As one of the more colorful and charismatic managers in Major League history, George Lee “Sparky” Anderson guided both the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers to World Series titles. Sparky, a relatively unknown commodity when he was hired by Reds General Manager Bob Howsam in 1969 to replace Dave Bristol at the helm, was referred to as “Sparky Who?” in many publications upon his hire. It didn’t take long for Anderson to take control of the reigns in Cincinnati as he guided what became known as “The Big Red Machine” to National League pennants in 1970 and 1972 and then back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976 when the defeated the Boston Red Sox in 1975 in a classic seven-game series and then swept the New York Yankees in 1976.

Anderson moved on to the Detroit Tigers in 1979, where eventually guided them to a World Series title in 1984 after starting the season with a Major League record 35-5 start. The Tigers would go on to win 104 games that season, and Sparky became the first manager to win 100 games or more for two different teams. When it was all said and done, Sparky Anderson finished with 2,194 wins and 1,834 losses and three World Series titles in 26 seasons with Cincinnati and Detroit. For his accomplishments, Anderson was elected into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Offered is the very Hall of Fame plaque presented to George Lee Anderson “Sparky” for his induction into Cooperstown. This heavy plaque measures 6 x 9 inches and is modeled after the official plaque that is displayed in Cooperstown. Anderson’s raised portrait with him wearing a Reds cap is on the front with “GEORGE LEE ANDERSON”, “SPARKY” and “CINCINNATI, N.L., 1970 – 1978” and “DETROIT, A.L., 1979 – 1995” below. His plaque reads “ONE OF THE GAME’S MOST SUCCESSFUL AND COLORFUL MANAGERS, HIS 2,194 WINS RANK THIRD IN HISTORY BEHIND CONNIE MACK AND JOHN MCGRAW. THE CRANK THAT TURNED THE BIG RED MACHINE, HIS SKILLFULL LEADERSHIP HELPED THOSE CINCINNATI TEAMS DOMINATE IN THE 1970s. REVERED AND TREASURED BY HIS PLAYERS FOR HIS HUMILITY, HUMANITY, ETERNAL OPTIMISM AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE GAME. BASEBALL’S ONLY MANAGER TO WIN A WORLD SERIES IN BOTH LEAGUES AND LEAD TWO FRANCHISES IN VICTORIES. HIS TEAMS WON THREE WORLD SERIES, SEVEN DIVISION TITLES AND FIVE PENNANTS, COMPILING A .619 POST-SEASON WINNING PERCENTAGE.” The plaque rests on a ¾-inch thick wood base and is rounded at the top. The plaque is in good condition with minor edge wear on the wood. This historic plaque comes with a LOA from Sparky Anderson’s son Lee Anderson, attesting that this is the very plaque presented to his father in 2000.

Auction Notepad