Sparky!

by Sparky Anderson

1990, Prentice-Hall Press, NY. Trade paperback, 264 pages. Sparky Anderson is gone now, but he's remembered as one of the best loved, finest baseball managers of the last half century. Here he talks about his life, his managing career, the special players he coached, and what he got out of baseball himself. "Sparky is one of a kind. No one should ever doubt his enthusiasm and love for the game. It shines through brightly in his book." "... a refreshing view of a guy who has his head screwed on right."

Genres: Baseball, Sports

Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Holly Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Sparky. And he loves baseball and has a mancrush in Pete Rose. But he needed someone to guide him through the process of writing a book.

As much as I enjoyed all the stories he told, he did repeat himself an awful lot, contradicted himself a bit, and the book didn't have an easy flow to it, it just jumped all over the place.

My favorite chapters were about his All Star team picks, baseball legends, and his take on every major league ballpark.

Overall, it felt like someone's papaw telling old stories with a random stream of thought.

[Joel Haas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing revelatory, but reading this is an afternoon of following a beloved, legendary baseball character owning up to his put-on as a caricature.

If one is a fan of Sparky Anderson, this is worth the read.

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book because everything I've heard about Sparky makes me like him, and this book did still add to that. But the book was difficult. He contradicted himself, talked in circles, jumped around, repeated himself both within paragraphs and between chapters. The stories of his life are fascinating, but this book didn't really hold my attention.

[Ronald · Rating 3 out of 5]

read some time in 1992