La Russa Returns to Chicago, Named Manager
The Chicago White Sox will have a new manager in the dugout for the 2021 season — and it is someone who has been there before.
On Thursday, October 29, 2020, the White Sox officially named Tony La Russa as their next manager. La Russa brings a wealth of accomplishments to the South Side of Chicago…
-Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame
-Third-winningest manager in baseball history
-Three-time World Series champion
-Four-time winner of the Manager of the Year Award
Along with his astonishing accomplishments, the 76-year-old also brings with him the familiarity of Chicago and owner Jerry Reinsdorf. La Russa managed the White Sox from 1979–1986 and owns a 522–510 record with the organization. He currently ranks fourth in franchise history in games managed (1,035) and victories (522).
From the official Chicago White Sox press release:
During 33 seasons as a Major League manager with the White Sox (1979–86), Oakland Athletics (1986–95) and St. Louis Cardinals (1996–2011), La Russa’s teams have made 14 postseason appearances, won 12 division titles, six pennants and claimed three World Series championships (1989 with Oakland; 2006 and ’11 with St. Louis). La Russa, who retired as a manager following a World Series championship with the Cardinals in 2011, served as a baseball executive with Major League Baseball (2012–13), the Arizona Diamondbacks (2014–17), the Boston Red Sox (2017–19) and the Los Angeles Angels (2019–2020) before re-joining the White Sox.
“We are extremely excited about the future of this team,” said Rick Hahn, White Sox general manager/senior vice president. “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 a Hall of Fame manager who is recognized as being one of the best in the history of the game, we are a step closer to our goal of bringing White Sox fans another championship.”
La Russa is only the second manager, joining Sparky Anderson, to win World Series titles with teams in both leagues. La Russa and Connie Mack are the only two managers to win World Series titles in three different decades and to win pennants in four decades. La Russa, who was named Manager of the Year in 1983, 1988, 1992 and 2002, is one of only four managers to receive the honor in each league.
“While I have had other inquiries about managing since retiring, this opportunity with the White Sox brings together a number of important factors that make this the right time and the right place,” La Russa said. “The on-field talent is amazing, and the front office, led by Kenny Williams and Rick Hahn, has done everything necessary to create an atmosphere of long-term success. All of those factors aligned to make this a tremendous opportunity, and I am excited to get going as soon as possible by building a coaching staff and getting to work.”
“As everyone in baseball is well aware, I have always respected Tony and am proud to have maintained a great friendship with him over the decades in the game,” said Jerry Reinsdorf, White Sox chairman. “But his hiring is not based on friendship or on what happened years ago, but on the fact that we have the opportunity to have one of the greatest managers in the game’s history in our dugout at a time when we believe our team is poised for great accomplishments.”
