Sparky Anderson: Success isn't something that just happens

Success isn't something that just happens - success is learned, success is practiced and then it is shared.

Sparky Anderson

Every 24 hours the world turns over on someone who was sitting on top of it.

Sparky Anderson

hours sitting world

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.

Sparky Anderson

volleyball people past

Just give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts; I'll win a pennant every year.

Sparky Anderson

baseball winning sports

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.

Sparky Anderson

smart office blessed

Baseball is a simple game. If you have good players, and you keep them in the right frame of mind, the manager is a success. The players make the manager. It's never the other way. Managing is not running, hitting, or stealing. Managing is getting your players to put out one hundred percent year after year. A player does not have to like a manager and he does not have to respect a manager. All he has to do is obey the rules. Talent is one thing. Being able to go from spring to October is another. You just got caught in a position where you have no position.

Sparky Anderson

baseball spring running

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

Sparky Anderson

benches baseball sports

Baseball is a simple game. If you have good players and if you keep them in the right frame of mind then the manager is a success.

Sparky Anderson

simple baseball sports

I cannot get rid of the hurt from losing, but after the last out of every loss, I must accept that there will be a tomorrow. In fact, it's more than there'll be a tomorrow, it's that I want there to be a tomorrow. That's the big difference, I want tomorrow to come.

Sparky Anderson

hurt loss sports

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

Sparky Anderson

three problem sports

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.

Sparky Anderson

curves baseball sports

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

Sparky Anderson

baseball-managers player way

Pete (Rose) doesn't run with celebrities and he can't stand the phonies. His big buddy in LA ain't Sinatra, it's a funny old groundskeeper.

Sparky Anderson

phony rose running

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.

Sparky Anderson

baseball leadership sports

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.

Sparky Anderson

taken believe school

No manager ever won no ballgames.

Sparky Anderson

ballgame managers

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.

Sparky Anderson

grandparent grandchildren baseball

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?

Sparky Anderson

player class mean

I've changed my mind about it (DH) - instead of being bad, it stinks.

Sparky Anderson

stink ive-changed mind

Good seasons start with good beginnings.

Sparky Anderson

new-beginnings seasons