From the Achives: Gibby and Sparky

Our Kirk Gibson interviews the late, great Sparky Anderson just before the former Tigers manager was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000. "Hello, Cooperstown" airs tonight at 7:30 on FSD.

[@TheOriginalTakarin]

Some of the happiest memories of my childhood are watching Sparky and the Boys. What a great man.

[@TheBlackRam68]

Boy we will always Love You Sparky & Gibson from Detroit Always & Forever!💯💙

[@ZachPurcell_DRUMS]

“The game will always go on because we put so much into it.” So true and truly why baseball will never die.

[@RandyDuffy-s3v]

Sparky and Gibby. 2 Detroit sports icons forever!!! Thank you both for all the memories. Will never forget you boys.

[@gregwddriver]

The last one minute is a life lesson in humility.

[@my2centsiz3]

To have Gibsons respect with his ego. Much deserved Ego, he earned his status. As Sparky has from Kirk, is a hell of a compliment. Cause the only person I thought Kirk liked in this whole world was himself. And that was sometimes. But 2 personalities that helped shape the game.

[@tomsampson8084]

Gibby and Sparky had a hate/love relationship. I really believe it would make a great movie. Sparky saw the potential in Gibby like a cowboy see's a yet unbroken stallion. Gibby fought Sparky for a couple years but Sparky finally "tamed" Gibby and made him a great player. I watch all Tiger games and whenever Gibby is on he speaks his love of Sparky.

[@edmoskwa3164]

Sparky was amazing, I miss those days when he was the tigers manager...great times

[@tmmyjay]

Met George at the golf course. Love him!

[@superdopeimmaculateshow3491]

Sparky one of the great people of all time

[@gregoryphillips3969]

No one understood people and life better than Sparky Anderson. I need to find everything l can on him just to take in all of his advice. If you were good enough he have you the freedom you needed to be who you were while still getting the most out of you. In his own way a brilliant man

[@paintedwarrior516]

Two of my favorite people

[@newytacc9447]

WOW, they don't make em' like these guys anymore ! 🙏✝️🙏

[@fogodechow7735]

legend what a great guy

[@neilgarrod318]

You were one of a kind RIP Sparky. We miss you!!!

[@markstegeman5986]

Love sparky Anderson always will he still to this day is the man in Detroit along with Ernie Harwell god bless them both and yes I'm a old man

[@BlackJaxxx]

"HE DON'T WANNA WALK YOU"

[@rickmays797]

Gibby looks so young....... good interview 👍....,

[@glennhalila8279]

What a brilliant Coach and a brilliant man. I love Sparky. Yes Sparky left an impact on the game of baseball and both the National and American League. That's why he's in the Hall of Fame. In my opinion Kirk Gibson also deserves to be in the hall of fame, because without him Detroit doesn't win the 1984 World Series and the Los Angeles Dodgers don't win the 1988 World Series!

[@stevenosmond2168]

This is the best thing for me to here at this time.

[@selfwitness]

Besides being one of the greatest managers ever, George Anderson sure knows how to pick a tie (or maybe I should credit that to his great wife). Where can I get one?! Seriously, wonderful interview. Thank you for this heartwarming post of a wise man and champion by the great Kirk Gibson.

[@harryschnepp5907]

Two of the greatest minds in the game

[@acespace7255]

"Ya live by the long Ball, ya die by the long ball"

[@ajaded1]

Sparky Anderson was such a nice man. Actually, all the Tigers that I met were nice. I suppose it came from the top. I'm from Boston. I went to a Red Sox game at Fenway in 1987. I was 14. We got there for batting practice. None of the Red Sox would sign anything. Sparky Anderson, Alan Trammell, and Dan Petry all signed my Red Sox program and were asking the kids their names and making jokes as they did it. It wasn't fake. They were happy to be there. Dan Petry's son actually plays in the NHL for Montreal. As a Boston fan, I hate the Canadiens, but I hope he does well because of how nice his dad was to me in 1987.

[@charlesdemean3055]

My son saw Tigs, my hometown team, Seattle at Kingdome. His 1st game. He passed the program down to Sparky. He didn't know who the white haired guy was. Sparky signed it...passed it to a number of players & they all signed it. 14 Tigers & 2 Mariners & Del Crandall.....whose the other old guy?. He's HOF. Great sports philosophy in this clip. Not seen now. Read Gibby's book & you'll know how he goosed Gossage. & how he froze Eckerleys face. Inspiring way to deal with any situation. Focus your mind positively & practice it your mind. Thoughts in breezeway before limping to the plate, 9th inning. Walk off for Dodger's in The Series. Only AB. What fools Monahan & Tigers were to let LA sign him. Few have given as much on field. Same with Sparky. With Craig, a force to reckon with. 84, as great as 68, in so many different ways. But they got the rings. Hometown built teams, screw free agents.

[@morthedgebuckle227]

Gotta love Sparky.

[@oakroyal]

Spark put his players in a position to succeed.

[@mrmojorisin8752]

Sparky refused to manage “replacement players” in the 1994-95 strike. Tiger management was furious with him, and Sparky quit after the 1995 season. He was only 61 and made clear he’d like to manage again. But as the Hall-of-Famer put it, “Owners weren’t knocking at my door.” He believed he was blackballed.

[@ML-kx9gz]

Born in 1984 so technically I have a Tigers WS under my belt lol but what Sparky says is very true, you can't force people to be what they aren't, allow them to be who they are and Babe Ruth is in the dirt but the game still goes on because of what we put into it. Extremely wise. In today's world we over think EVERYTHING to the point that we drive ourselves crazy, we force things when we shouldn't, he's only talking about Baseball and like 40+ years ago. But this is all so smart. I always tell myself to keep it simple, an occams razor approach to life, I went from living in hell working a dead end job to now living a beautiful life with travel and multiple properties. Was it luck? Sure maybe a little bit, but I also believe you make your own luck in life too. Gotta attack the day, and every day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind and you will prevail. It's quite literally that simple. Plus not caring about frivolous material things so much which I was guilty of in my teens and early 20s. Caring what others think etc. If you focus on what ultimately matters in life and remove all the nonsense and really grind it out working or starting a business, you're going to flush out the other side very happy.

[@ryanmoore7733]

Sad how Sparky was blackballed from MLB at only 59 years old , he had a lot more to give to the game!! RIP Sparky!!

[@andrewsheehan262]

No. The strike ruined him. He didn't want to manage anymore.....

[@mrmojorisin8752]

Sparky made clear multiple times that he believed he was blackballed.

[@lightningfisher8177]

NICE.

[@7770matt]

GOLD

[@stevekuzma2576]

You have a right!

[@slomotion1028]

Did Kirk ask him "when did you realize I was special?" 🤣🤣🤣

[@KB-eo9bu]

Kirk Gibson Could have been a Pro Football 🏈 Player. I believe he was a Running Back in College for Michigan State. Glad he Chose Baseball ⚾️

[@us-Bahn]

Couldn’t hear the great advice Sparky passed along to Kirk. Can someone clarify?

[@TheOriginalTakarin]

"Babe Ruth's in the ground, and the game goes on."

[@us-Bahn]

That’s it! Don’t know why I couldn’t understand it. Thank you!

[@cindyinnew]

@@us-Bahn I couldn’t get it either. Thought it was “Babe Ruth is in the crowd” or “crown”. Thank you so much

[@us-Bahn]

@@cindyinnew the motivating genius of Sparky’s observation escapes me. But I’m glad Kirk Gibson was fired up by it.

[@cindyinnew]

@@us-Bahn sparky was saying that Babe Ruth was the GOAT but is now gone. Don’t look back. Go out there and kick ass

[@billyidol2115]

He's the closest thing to Casey Stengel I've ever seen 👍