Tony LaRussa will not have the interlocking STL on his cap when his plaque is hung in Cooperstown.
Wait, what?
From the press release linked above: "The museum staff works with each inductee by suggesting an appropriate logo option, or no logo at all."
So your options are three-fold: 1) The HoF suggested the Cardinals logo and TLR declined. 2) The HoF suggested no logo at all and TLR accepted. 3) The HoF suggested some logo other than the Cardinals and TLR didn't choose any of them.
Ah. But we have the answer…
"The Chicago White Sox gave me my start in the game as a big league manager for my first eight seasons in my 33-year managerial career. In Oakland, we recorded four first-place finishes in 10 years, winning three pennants and a World Series. And in St. Louis, our clubs won three pennants and two titles in 16 years. It's the totality of the success of each of those three teams that led me to Cooperstown, so I am choosing to not feature a logo so that fans of all clubs can celebrate this honor with me".
White Sox nation is going to be out in FORCE this induction cycle for TLR!
The rational part of the brain processes that statement and it computes. LaRussa did spend 18 seasons coaching teams other than the Cardinals. And anyone thinking about their own career is going to look fondly back on the places that gave them a shot or the places where your first success happened.
But the emotional part… the part you're probably working with right now? That's a bit tougher.
After all, The Cardinals are the only team to retire his number. The Cardinals are the only team that put his picture up on their outfield wall when he left managing after the 2011 season. The Cardinals paid him more money than the A's or Sox. The Cardinals are the team he had the most success with.
It's often said nothing ends well. Or it wouldn't end.
TLR's mic drop after winning a World Series and then deucing out on baseball after the championship parade looked like a rare exception. But then rumblings about him getting back into baseball started to bubble up. And now, in an effort to please everyone, he's probably ticked off a few Cardinal fans while A's and Sox fans aren't going to be partying in the streets over this decision either.
It's LaRussa's honor. It's his choice to go in to the HoF however he wants to.
Still, kind of stings a bit. I kind of thought this was an automatic cap selection. Turns out, it wasn't. The Cardinals couldn't have done more to show TLR the love.
Perhaps he'll reciprocate in some way during induction weekend? We'll see.
H/T: @AnswerDave for the pic
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