I really don’t care what people think about Tony La Russa choosing to go with no logo on his Hall of Fame cap.   Get over it.  I have no problem with it.  He managed in three cities and each meant something to him.  Respect a man’s choice for honoring where he came from and where he made the most of his time.  With that said, I had a chance to participate in a 25 minute media session with La Russa last Sunday.  Here is what I got out of that session.

Tony La Russa never wasted any words when speaking with the media during his career as a manager.   While those words could be short ended and sparse at times, he is direct and carried a dry sense of humor about him.

When these media sessions go well, the player/coach treats them like a conversation and not an interrogation.   La Russa simply sat there and talked to us before he signed for the fans.  Here are are his thoughts on various subjects.

On Sunday, La Russa gave an intimate 25 minute conversation about his years in St. Louis, instant replay, and getting into the Hall of Fame.  It was one of those conversations that you didn’t want to see end and wouldn’t soon forget.

On getting into the Hall Of Fame-

“I had convinced myself it wasn’t going to happen.  This has been a surreal experience.  All the pieces they give you and the other guys.  It’s heavy stuff.  You get the call and they don’t tell you anything else.  They tell you to come down.   They tell you that your life will be different.  There’s some far out stuff that is impossible to comprehend.”

La Russa, even after making it into the Hall, isn’t comfortable being a part of it.

“I still think the Hall Of Fame is a place for players.  I always thought the managers in there were guys like Earl Weaver and Sparky Anderson, who lit the room up with baseball.   When we won the Championship in 2006, there was a feeling something was there, having won one in each league(like Sparky).  It may be hard to avoid it.   I am not comfortable with it and the biggest reason is I never thought good fortune was hall of fame criteria.  I have been lucky enough to be in places like Chicago, (Oakland), and St. Louis.  The only thing I want is to not disrespect Chicago or Oakland.  They will make their decision soon.”

One year after Stan Musial passed away, the legendary Cardinal still comes to Tony’s mind.

“You don’t ever forget about people like him(Stan Musial).   One of the best things DeWitt has done is make sure to remind his players that they are just a part of history.  The greatest example of what a player should be.  With Stan, he is the model.  Stan had all the qualities.  10 out of 10.  He is the perfect guy.”

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