Wednesday, January 12, 2000
Sparky, Marty could go in with Tony
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Sparky Anderson
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Marty Brennaman
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Tony, Sparky and Marty going into the Hall of Fame together? Nothing could be sweeter for baseball's oldest franchise. And it could very well happen.
Tony Perez was elected to the Hall of Fame Tuesday. Former manager Sparky Anderson is eligible to be elected by the veterans committee. Radio voice Marty Brennaman, narrowly missed being being elected to broadcast wing last year.
Perez and Charlton Fisk will be inducted into the Hall at Cooperstown, N.Y., on July 23, along with anyone elected by the veterans' committee. Brennaman could go in as the Frick Award winner, selected by a separate committee.
Anderson said he has thought about it. "It would be unbelievable," he said, "the moment of a lifetime."
“That would be great,” Brennaman said. “Absolutely. It would make it a bigger thrill. If I had to pick a year, this would be it.”
Tuesday, Brennaman was thrilled with the news that Perez was in.
“I'm happier for him than I would be if I got in,” Brennaman said. “My time will come. I'm in no hurry.”
Brennaman thought Perez's election came later than it should have. It was Perez's ninth year of eligibility.
“This should have a happened much sooner,” Brennaman said. “I think the problem is you have a lot of people who ill-equipped to vote. The baseball writers are so sanctimonious it makes me sick.”
Brennaman thinks Perez's election came so late because he was overshadowed by teammates Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan. That and the fact that “the only thing some of people voting know about Tony Perez is what they've read. They don't do their homework.”
The careers of Perez, Anderson and Brennaman will be forever intertwined as part of the Big Red Machine era.
The biggest moment of Perez's career was his home run in Game 7 of 1975 World Series to rally to the Reds a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
That's No. 2 on Brennaman's list of Perez moments.
No. 1 came in 1974 — Brennaman's first year calling Reds games.
“I succeeded Al Michaels,” Brennaman said. “Like any young announcer, I wanted to be accepted. I was learning just how popular Al Michaels was. It was the first game back after the All-Star Break. It was second game of doubleheader with Giants.
“The Reds were behind 13-9 going into the bottom of the ninth. They scored five runs to win.”
Perez got the game-winning hit.
“And I just went nuts,” Brennaman said. “People were calling the radio station all day to have them replay (my call). That's when I knew I was accepted.”
Perez finished with 379 career home runs and 1,652 RBI, the most among players not already in the Hall. But, in Brennaman's mind that's not what sets Perez apart.
“I've always said the two classiest athletes I've ever dealt with are Tony and Julius Erving,” Brennaman said. “The way they were with the fans, always smiling. And that's the same way they are today. I think that's a mark of greatness: An individual who has all the success but remains the same person through it all.”
That's why Brennaman was so happy Tuesday.
“This is one of great days for the Reds franchise,” he said.
If Tony, Sparky and Marty all go into the Hall July 23, that would be even greater.
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