Major League Baseball (MLB) is about to lose one of their most iconic figures in recent memory. St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has announced just days after he took his team to a World Series victory that he’s calling it quits.
La Russa held a Busch Stadium news conference on Monday to which he revealed:
“I think this just feels like it’s time to end it … Other than some of the personal attachments, I feel good,” he said. “I feel good that this is the right decision.”
La Russa has had a successful career as a manager winning the World Series with Oakland in 1989 followed by a second championship ring with St. Louis in 2006 and now a third in 2011.
According to the Cardinals manager he began thinking about retirement half way through the current season and had informed the front office in August after the Cardinals had begun slipping out of wild card contention.
When asked what he plans to do with all of his spare time the soon-to-be former manager said he wasn’t sure but “maybe open a book store.”
We’ll likely see Tony La Russa inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame soon, he’ll be eligible for the honor starting in 2014.
Are you sad to see La Russa retire?