MLB

Rescuing Animals Remains Higher Calling for Baseball Hall of Famer Tony La Russa

Only one other MLB manager has won more games than Hall of Famer Tony La Russa. When rescuing animals, La Russa is in first place.
Rescuing Animals Remains Higher Calling for Baseball Hall of Famer Tony La Russa
Hall of Fame Manager Tony La Russa and his wife Elaine stand with his Hall of Fame plaque prior to the start of a Major League Baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Aug. 9, 2014. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
Donald Laible
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Animal rescue has been a higher calling for Baseball Hall of Famer Tony La Russa for as long as he can remember.

For all the accomplishments La Russa racked up during a 35-season run managing for MLB’s Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals—beginning mid-season in 1979 through his last day as the skipper in 2022—loving and caring for animals has brought comfort to La Russa. Pressure to win, and win routinely at the big league level, was part of La Russa’s job description that the Tampa, Florida, native was able to master.

Donald Laible
Donald Laible
Author
Don has covered pro baseball for several decades, beginning in the minor leagues as a radio broadcaster in the NY Mets organization. His Ice Chips & Diamond Dust blog ran from 2012-2020 at uticaod.com. His baseball passion surrounds anything concerning the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and writing features on the players and staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Don currently resides in southwest Florida.