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Tony LaRussa is one of the greatest managers in the history of baseball, and one of the more interesting people to grace the sport. As manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals, LaRussa is the third-winningest baseball field boss of all time, surpassed only by legends Connie Mack and John J. McGraw, whom some day LaRussa will join in the baseball Hall of Fame.
Born on October 4, 1944, LaRussa was raised in Tampa, Florida, near where Hall of Fame manager Al Lopez lived. The young Tony was friends with future major league player and manager Lou Piniella. As a teenager, LaRussa appeared in the Colt League World Series. Signed by owner Charles O. Finley's Kansas City Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1962, LaRussa's broke into The Show the following year at the age of 18, but his early debut did not presage greatness at the plate: he hit only .199 in six major league seasons spread over a 10 year period (1963-73). LaRussa became impressed with A's manager Dick Williams managerial style, though he only appeared in 23 games for Williams' 1971 team that went on to win the first of five straight American League West pennants.
Traded to the Braves that year, he ended his career in 1973 with the Chicago Cubs. LaRussa became a player-coach for minor league teams, and then was appointed manager for the minor league Knoxville in 1978. He then managed the Iowa Oaks in 1979 until Aug 2nd, when he was appointed manager of the Chicago White Sox. Since then, he has managed every year in the major leagues.
Despite winning the AL West pennant in 1983 with the ChiSox, controversial general manager Ken Harrelson canned him in 1986, but he immediately was named manager of the Oakland A's. With the A's, LaRussa created the first dynasty since the advent of free agency: His team won three straight American League pennants and one World Series, as well as four AL West titles.
After resigning from the A's, LaRussa was hired by the Cardinals in 1996. From 1996 through 2007, the Cardinals appeared in the National League playoffs six times, won the NL pennant in 2004 and the World Series in 2006.
An attorney and committed community activist, Tony LaRussa is destined to be enshrined in the baseball Hall of Fame at the end of his managing career.
