Sparky Lyle TTM Success

Sent: 4/22/2020 | Received: 4/30/2020 | 8 days
1/1: 1981 Fleer Star Sticker
Address: Home (Gilbertsville, PA) from SportsCollectors.Net

"Sparky" Lyle – or Albert Walter Lyle – is likely best known for his dominant peek years with the New York Yankees, or for the 1977 tell-all book The Bronx Zoo that he co-authored with Peter Golenbock.

Lyle spent his first five years in Boston, before the Red Sox traded him to their rival for Danny Cater and a PTBNL. The 1972 deal was lopsided as Lyle morphed into one of the best relief pitchers of the decade.

With New York, Lyle earned three All-Star nods (1973, 1976, 1977), led the league in saves twice (1972, 1976), won the AL Cy Young Award (1977) and won two World Series rings (1977, 1978).

Lyle is the only Yankees reliever (sorry Mo) to win a Cy Young. He went 13-5 with 26 saves and a 2.17 ERA over 137 innings (72 games). He continued his dominance in '77 the postseason, winning three straight games in relief, starting with an amazing 5 1/3-inning outing in Game Four of the ALCS against the Royals, an elimination game for the Yankees.

The Yankees rewarded Lyle by acquiring Goose Gossage and reducing Sparky to a middle relief role. After another title in 1978, New York traded him (and others) to the Rangers for a package that included Dave Righetti.

He pitched five more season with the Rangers, Phillies and White Sox.

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1981 Fleer Star Sticker Set Progress: 38 of 125 (30.4%)