SPARKY ANDERSON LEAVES THE TIGERS

Sparky Anderson, the winningest manager in Detroit Tigers history, resigned from the club today after 17 years on the job. Says Time's Steve Wulf: "Although other managers are able to stay an inning or two ahead, the essential part of being a manager at the major league level is to keep the the team happy. And Sparky was always able to do that." Anderson came to Detroit in 1979, and led the team to a World Series championship in 1984 and the AL East title in 1987. He managed the Cincinnati Reds to more victories than anyone else before coming to Detroit, bringing the Big Red Machine to the World series four times, and winning it in 1975 and 1976. Anderson is the only manager to lead two teams in total wins. Anderson, who stepped out of the dugout during last spring's baseball strike, refusing to manage a team of strikebreakers, said at an emotional press conference in Detroit that he would wait 30 days to decide whether he will ever manage again.