| Greg Sparks | |
|---|---|
 Sparks as a coach for the Chicago White Sox in 2016 | |
| Coach | |
| Born:March 31, 1964 Chandler, Arizona | |
Bats: left Throws: left | |
| Teams | |
Joseph Gregory Sparks (born March 31,1964) is an American professional baseball coach and a former minor league player and manager. In 2016,Sparks was named assistant hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball,a position he held through 2019.
Born in Chandler,Arizona,he is the son of Joe Sparks, [1] a retired professional baseball player,coach,manager and scout. Greg Sparks served as a batboy for the White Sox in 1979 (when his father spent part of that year on the club's coaching staff),and was present on Disco Demolition Night. He went on to attend Mesa Community College,then forge a 13-year playing career,mostly at the Double-A level. In 1992,he hit 25 home runs as a member of the London Tigers of the Eastern League. An outfielder and first baseman,he threw and batted left-handed,stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg).
He worked for the Oakland Athletics' organization for 19 years,beginning in 1997,as a minor league manager and hitting coordinator. [2] The White Sox hired him as their assistant hitting coach after the 2015 season. [3]
Disco Demolition Night was a Major League Baseball (MLB) promotion on Thursday,July 12,1979,at Comiskey Park in Chicago,Illinois,that ended in a riot. At the climax of the event,a crate filled with disco records was blown up on the field between games of the twi-night doubleheader between the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Many had come to see the explosion rather than the games and rushed onto the field after the detonation. The playing field was so damaged by the explosion and by the rioters that the White Sox were required to forfeit the second game to the Tigers.
Harold Douglas Baines is an American former right fielder and designated hitter (DH) in Major League Baseball who played for five American League (AL) teams from 1980 to 2001,and is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox. A Maryland native,he also played seven years with his hometown team,the Baltimore Orioles,over three separate periods. The first overall selection in the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft and a six-time All-Star,Baines led the AL in slugging percentage in 1984. He held the White Sox team record for career home runs from 1987 until Carlton Fisk passed him in 1990;his eventual total of 221 remains the club record for left-handed hitters,as do his 981 runs batted in (RBI) and 585 extra base hits with the team. His 1,688 hits and 1,643 games as a DH stood as major league records until David Ortiz broke them in 2013 and 2014. He also held the mark for career home runs as a DH (236) until Edgar Martínez passed him in 2004.
Comiskey Park was a baseball park in Chicago,Illinois,located in the Armour Square neighborhood on the near-southwest side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Built by White Sox owner Charles Comiskey and designed by Zachary Taylor Davis,Comiskey Park hosted four World Series and more than 6,000 Major League Baseball games. Also,in one of the most famous boxing matches in history,the field was the site of the 1937 heavyweight title match in which Joe Louis defeated then champion James J. Braddock in eight rounds that launched Louis' unprecedented 11-plus year run as the heavyweight champion of the world.
Miguel Jesús Cairo [ki'-row],is a Venezuelan former professional baseball infielder and most recently the bench coach for the Chicago White Sox,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine different clubs in a 17-year career,spanning from 1996 to 2012. During his playing days,Cairo stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 225 pounds (102 kg) while batting and throwing right-handed. While primarily a second baseman,Cairo was able to play all the infield positions and as a corner outfielder. He was also used for pinch-hitting duties late in his career. He was interim manager for the White Sox in the latter part of the 2022 season as manager Tony La Russa stepped away due to health concerns.
Juan Manuel Nieves Cruz is a Puerto Rican professional baseball pitcher and coach who is currently the assistant pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 1988. He has coached in MLB for the Chicago White Sox,Boston Red Sox,and Miami Marlins.
Lee Constantine Elia is an American former professional baseball infielder,who played only sparingly in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox (1966) and Chicago Cubs (1968). Following his playing career,he managed the Cubs (1982–1983) and Philadelphia Phillies (1987–1988),and served as a coach for the Phillies,New York Yankees,Toronto Blue Jays,Tampa Bay Devil Rays,Baltimore Orioles,and Seattle Mariners. Elia was hired by the Atlanta Braves as a special assistant to general manager Frank Wren in November,2010.
Donald Eulon Kessinger is an American former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from 1964 to 1979,most prominently as a member of the Chicago Cubs where,he was a six-time All-Star player and a two-time Gold Glove Award winner. He ended his career playing for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago White Sox.
Kenneth Royal Williams is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball and the current Executive Vice President of the Chicago White Sox.
Gregory Lee Walker is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1982 to 1990. He is the former hitting coach of the Chicago White Sox,the team for which he played all but the last 14 games of his career,until leaving the White Sox to become the hitting coach for the Atlanta Braves,a position he held from 2012 until 2014.
Calvin John Eldred is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played for 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1991 to 2005. He previously worked for the St. Louis Cardinals as a special assistant to general manager John Mozeliak,instructing minor league players for various on-field and off-field issues. On October 5th,2022,Eldred was relieved of his duties as pitching coach for the Kansas City Royals.
Alan Michael Zinter is an American former professional baseball player and hitting coach. He played for Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in 1999 and with the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB) in 2002 and 2004,respectively. He served as the minor league hitting coordinator for the Cleveland Indians,the assistant hitting coach for the Astros,and was the hitting coach of the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds.
Gary Robert Tuck is an American former professional baseball player,coach,and manager. He played one game in Minor League Baseball as a catcher in 1978. He has coached in the minor leagues and in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees,Florida Marlins,and Boston Red Sox.
The 1979 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 80th season overall,and their 79th in Major League Baseball. The team finished in fifth place in the American League West with a record of 73 wins and 87 losses,15 games behind the first-place California Angels.
JoséCastro is a Cuban professional baseball coach for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was previously a coach for the Seattle Mariners,Chicago Cubs,and Atlanta Braves.
Joseph Everett Sparks is a retired American professional baseball player,manager,coach and scout. A former infielder in the minor leagues,Sparks batted left-handed,threw right-handed,stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (88 kg) during his active career.
Timothy James Hyers is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current hitting coach for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the San Diego Padres,Detroit Tigers,and Florida Marlins. He has also served as the hitting coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox.
Christopher Dalton Johnson is an American professional baseball coach and former player who is the assistant hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Houston Astros,Arizona Diamondbacks,Atlanta Braves,Cleveland Indians,and Miami Marlins.
Brandon Michael Hyde is an American professional baseball manager for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). Hyde had previously served as the bench coach,director of player development,and first base coach for the Chicago Cubs,and as a bench coach and interim manager for the Florida Marlins.
Pedro Orlando Grifol is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He is the current manager for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously served as a coach for the Kansas City Royals of MLB.
Nicholas John Delmonico is an American former professional baseball outfielder and current hitting coach of the Birmingham Barons,the Double-A Chicago White Sox affiliate. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox from 2017 to 2020.