1974 Profile: Sparky Lyle

"The Count ... so named by his adoring fans in Yankee Stadium who stood and cheered his every appearance (accompanied by Pomp and Circumstance). Lyle has long, flowing hair that sticks out, and a fat chaw of tobacco.
The Yanks got him before the '72 season from Boston in a deal for Mario Guerrero and Danny Cater and struck gold. Sparky was third for MVP that year with nine wins and 35 saves. He was off to a great start last year, but had two terrible months in the midst of an overall team skid and even got booed.
A comedian, Sparky once reported for spring training 20 pounds overweight.
'I was in great shape when I left home,' he said, 'but I stopped for tacos in South Carolina.' He's also called Fat Albert, for that is his real name."

-Peter Gammons, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1974 Edition

"Sparky Lyle has figured in nearly half of the Yankees' victories in the past two seasons, either by virtue of a win or a save. That's the kind of performance that makes him stand out in his field as one of the great relief pitchers of modern baseball.
The drama of a Lyle appearance, so much a part of the New York sports scene, features this master of confidence and ability challenging hitters and defying them with his crafts. In a key situation - and that's the only time you see Sparky - he's at his best, for he thrives on the game-in-the-balance moments that earn saves.
A happy, fun-loving man off the field, Sparky enjoys photography away from the Yankees. But in the camaraderie of the clubhouse is where he's happiest - and where the Yankees are delighted to find him each day, knowing he's ready for those big moments late in the game when Sparky gets the call."

-The New York Yankees Official 1974 Yearbook

"Sparky has been the Yankees' top relief man for the past two years. He added flair and flamboyance to the Yankee scene the minute he walked into spring camp back in 1972. His entrance in a Yankee game accompanied by the organ's strains of Pomp and Circumstance never fails to excite the crowd.
Sparky was the Fireman of the Year in '72, appearing in 59 games and saving 35, a new American League record (broken last year by John Hiller). Last year he appeared in 51 games and saved 27; hence, Sparky has been involved in almost half of the club's victories the past two years. He won or saved 44 of 79 wins in '72, and 32 of 80 wins in '73.
Lyle has been one of baseball's most reliable relief pitchers since he reached the major leagues in 1967. He has compiled 125 saves in six and a half seasons, while averaging more than 50 appearances. He's also had an ERA under 3.00 every year except 1970.
Sparky is a rather rare breed of major leaguer in that he never played high school ball. He was discovered and signed by the Baltimore Orioles when he struck out 31 men in a 17-inning sandlot game. The Red Sox drafted him from the Oriole Organization after his first year as a professional."

-1974 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide