Sparky Anderson, former baseball manager for the Detroit Tigers and the Cincinnati Reds, has died at the age of 76. 
Spokesman for the family Dan Ewald announced Anderson died after a long battle with dementia. Ewald also said that  Anderson's family had placed him in a hospice care center yesterday.
"Sparky Anderson will always be measured by his number of victories and his place in baseball's Hall of Fame. But all of that is overshadowed by the type of person he was. Sparky not only spiked life into baseball, he gave life in general something to smile about. Never in my lifetime have I met a man as gentle, kind and courageous as Sparky," said Ewald in a statement to the press.
While manager of the Reds, Anderson lead the team to two World Series in 1975 and 1976. In 1979 Anderson began managing the the Detroit Tigers, also leading them to the title in 1984.
"I got good players, stayed out of their way, let them win a lot and then just hung around for 26 years," said Anderson during a 2000 speech.

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Sparky Anderson, former baseball manager for Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, dead at 76