How Tony La Russa Managed the Cardinals to a 2006 World Series Title
/Legendary Cardinals manager Tony La Russa overcame postseason setbacks to win the 2006 World Series—blending legal smarts, grit, and gut instinct.
By Michelle Segrest
Originally published in Lindy’s Sports Annuals Special Edition, 2006
In the era of wildcard baseball, the postseason is a different species than it was under the two division format. No one identifies with that more than Tony La Russa. His St. Louis Cardinals have historically dominated the National League only to go poof in an October night once the playoffs begin.
That’s why 2006 is La Russa’s greatest revenge.
La Russa’s Postseason Curse—and How He Broke It in 2006
“What I’m enjoying is the way we are competing,” La Russa said during St. Louis’ World Series run. “It’s been fun to watch. It started that first playoff game in San Diego. The life . . . the energy in that dugout . . . it’s carried over. It’s fun to see a club compete and take its best shot.”
This year, the Cardinals didn’t dominate the regular season. In fact, they barely treaded water, finishing a mere five games above .500. That doesn’t exactly scream World Series champ.
But La Russa refuses to be a junkyard under-dog. He silenced prognosticators in Game 1 with a 7-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers. It was a win as clean as Kenny Rogers’ left hand in the second inning of Game 2.
The Cardinals never looked back, rolling past the Tigers in four games as La Russa exorcised the postseason demons that have haunted him in past Octobers.
With a dozen games to go in the regular season, a third consecutive NL Central Championship seemed a sure thing. But the Cards maintained the suspense, losing nine of 12 and barely grasping the title. The downward slide and possible derailing did not escape the attention of the St. Louis skipper.
“It was just concern that we were going to be a part of history in the worst kind of way,” La Russa said. “We went through a serious period where we were having trouble getting wins.”
It wouldn’t be the first time La Russa was associated with negative history.
His career is scarred by regular-season success and post-season failure. In five of the last six years, his Cardinals have been dismissed in the playoffs by less potent teams with worse regular-season records.
While with the Oakland A’s, he won four division titles in five years from 1988-1992, but captured only one World Series ring when experts believed his clubs deserved at least three during that time.
And who could forget perhaps the greatest upset in baseball history? La Russa was there as a limping Kirk Gibson smacked the game winner to propel the Dodgers over the universally-favored Oakland A’s. La Russa’s 1988 club couldn’t recover from the shock felt around the baseball world and dropped the Series to Los Angeles. La Russa captured the crown in 1989, but lost 12 of 13 games in three other World Series, including the merciless 2004 Red Sox sweep.
Negative history aside, La Russa is the third-winningest manager in baseball history, leading St. Louis to postseason play in seven of 11 seasons. The man knows how to win.
La Russa was hired by the Cardinals on October 23, 1995, after managing for 17 years in the American League with Oakland and Chicago. In his first NL season, La Russa guided the Cardinals to the 1996 Central Division title and was named Major League Manager of the Year by the Associated Press.
Regarded by his peers as one of the game's top managers, La Russa's honors include Manager of the Year recognition in five seasons, seven NL Central Division titles, two NL pennants, five AL Western Division titles, three AL pennants and two World Series championships.
How a Law Degree Gave La Russa an Edge in the Dugout
A master strategist, La Russa is a 1978 graduate of Florida State University’s School of Law - he passed the bar exam in 1979 - and is one of only five lawyer/managers in baseball history. The other four are Monte Ward (New York Giants, Brooklyn and Providence, late 1800s), Hughie Jennings (Detroit, 1907-20, New York Giants, 1924), Miller Huggins (St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees, 1913-29) and Branch Rickey (St. Louis Browns, 1913-15, St. Louis Cardinals, 1919-25). All of La Russa's predecessors are in the Hall of Fame.
But practicing law is the last thing on La Russa’s razor-sharp mind.
“I’d rather ride the buses managing in Triple A than be a lawyer,” he once said.
La Russa believes an education of any kind can’t hurt, but perhaps the law degree doesn’t give him much of an advantage when managing a baseball club.
“I don’t know if it’s helped with my people skills,” La Russa says. “I think your personality is what it is. Where the law degree does help is learning the value of preparation and attention to detail. But I would get into these games, and you would see these masters like Sparky (Anderson) and Billy (Martin) and Chuck (Tanner). They didn’t go to law school.
“So it’s mostly the education you get in baseball.”
The Birth of ARF: A Baseball Game, a Cat, and a Cause
La Russa is generally stoic in the dugout, but the underscore of intensity is obvious. He has a big heart for the game of baseball, and for all four-legged creatures.
When La Russa was with the A’s, he was inspired to start the Animal Rescue Foundation when a stray cat wandered onto the playing field during a game against the Yankees. The feline became terrified by the roar of the crowd and dashed about, eluding players and umpires. La Russa secured the animal and took the responsibility of finding it a home. To his horror, he discovered there was not a single no-kill facility in the East Bay Region of the San Francisco Bay Area. La Russa and his wife, Elaine, adopted the cat and founded the ARF, which finds homes for lost and abandoned animals and educates the public about spay and neuter programs.
“You Want to Feel Like This Every Day”—Managing Under Pressure
While passionate about his charitable organization, baseball remains his first love.
La Russa is a consummate enthusiast of the sport, says Nate Oliver, a longtime baseball player and coach. Oliver was with Oakland’s front office when La Russa managed the A’s and now is a bunting and baserunning coach in the White Sox organization.
“Tony is the kind of guy who makes sure the situation is right for all those involved,” Oliver says. “He is a straightforward individual who is able to handle his people. He is very well-respected in the baseball community. When Dusty Baker returned in 1993 to manage the Giants, the first person he called was Tony La Russa. He called him to discuss strategies and to get advice. That’s how much he’s respected.”
Though La Russa can draw from his intellect, it’s his instincts that make him a winner, according to Oliver.
“La Russa believes that managing has a lot to do with hunches,” Oliver explains. “It’s a feeling sometimes more than the situation. No one is better at following their gut than Tony La Russa.”
During the 1996 NL Central Division title race, with his Cardinals in contention, La Russa’s instincts and emotions played a big role. He was quoted, saying “I’m as nauseous as I’ve ever been. I have a terrible headache. My head is pounding. I feel like throwing up, and I’m having trouble swallowing.
“And the beauty of it is, you want to feel like this every day.”
Michelle Garland Segrest, a graduate of Auburn University, is an award winning sports reporter who has been working as a journalist since 1989. During her career, Michelle has reported about everything from sports to courts, lifestyles to business, politics to pastries, and technical to travel.
Where is Tony La Russa now?
Tony La Russa is currently a special advisor to the Chicago White Sox baseball operations, coaching, and player development staffs. He is not in a managerial role, but he travels with the team and does some minor league scouting.
