Sparky Anderson Passes Away: Goodbye Skipper of the Big Red Machine

I missed news of Sparky Anderson passing away. Growing up in St. Louis county, I was never a big Cardinals fan. I was always a fan of Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, and the Big Red Machine. Of course, their skipper was Sparky Anderson, a refreshing manager not held back by the political correctness we see on the sports field today. He was a father figure on the field that inspired excellence and wouldn't put up with the flash from today's athletes. He will be missed as he was a legend in the game leading both the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers to the World Series.