Sparky Anderson Quotes

Chris Pittaro is the best rookie I've had in 15 years.

We're the best team in baseball, but not by much.

The man I marvel at is the one that's in there day after day, and night after night and still puts the figures on the board. I'm talking about Pete Rose, Stan Musial, the real stars. Believe me, especially the way we travel today, flying all night with a game the next night and then the next afternoon, if you can play one-hundred and sixty-two games, you're a man.

The trick is to realize that after giving your best, there's nothing more to give.

The great thing about baseball is when you're done, you'll only tell your grandchildren the good things. If they ask me about 1989, I'll tell them I had amnesia.

Problem with (John) Wockenfuss getting on base is that it takes three doubles to score him.

I'm beginning to see Brooks [Robinson] in my sleep. If I dropped a paper plate, he'd pick it up on one hop and throw me out at first.

Success is the person who year after year reaches the highest limits in his field.

People who live in the past generally are afraid to compete in the present. I've got my faults, but living in the past is not one of them. There's no future in it.

Explaining why he was forced to cut a utility player: You just got caught in a position where you have no position.

If a team is in a positive frame of mind, it will have a good attitude. If it has a good attitude, it will make a commitment to playing the game right. If it plays the game right, it will win-unless, of course, it doesn't have enough talent to win, and no manager can make goose-liver pate out of goose feathers, so why worry?

My idea of managing is giving the ball to Tom Seaver and sitting down and watching him work.

I only had a high school education and believe me, I had to cheat to get that.

It's a terrible thing to have to tell your fans, who have waited like Detroit's have, that their team won't win it this year. But it's better than lying to them.

Casey knew his baseball. He only made it look like he was fooling around. He knew every move that was ever invented and some that we haven't even caught on to yet.

This game has taken a lot of guys over the years who would have had to work in factories and gas stations and made them prominent people. I only had a high school education, and believe me, I had to cheat to get that. There isn't a college in the world that would have me and yet in this business you can walk into a room with millionaires, doctors, professional people and get more attention than they get. I don't know any other business where you can do that.

I hope the car they (Sport Magazine who awarded it to the World Series MVP) give him (Brooks Robinson) has an extra large glove box.

Good seasons start with good beginnings.

I don't believe a manager ever won a pennant. Casey Stengel won all those pennants with the Yankees. How many did he win with the Boston Braves and Mets?

I managed 26 years and found out when I retired I didn't own the game. I thought I owned it when I was managing all those years. You can climb to the top of the mountain, get down on your knees and kiss the ground, because you'll never own that mountain. That mountain is only owned by one single person, and he'll never give it up. That's the way baseball is.

Pete Rose is baseball.

Inner peace is not found in things like baseball and world championships. As long as I feel I've done the best job I possibly could, I'm satisfied.

He's (Jose Canseco) built like a Greek goddess.

The day I got a hit off (Sandy) Koufax was when he knew it was all over.

Mike Laga will make you forget about every power hitter that ever lived.

I don't know why the players make such a big fuss about sitting in the first class section of the plane. Does that mean they'll get there faster?

The players make the manager, it's never the other way.

A baseball manager is a necessary evil.

The only reason I'm coming out here tomorrow is the schedule says I have to.

You can be whoever you want to be, you just have to want it bad enough.

Am I a great manager? Huh. I was blessed to have a front office that found great talent, and then I was smart enough to stay the hell out of their way.

I don't want to embarrass any other catcher by comparing him to Johnny Bench.

If I ever find a pitcher who has heat, a good curve, and a slider, I might seriously consider marrying him, or at least proposing.