will be a question and answer session about major league baseball in North America and the role of Latin America players.”

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Sparky Anderson’s Reds followed up their 108-win 1975 campaign with 102 victories in ’76. In the NLCS the brushed aside the Eastern Division Pittsburgh Pirates in a three-game sweep.

In their fourth World Series appearance of the decade, Cincinnati dispatched the mighty New York Yankees in four games. The triumph gave the Reds back-to-back World Series titles.

The Fall Classic victory was keyed by World Series MVP Johnny Bench. The Hall of Fame catcher hit .533 with a double, a triple and a series-leading two home runs and six RBI.

Shown here is a correspondence between quite possibly the greatest defenders at two positions, catcher Bench, and Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson. The Human Vacuum Cleaner mailed current and former stars of the game requesting their consent to lend their name to the Babe Ruth Advisory Board. Johnny Bench agreed to this, writing, “Brooks, if you think it’s ok, it’s ok.”

At the bottom, Bench pens his signature and writes his Cincinnati address.

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Sparky Anderson managed the Reds from 1970-1978. During that time the Big Red Machine battled the Dodgers for supremacy in the National League for a NL West.

In every one of those seasons but 1971, either the Reds or the Dodgers came away with the Western Division crown. Here the Hall of Fame skipper reflects on the rivalry and on Dodger skipper Walter Alston.

“The Dodger Reds rivalry was so good because both teams had so much talent,” Sparky writes. “Walter Alston was a great manager but far beyond that he was an outstanding person.”

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Sparky Anderson had great success in his nine years as Reds manager. His teams had three second-place finishes and five division titles. With four NL pennants and two World Series titles in the 1970s, Sparky’s Reds were the Senior Circuit’s best team.

After a second-place finish in 1978, Cincinnati fired Anderson. He was out of a job until the Tigers came calling in June the following season. Sparky took the reins of a young club on the rise.

Hired by Detroit on June 14, 1979 he finished the season 6 games over .500. Soon the core group of Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Kirk Gibson, Lance Parrish, and Jack Morris began to mature. As they came of age, the Tigers began winning. In 1981 they finished in second place during the first half of the strike-shortened season.

By 1983, Anderson pushed Detroit to 92 wins. Then in ’84 they struck gold. The Tigers opened the year 9-0 and 35-5. By guiding the team to 104 wins, Sparky became the first manager to win 100 games in a season in two different leagues.

The 1984 Tigers led wire-to-wire while winning the World Series. The last time a team dominated in that fashion was the ’27 Yankees. Sparky won Manager of the Year for the accomplishment, his first of two such awards with the Tigers.

Sparky piloted Detroit ten more seasons, including the 1987 98-win club. During his stay in Motown, the Tigers won 1,331 games.

Shown here is a lineup card signed by Anderson as skipper of the Detroit Tigers.

 

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When Sparky Anderson piloted Detroit to 104 wins and the 1984 World Series title, his place in baseball history was secured. He became the first skipper to lead teams in each league to 100 wins in a season. The Tigers Fall Classic victory gave Anderson the distinction of being the first man to earn rings in each league.

His accomplishments along with 2,194 career victories put him among the greatest managers ever.

Shown here is a handwritten note about inner-peace.

 

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After waiting the required five years once he retired, Sparky Anderson received baseball’s highest in 2000 when the Veterans Committee selected him for the Hall of Fame. He was joined by one of his players Tony Perez who was chosen from the writers ballot.

The pair was joined by catcher Carlton Fisk in his second year of eligibility and two Veterans Committee choices. Nineteenth-century second baseman Bid McPhee who played 8 years for Cincinnati’s American Association entry and ten years for the Reds franchise was elected as was Negro League centerfielder Turkey Stearnes.

In the collection is this 3×5 index card signed by Anderson’s 2000 Cooperstown classmate, “Turkey Strearnes centerfielder of the Detroit Stars”.