Former Cardinals, White Sox Manager LaRussa Elected To Hall Of Fame

Tony La Russa is getting a plaque in Cooperstown.  The former St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox manager is one of three elected Monday by the Hall of Fame's expansion era committee.

The 69-year-old La Russa spent nearly 50 years in Major League Baseball, 33 of them as a manger.  He took the Cardinals to the World Series three times in his 16 years with the team, with victories in 2006 and 2011. He's the winningest manager in Cardinals history.

He is third on baseball’s all-time wins list, but La Russa says he was “stunned” to be elected to the Hall.

“I will honestly and categorically state, I don’t think I will ever feel comfortable being a part of that club," he said. 

The others elected for Hall of Fame induction Monday are former Cardinals player and skipper Joe Torre and ex-Atlanta manager Bobby Cox. LaRussa called both men “class acts.”

“You play against guys like that, it’s a great competition," he said.  "They really want to beat, it’s your team against their team, but you learn about winning and losing the right way."

La Russa followed Torre in St. Louis, and managed against Cox’s Atlanta Braves for 14 seasons. 

LaRussa also won a championship with the Oakland A's (where he managed from 1986-1995), and managed the White Sox from 1979-1986, winning a division championship with the team in 1983.

The three will be inducted in July.