Leyland symbolizes Pittsburgh

He was the Pirates manager from 1986-96.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A couple of Detroit Tigers rooters trudged to one of the top rows of PNC Park's upper deck to watch the All-Star Home Run Derby, huffing and puffing as the stairs grew steeper and steeper.
Turns out the trip was worth the effort. Sitting only a few seats away was Jim Leyland -- who, despite managing a Tigers team that has the majors' best record at the All-Star break, had no better connection for getting good seats than they did.
That Leyland would willingly sit among the cheap-seat fans -- though no All-Star ticket is inexpensive -- symbolizes Leyland, the regular-guy man, as much as it does Leyland, the blue-collar manager.
When Leyland is back home in Pittsburgh, he's one of the guys, no one special, just another fan out to watch a game with friends and family. Even a game in which some of his own players are playing.
Chose not to coach
He was asked to be an AL coach Tuesday night, but felt the honor should go to someone who hadn't been out of the game for the previous six seasons, as he was. Leyland also preferred to spend the short All-Star break with his wife, daughter and son, who accompanied him to the game.
"Aww, I had some good ones, down there in that section behind home plate that costs a lot of money. What, I've been there one time in six seasons?" Leyland said, talking more like a regular-Joe fan than one of the game's best managers.
"I like sitting up there in the 300 section with my friends. Those seats cost me $5,700 -- and I sold every one of them. And, no, I didn't scalp any of them."
There's another reason why Leyland thinks Pittsburgh is special, and why he continues to live there though he hasn't managed there in 10 years.
In most cities, a recognizable face like Leyland would be pestered for autograph after autograph after autograph. At the derby, Leyland was allowed to watch in peace, and it looked like many fans around him didn't realize who he was.
Leyland, the Pirates manager from 1986-96, grew comfortable attending games in PNC Park while serving as a major league scout for the Cardinals, until he got the urge to manage again. While watching those hundreds and hundreds of games, he sat most nights beside former Pirates manager Chuck Tanner, himself a scout and the father of former Pirates bullpen coach Bruce Tanner.
That was the curious twist for the All-Star game -- instead of Leyland being in uniform, he was up in the stands and Tanner was on the field. Tanner hasn't managed since 1988 with Atlanta, but was asked by NL manager Phil Garner of Houston to be an honorary coach.
"Great honor, tremendous honor," Leyland said of the man who preceded him as Pittsburgh's manager. "Well-deserved, too."
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