| Dec. 23, 1958 | The Dodgers trade George Lee Anderson to the Phillies for outfielder Rip Repulski and two minor league pitching prospects, Jim Goldeni and Gene Snyder. 'Sparky', better known as a major league manager than for being a 'good field, no-hit' infielder, becomes the first skipper to win a World Series in both the American (1984 Tigers) and National League (1975-76 Reds). |
| Sept 27, 1959 | Phillies’ second baseman Sparky Anderson goes 0-for-3 and is caught stealing in a 5-2 loss to Milwaukee at County Stadium. The season finale marks the end of the 25-year old infielder's playing career, but the future Hall of Fame manager's participation in a 152 contests will establish a record for the most games ever played by someone who spent only one year in the major leagues. |
| October 9, 1969 | Just a few days after agreeing to be on the coaching staff of the Angels, Sparky Anderson accepts an offer to replace Dave Bristol as the manager of the Reds. During his nine-year tenure, in which Cincinnati will average 96 victories a season, the club will win five divisional titles‚ four National League pennants‚ and consecutive World Series in 1975 and 1976. |
| June 12, 1979 | The Tigers hire Sparky Anderson as their new manager replacing the recently fired Les Moss. The former Cincinnati skipper will spend 17 seasons in Detroit compiling a 1331-1248 record and will capture a World Championship in 1984. |
| Sept 23, 1984 | The Tigers defeat the Yankees, 4-1, making Sparky Anderson the first manager ever to win 100 games in a season in each league. As skipper of the 'Big Red Machine', his team won 108 games in 1975 and 102 in 1976. |
| July 16, 1985 | Marking its 21st victory in the last 23 Midsummer Classics, the National League beats the AL, 6-1. Sparky Anderson, who was the first manger to win 100 games in both the National and American Leagues, becomes the first skipper to lose an All-Star game in each league. |
| July 29, 1986 | Sparky Anderson, the first skipper to win the World Series in each league, also becomes the first manager to win 600 games in both the National and American Leagues when the Tigers beat the Brewers, 9-5. |
| Feb 17, 1995 | Unwilling to be part of an inferior product placed on the field and as a show of support for his players, Tigers skipper Sparky Anderson is suspended without pay when he refuses to manage replacement players in spring training during 1995 work stoppage. The popular pilot will resume his duties when the strike is resolved, but will 'retire', some believe not voluntarily, at the end of the season. |
| July 23, 2000 | The Big Red Machine rolls into Cooperstown delivering first baseman Tony Perez, manager Sparky Anderson and Reds announcer Marty Brennaman into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with 1975 Red Sox World Series rival Carlton Fisk. Also enshrined are 19th century Cincinnati second baseman Bid McPhee and Negro League star 'Turkey' Stearnes. |
| May 28, 2005 | At Great American Ball Park, the number 10 joins 5 (Bench), 8 (Morgan), 24 (Perez), 20 (F. Robinson) 1 (Hutchinson), and 18 (Kluszewski) on the facade of the press box, when the Reds retire Sparky Anderson’s uniform number. As the skipper of the ‘Big Red Machine’, George Lee Anderson became the franchise’s winningest manager (863-586) and captured four NL pennants (1970, 1972, 1975-76 ) and two World Championships (1975-76). |
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