Extensions of Remarks
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August 4, 1987 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 22315 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS DETROIT'S SPARKY ANDER He said, too, that 1984 "was my worst year A conversation with him is still a romp SON-HE'S JUST GETTING personally. I knew we had a chance to win it through anecdotes, philosophies, double all, and I became obsessed by it. I felt every negatives and misplaced metaphors. If he WARMED UP loss was on me. We'd lose a game and I'd sit isn't yet Casey Stengel, he's at least close, in the office and stare at the wall. One of particularly the moment last year when he HON. CARL D. PURSELL the coaches would come in and say, 'Let's go said shortstop Alan Trammell would have to OF MICHIGAN have dinner.' I wouldn't go. I thought be play through a shoulder problem because, cause we lost I couldn't even go eat. "Pain don't hurt.'' IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES "That goes back to what happened in Cin He admits that, yes, he sometimes gets a Tuesday, August 4, 1987 cinnati. I've got as big an ego as the next little too excited about games or players, guy and felt I just had to win it with an such as the time two years ago when he Mr. PURSELL. Mr. Speaker, triumphant other team. You win it in one place and abruptly moved all-star second baseman Lou World Series pennants from 1935, 1945, maybe you'll get some credit. You win it in Whitaker to third because rookie second 1968, and 1984 fly over Detroit's Tiger Stadi two places and it's yours, baby. But it was baseman Chris Pittaro "is the best prospect um reminding fans of yesterday's Detroit Tiger tough, and I remember telling Carol, 'If we I've ever seen.'' A couple of days later, after conquests. But this summer, Tiger fans aren't win this thing, that may have to be it.'" Pittaro began to look like something less dwelling on day:s gone by. His wife advised him to wait a bit before than the next Jackie Robinson, Whitaker, announcing anything, and when he did he was quietly moved back to second and Pit Under the direction of Manager Sparky An came back to her with some less-than-stun taro eventually was traded. derson, the Tigors are defying the dismal pre ning news: He didn't want to quit. "The worst mistake I ever made," he now dictions of preseason critics and making the "I don't think I ever will," he said. "But I says. American League Eastern Division race one of did promise myself that nothing would ever And there was the time in 1979 when he the hottest in baseball. eat at me like that season did. But, in the moved reliable starter Milt Wilcox to the After an abysmal start, Anderson's Tigers end, I didn't want to quit. This is my life. bullpen, explaining that, "We're going to have muscled their way into contention going Now, they may call and tell me to go home build this team around [Steve] Baker.'' 34-18 in June and July. They are locked in a tomorrow. Fine, let them do that. But quit? Wilcox asked, "Baker? You mean the one No.'' that's here now?" That plan eventually was close, heated battle for first, with Toronto and So let's hit the fast-forward button to a scrapped, too. New York, that may not be decided until the clear summer afternoon in 1987. and Sparky He admits to all of it, to wanting to make last out of the regular season. Anderson hasn't yet retired. He's still the stars of Pittaro, Rod Allen, Rustry Kuntz Much credit for this comeback can be given manager of the Detroit Tigers and, as he and Howard Johnson before their times. to Sparky Anderson. He has masterfully sits in a small neat office at Tiger Stadium "I am," he said, "observed with youth a meshed promising rookies like Matt Nokes, before the all-star break, he's drinking little bit.'' Jeff Robinson, and Mike Henneman with pe coffee, tapping some sweetsmelling tobacco But if he does get carried away now and rennial Tiger stars like Jack Morris, Alan into his pipe and considering John McGraw then, he has at least retained his enthusi and 2,840 victories as a manager. asm, his love of the game and his ability to Trammell, and Lou Whitaker to make this club "Connie Mack has [3,7761," Anderson perserve where others have grown tired, a contender and give it a sense of energy and said, "and that's out of reach. But McGraw . bored and cynical. excitement all its own. .. 2,800. That's possible. You know what I'd "Yeah, I don't let it bother me like I used Through his 17 major league seasons with really like to do is win 3,000 games. That's a to," he said. Detroit and Cincinnati, Anderson has come to goal of mine." "We lose, 10-0, and people say, "What are embody the belief that to persist is to triumph. He has figured all of this before and does you going to do?" Well, what do you think? His youthful exuberance, at age 53, is exem so again. He began this season with 1,513 We're going to come back tomorrow and try plified by his inability to give anything his undi victories and, if he wins 95 this season, again. Now, don't get me wrong. I do get vided neglect. would need 16 more 87 -victory seasons to upset. There's always going to be some idot reach 3,000. [player] walking through that door trying Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this oppor A conservative man, he said, "You're look- to ruin your day.'' tunity to share a charming article on Sparky ing at 17 seasons." He can laugh at all of it now, the firing by Anderson by Richard Justice of the Washing Are you looking at 17 more seasons? the Cincinnait Reds after winning five divi ton Post. Justice paints a clear picture of the He smiles. sion championships in nine seasons, the kind of man Sparky is-warm, funny, competi "That's my goal." grueling wire-to-wire lead of the 1984 Tigers tive, a winner. I urge my colleagues in the These are the best of times for silver and the image of Sparky Anderson. House, many of whom are also devoted base haired George Lee Anderson, the times He once saw a reporter leaving one of his ball fans, to read it. when he can remind people that only 11 news conferences early and yelled, "Don't men ever have managed teams to more leave yet. I'm just starting to sling it.'' With Sparky Anderson at the helm, Tiger major league victories and that there may He has a large picture of his granddaugh fans aren't dwelling on old championship pen be many more to come. ter on his desk, and above his right shoulder nants-they're dreaming of new ones. He has survived a game in which the another photo with the words, "Wanted for [From the Washington Post, July 28, 19871 burnout and firing index is high and, at 53, stealing pacifiers." DETROIT'S SPARKY ANDERSON-HE'S JUST not only seems eager to get to the park "by Next to it is a motto that reads: "Each 24 GETTING WARMED UP 2 p.m. at least," but perfectly comfortable hours the world turns over on someone who being one of baseball's few still-active living is sitting on top ot it." <By Richard Justice) legends. At the moment, it doesn't appear the DETROIT.-Three years ago, Sparky Ander "It ain't the money," he said. "I don't world is about to turn over on Sparky An son was talking about retirement, about spend much money, and what I have never derson. Since winning that '84 World Series, going back to his home in Thousand Oaks, changed me, anyway. I was raised in a poor his Detroit teams have had seasons of 84-77 Calif., working in his garden and staying family and was 35 before I made $30,000. and 87-75. close to baseball only through television and My life style is about what it always was." This year, picked by many to finish in the occasional trips to Dodger Stadium. He lives in the same Thousand Oaks home bottom half of the American League East, Why not? He'd spent 31 years in a uni he and the former Carol Valle bought in the Tigers are on a pace to win 96 games. It form, and after the sting and embarrass 1966 "because we couldn't afford anything was Anderson who helped introduce players ment of being fired by the Cincinnati Reds in the [San Fernando] Valley.'' He drives a such as Lou Whitaker, Lance Parrish, Alan eight years earlier, his 1984 Detroit Tigers midsized American-made car, and his hob Trammell and Jack Morris to the big were about "to take that monkey off my bies consist mostly of late-night television leagues in the late '70s, and this year's back" with a World Series championship. and early-morning walks. Tigers include members of another genera- e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor.