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sports Friday 30 OctOber 2020
White Sox reunite with La Russa, hire Hall of Fame manager

By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO (AP) — Tony La
Russa, the Hall of Famer
who won a World Series
with the Oakland Athletics
and two more with the St.
Louis Cardinals, is returning
to manage the Chicago
White Sox 34 years after
they fired him.
The 76-year-old La Russa
rejoins the franchise where
his managing career be-
gan more than four de-
cades ago. He takes over
for Rick Renteria after what
the White Sox insisted was a
mutual agreement to split.
"We are extremely excited
about the future of this
team," general manager
Rick Hahn said Thursday.
"As we showed in 2020, this
is a young, talented club
that we expect to only
grow better and better in
the coming years. Adding In this Aug. 30, 2014, file photo, former Chicago White Sox manager Tony La Russa stands with his Baseball Hall of Fame plaque
in a Hall of Fame manager before the second baseball game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers in Chicago.
who is recognized as being Associated Press
one of the best in the his-
tory of the game, we are season, is returning to the they're reuniting. pline issues. team, where sky high bat-
a step closer to our goal of dugout for the first time "His hiring is not based on In May 2014, he was hired flips by Tim Anderson seem
bringing White Sox fans an- since 2011, when he led friendship or on what hap- by the Arizona Diamond- almost as common as pop
other championship." St. Louis past Texas in the pened years ago, but on backs to oversee their flies.
La Russa inherits a team World Series. He also won the fact that we have the baseball operation. They Then again, he's no strang-
loaded with young stars championships with Oak- opportunity to have one signed Zack Greinke to a er to managing outsized
and productive veterans land in 1989 and the Cardi- of the greatest managers $206.5 million deal follow- personalities. He had Rick-
that made the playoffs for nals in 2006. in the game's history in our ing the 2015 season. La ey Henderson and Jose
the first time since 2008, La Russa is 2,728-2,365 with dugout at a time when we Russa got demoted to an Canseco in Oakland, after
only to sputter down the six pennants over 33 sea- believe our team is poised advisory role following a all.
stretch and get knocked sons with Chicago, Oak- for great accomplish- 93-loss season in 2016 and The White Sox have never
out in the wild-card round. land and St. Louis. He was ments," Reinsdorf said. joined Boston's front office made back-to-back play-
He becomes the old- enshrined in Cooperstown The move is a surprise con- as a special assistant to off appearances. But after
est manager in the major in 2014. Only Hall of Famers sidering how long it's been then-president Dave Dom- ending a string of seven los-
leagues by five years. Hous- Connie Mack (3,731) and since La Russa was in the browski in November 2017. ing seasons, they are in po-
ton's Dusty Baker is 71. John McGraw (2,763) have dugout. General manager La Russa was with the Red sition to change that.
"While I have had other in- more victories. Rick Hahn said the White Sox when they hired Cora They have a core of young
quiries about managing LaRussa got his first major Sox were looking for some- and won the World Series players on team-friendly
since retiring, this oppor- league managing job at one who has "experience in 2018. And he spent last deals, starting with Ander-
tunity with the White Sox age 34 when the White Sox with a championship orga- season as a senior advi- son. Veteran José Abreu
brings together a number promoted him from Triple- nization in recent years." sor for baseball operations put himself in the running
of important factors that A to replace the fired Don Former Houston manager with the Los Angeles An- for AL MVP by driving in
make this the right time Kessinger. He took over AJ Hinch and ex-Boston gels, assisting in player de- 60 runs. Ace Lucas Giolito
and the right place," La that August and led them skipper Alex Cora fit that velopment. pitched his first no-hitter.
Russa said. "The on-field to a 522-510 record over description. Both were sus- Whether any of manager Eloy Jiménez hit .296 with
talent is amazing, and the parts of eight seasons. pended by Major League Joe Maddon's eccentrici- 14 homers and 41 RBIs. Luis
front office, led by Kenny The 1983 team won 99 Baseball for the 2020 sea- ties rubbed off on him re- Robert, who agreed to a
Williams and Rick Hahn, has games on the way to the son for their roles in the As- mains to be seen. $50 million, six-year con-
done everything necessary AL West championship — tros' sign stealing scandal, Maddon keeps a loose and tract in January, showed
to create an atmosphere Chicago's first playoff ap- and both lost their manag- fun atmosphere, whether star potential in a roller-
of long-term success. All pearance since the 1959 er jobs. Their punishments it's having a magician or coaster rookie year. He got
of those factors aligned to Go-Go White Sox won the ended this week. zoo animals at the ballpark off to a great start and hit a
make this a tremendous pennant. But he was fired in Though he hasn't been in or showing up for a spring massive homer in the play-
opportunity, and I am ex- 1986 by then-general man- a dugout in nine years, La training workout decked off series against Oakland,
cited to get going as soon ager Ken Harrelson after Russa has remained a part out in tie-dye with a 1970s though he also slumped in
as possible by building a the White Sox got off to a of the game. van blasting Earth, Wind & September.
coaching staff and getting 26-38 start. Shortly after retiring, he Fire's "Shining Star." La Rus- Now, the White Sox are
to work." Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf went to work in the league sa, of course, was known banking on La Russa to
La Russa, who started his has long regretted allow- office for two years assisting more for his scowl than his help push them to champi-
managing career with the ing that move and remains former Yankees manager smile. Now, he's taking on onships, just as he did with
White Sox during the 1979 close with La Russa. Now, Joe Torre in on-field disci- a vibrant and outgoing Oakland and St. Louis.q