La Russa, Tony (Anthony La Russa, Jr.) [key], 1944–, American baseball player and manager, b. Tampa, Fla. An infielder, he spent years in the minors but also played parts of six seasons (1963, 1968–71, 1973) with the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs. In 1978 he graduated from Florida State Univ. law school and in 1980 passed the bar, but he stayed in baseball instead of practicing law. La Russa managed the Chicago White Sox from 1979 and the Oakland Athletics from 1986, and led the A's to three pennants (1988–90) and one World Series win (1989). In 1996 he moved to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he won three league championships (2004, 2006, 2011) and two Series (2006, 2011) before retiring (2011). He is the Cards winningest manager (1,408 wins) and third overall in baseball (2,728 wins), surpassed only by Connie Mack and John McGraw.
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