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Sparky
Anderson will remain a Red forever. His induction into the franchise's
Hall of Fame assures that.
But two
World Series triumphs, four National League pennants and an 863-586 record
couldn't offset Anderson's grim memory of Nov. 27, 1978, when then-General
Manager Dick Wagner fired him. Now, buffered by decades of accomplishment
and four years of retirement, Anderson can freely discuss his view of
why he was cast aside.
"I probably
got a little bit too high and mighty and forgot my place was just the
clubhouse," he said in a conference call. "I had no business up above
(in the front office), and I think maybe I fought some decisions more
than I should have fought them, truthfully.
"It was
a two-way, 50-50 thing. They were 50 percent wrong, but I think I was
50 percent wrong." Coaching changes and player personnel decisions were
what rankled Anderson, though he wouldn't cite names. But he was known
to be close to coaches Alex Grammas and Larry Shepard, who left the Reds
along with him, and was reportedly exasperated when the Reds made no effort
to retain free agents such as Pete Rose and Don Gullett.
But more
than 20 years have passed. George Lee Anderson, 65, sounded incapable
of summoning any bitterness. He survived his firing to manage 17 seasons
in Detroit (1979-95). And he cherished his Reds career (1970-78),, which
featured eight first-, or second-place finishes in nine years.
The thought
of being immortalized with the greatest figures in Reds history - including
several he managed, such as Johnny Bench, Gary Nolan and Tony Perez -
filled Anderson with joy. "I'm totally thrilled," Anderson said. "It means
so much to me because Cincinnati's the first place I ever managed in my
career. No matter what you do, that's the place that stays the closest."
If entering
Cincinnati's hall of fame touches Anderson's heart, then enshrinement
in Cooperstown's - an honor he'll surely receive - will grip his descendants.
"It's eternity ... It's for my family," he said. "Every person in my family,
from now until the end of the world, will know where their grandfather,
great-grandfather, 20-times great grandfather is. When you're in there,
that means you contributed to the game of baseball."
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