Ted Sparks, born about 1932 in Arkansas1
, was a Negro baseball player from about 1952-19622
, as well as a scout for the Atlanta Braves from 1984-1985.
Biography
Ted Sparks was the son of Willie "Billy" Sparks and Vivian (nee Ringo) Sparks. He grew up in Little Rock, AR, where his father was a well-known black baseball player. He graduated from Dunbar High in Little Rock.3
Sparks, an infielder, played with several semi-pro Negro baseball teams in Little Rock, including the Little Rock Tuxedo Tigers, Simms Red Sox,4 and the Little Rock Cubs. Between 1952-1956, he attended Morehouse College in Atlanta and captained the baseball team.5 Around the same time, he may have briefly played with the Kansas City Monarchs.6 Sparks also played with the amateur Atlanta Yankees in 1956 and 1957,7 , and the Negro Atlanta Stars from 1958-1962.8 9 He managed to Stars in 1961 and 1962.10 Sparks also later scouted and coached for the Atlanta Braves in 1984 and 1985.11
Excerpts
"A few boys who played in Crump's park, including [Bill] Sparks' brother, Ted Sparks , found careers in baseball. Ted Sparks , a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, was once a scout for the Atlanta Braves, said Billy Sparks, who is retired after working as a service manager for Entergy Arkansas"12
Biography
Ted Sparks was the son of Willie "Billy" Sparks and Vivian (nee Ringo) Sparks. He grew up in Little Rock, AR, where his father was a well-known black baseball player. He graduated from Dunbar High in Little Rock.3
Sparks, an infielder, played with several semi-pro Negro baseball teams in Little Rock, including the Little Rock Tuxedo Tigers, Simms Red Sox,4 and the Little Rock Cubs. Between 1952-1956, he attended Morehouse College in Atlanta and captained the baseball team.5 Around the same time, he may have briefly played with the Kansas City Monarchs.6 Sparks also played with the amateur Atlanta Yankees in 1956 and 1957,7 , and the Negro Atlanta Stars from 1958-1962.8 9 He managed to Stars in 1961 and 1962.10 Sparks also later scouted and coached for the Atlanta Braves in 1984 and 1985.11
Excerpts
"A few boys who played in Crump's park, including [Bill] Sparks' brother, Ted Sparks , found careers in baseball. Ted Sparks , a graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, was once a scout for the Atlanta Braves, said Billy Sparks, who is retired after working as a service manager for Entergy Arkansas"12
12
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 7/6/2006