Inventing an evocative nickname for the Yankees of the Seventies up to the present, he's also the recipient of one of the funniest quotes ever uttered.

If his career (which was very good) had been as good as his name, he'd be an easy HoMer.

In his book, "the Bronx Zoo" he mentioned how during contract negotiation one year George Steinbrenner allegedly told him that he'd have a better shot at making the HOF if he stayed a Yankee.

Lyle claimed that the very possibility had never ever ocurred to him before...

During the festivities of Fan Appreciation Day 1972 (?) ...Sparky Lyle won the egg tossing contest and I believe he finished second in the blindfolded wheelbarrel race out to the monuments in centerfield!

Does this help Sparky's cause?

Sparky Lyle won the egg tossing contest and I believe he finished second in the blindfolded wheelbarrel race out to the monuments in centerfield!

Does this help Sparky's cause?

For the Egg Tossing and Blindfolded Wheelbarrow Halls of Fame? Certainly!

;-)

Does this help Sparky's cause?

Yes, it will move him to number 16 on my ballot in perpetuity.

At Old Timers Day in the late 1980s or mid 1990s, Sparky threw a pitch from behind and up over his back that was called a strike.

He threw it by using his usual motion but not releasing the ball. Instead he followed through, ball still in hand, and released it as his arm followed through from underneath and behind his right armpit. It was a blooper pitch that landed in the zone and totally befuddled whoever was at the dish.

he's also the recipient of one of the funniest quotes ever uttered.

I'll bite. What's the quote?

I'll bite. What's the quote?

After Lyle's departure from the Yankees, Graig Nettles quipped that he gone from Cy Young to Sayonara. :-)

Ah yes. Sparky "Death to Birthday Cakes" Lyle.

I've got Lyle basically equal to Perranoski, McMahon and Lavelle, a little ahead of Garber and Brewer, significantly behind Quisenbery, Marshall and Face.

His 1977 is pretty overrated, horrible Cy Young choice, he was 4.5 runs below average on inherited runners, only leveraged 1.30. Nice year, but Tug McGraw was just as valuable that year, Rollie Fingers a lot more valuable, Jim Kern was almost as good, Sutter was a ton more valuable, Gossage had the second best relief season I've found so far, Ron Reed was better, Gary Lavelle a lot better, Gene Garber nearly as good, Bill Campbell a lot better too.

1977 was a heckuva year for relief aces, and Lyle was nothing special at all. 1972 was his best season, pretty handily.