Sparky Lyle

AUGUST 21, 1972

A provocative and little-noted aspect of baseball writing—whether serious fiction, "inside" gossip or journalism—is that so much of it originates in the bullpen. From Mark Harris to Jim Brosnan to Pat Jordan, writers...

Oh, Sparky Lyle's in the Yankees' camp, but baseball is an afterthought because he thinks he's being crowded out of the bullpen

•Earl Williams, Oakland A's right-handed slugger, reminded that his homer off Yankee Reliever Sparky Lyle was his first of eight homers this year off a lefthander: "I'm an equal opportunity hitter."

As pennant visions dance in the heads of Yankee fans, Bobby Murcer, Ron Blomberg, Sparky Lyle & Co. come up against tough Detroit and Baltimore. Bill Leggett reports.