Thanks, Tony!
Fresh off his third World Series title — and second with the Cardinals — skipper Tony La Russa announced his retirement on Monday, October 31, 2011 after 33 seasons as a big league manager, including the past 16 seasons with St. Louis.
La Russa, 67, ranks third in baseball history in managerial victories with 2,728, behind only Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGraw (2,763). The Cardinals skipper is also the only manager in Major League Baseball history to win multiple pennants in both leagues and the second to win a World Series title in each, as well.
More than half of La Russa’ victories — 1,408 — have come in a St. Louis uniform, making him the franchise’s winningest manager, after having led the Cardinals to a surprising World Series title this season.
Fans can thank Tony La Russa for a great run of World Champion Baseball in St. Louis by leaving a message below!
Official Cardinals Fan Guestbook 
Thanks for such wonderful memories. You have built on a wonderful winning tradition.
Tony, you are truly a 1st class manager and a human being! You have been a major part of my beloved St louis Cardinals for many, many years! The way your players sing your praises says alot about how well you are loved in St Louis! I wish you all the luck and success you so richly deserve! We will NEVER be able to replace you! Thank You and god bless!!
Tony–thanks for fielding some of the best players in baseball all of these years. It continues to be my greatest joy just being a Cardinal fan. Thanks for all the time and dedication you have given to the organization–you will be greatly missed!
Beverly Whitton
As a life-long Cardinal fan, I thank you for some of the most wonderful baseball memories that I have; I also thank your family for the sacrifices they made during the years. Blessings on the years ahead!!
Thanks for everything, Tony! You will be missed, but congratulations on going out on top. Enjoy your retirement!
Thanks for the best World Series that I have ever seen!
Thanks for the wonderful years!
Baseball in St. Louis won’t be the same for me for a while to come. LaRoussa has been our coach all of my adult life and I’m sad to see him go, but happy he’s choosen to go out on TOP! Way to go Tony, you’ve been a great leader to our team!
Thank you for all the memories!
Thanks Tony for all the great seasons. You taught me to never give up. Thank You
Thanks, Tony. It’s been a fun ride.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! You have made a huge difference in the lives of the ball players as well as in Cardinal Nation! We are so blessed to have had so much time with your leadership! Enjoy your retirement!!
Treasure, Zack and Colten Wilson and Mike Patton
Good job Tony! You had a great run.
Thanks Tony!!!
Tony A.
Enjoyed having you as the skipper for the Cardinals. Good luck with whatever you do.
Enjoy your retirement at Pete’s Brass Rail and Carwash. Don’t stay a stranger to St Louis.
Thanks for a great 16 years, Tony! Though you may have driven me mad on in-numerous occasions with your managerial decisions, you were always one of the best to ever manage the game. You will be tough, if not impossible, to replace. Enjoy your retirement – you have most certainly earned it!
Thanks, Tony – it has been a great run and I congratulate you on this latest (of) many Victory. Enjoy your retirement!
Tony — Thanks for taking such good care of my Cardinals for all those years! You are the best!
Tony,
While I have been critical of some parts of your management style over the years I can’t deny that without the grinding style, never say die personality you infect into this team the Cardinals could have never done what they did this year. You were the leader of arguably the greatest era in Cardinal baseball history. That is saying a heck of a lot. Thanks!!!!
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES! AND 2 CHAMPIONSHIPS!! WE WILL MISS YOU! HAPPY RETIREMENT!
I too have been a fan along with my father since 64! Unfortunately, we are losing a great manager, and the biggest fan(my father) passed away into cardinal heaven on Aug. 30th and the redbirds got an angel on their shoulder that night! The miracles kept coming, right on thru his birthday on sept! His anniversary, his youngest sons birthday in october! ALL days the birds made history, and pops was there tripping the Brave’s up and in Philly with Carp! he was number 1 fan, of the number 1 organization in baseball, and he left 4 generations of Cardinal fannatics! Thanks Tony, and Pops for all the memories, and the games we sat in the bleachers, carying his oxygen tank so he could watch them play 400 miles from his bed! Tony was a favorite of his, and I just thank God he brought us all to cardinal nation, together! Go Cards! I need another Got Rings shirt, 12 in ’12!
Cards fan since ’64. You brought great excitement and great class to baseball in this city, All the best to your and your family and I will always remember your time here with great fondness and memories of success.
Tony…you’ll always be the best in my book! Lots of sucess to you and good luck! From a life long Cards fan, thanks for 16 great years!
Craig in KC
Good show Tony! Thanks for all you’ve done. Enjoy retirement!!
Tony:
Its been an amazing ride since you have arrived in town…thanks for everything and good luck on your retirement.
Thanks Tony! From a lie-long Cardinals and TLR fan.
You will be greatly missed, but the fans and players alike. I know you will continue to do great things with Arf.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do in the future.
Congrats on a great year and career. You will be missed!
Cardinal Nation salutes you but boy will we miss you.
Many thanks for all the wild and crazy rides.
Thanks for everything you are a class act and meant so much to the city and to the team, you will be missed!!!! Way to go out on top as World Champions!!!
Thank You
Greg Burkhardt
Thanks for everything you brought to this city, Tony! You’ll forever be a part of the Cardinals and St. Louis in the hearts and minds of Cards fans everywhere. Was great to see you smile this World Series! You’ll be missed! Go Cards!
Thanks for always standing up for what you thought was right, despite talking heads who love controversy. Thanks for owning up to your mistakes. Thanks for always thanking the fans. Thanks for all the excitement, and pride you have provided to St. Louisians and Cardinal Nation. God Bless you, your wife and daughters in your retirement and enjoy your Hall of Fame momemt when it happens – you deserve it!
Thanks Tony! You will be remembered as one of the best managers/coaches in all sports history! It has been a pleasure to be able to watch you manage our beloved Cardinals for over a decade. We can only hope that someone near your ability will keep this wonderful franchise going in the right direction. Good Luck!
You have given the city of St. Louis and the fans of the St. Louis Cardinals a great run and I am proud to say that as you retire, know that you are one of the greatest St. Louis managers. You gave my family great pride in this team and a well-meant “Good Job Tony”. Now enjoy your retirement.
Thank you Tony.
Tony, I hope you enjoy your retirement, your family & your animal friends. Thanks for the wild ride this year & all the years before!
Thank you T.
Stay safe, Happy and healthy
Tony, as a die hard Cardinal fan…YOU WILL BE MISSED!!!
Thanks for the ride Tony there will be no other manager like you!!! I wish you ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Tony! Best wishes.
Tony, you have been an awesome skipper and great ambassador for St. Louis baseball. Your leadership has been questioned but your sucess cannot be. We will miss you and wish you the very best in your future.
Thanks for all the great times Tony! So sorry to see you go! Go Card’s!!!!
I can’t say I have not had my disagreements with TLR’s thinking over the years, plenty of ups and downs for certain. However, thanks, and enjoy the retirement you have truly earned it.
Thanks, Tony! Best wishes to you and your family! We will never forget you and all you have done for Cardinal Nation!
You will be missed, you have done great things in our wonderful city, Tony!
Mr. La Russa,
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the years of service at the helm of the Cardinals team. You are appreciated more than words can express — and you will be missed.
May God bless you richly as you retire from baseball management.
Forever a Cardinals fan,
–John Batts
Thanks Tony for the great leadership and excellence on the field. Consistency and integrity of performance will, in my opinion, become the legacy for your sixteen years coaching the Cardinals.
We Cardinal fans are lucky in many ways and have been very fortunate to have your stewardship of the team for the past decade and half.
Enjoy your retirement.
It was a great run. Thanks for being a true Cardinal for so long and continuing the great traditions.
Gonna miss you, Tony!!!! Was hoping for 12 in ’12 with you leading the way!!! Wishing you much happiness!!!!!
No one could have wrote the story any better than Tony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for all the great memories!
Tony,
Thanks for a great run with the Cardinals!! You will be truly missed.
Please return to St. Louis to visit us!
Gail Kimmle
Congrats Tony on giving us the “thrilling ride” as long as you have. You deserve the best and St. Louis will always love you.
Wow, shocker to be sure. Mr. La Russa moved up several notches in my eyes with how he managed the team through game 6 and before game 7. Masterful job and no one could do better with the team he had. Good luck in your future endeavours and thank you!
D R Tucker
Urbana, IL
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you.
I fell in love with baseball again in 1998 during the Mcgwire, Sosa race. My little girl (4yrs at the time) on my lap.
Yesterday @ 17yrs she attended the parade with me, my wife and son.
Thank you Tony for all you have one for the Cardinals. I am thrilled for you and pray you enjoy every minute of the next chapter in your life, whatever you are doing. You have been an outstanding manager!
Thanks for some great years. The Cardinals and all of MLB are going to miss you Coach!!!!!!
Tony:
Thank you for all the winning seasons. The best of Life for you and your family.
Tony,
Thanks for all the fantastic Cardinal memories for the past years. You will truly be missed.
Tony’s
Last
Run
Thank’s for the run skipper.
Wonderful accomplishments ~ you’ll definitely be written up as one of the best! Thank you for being a huge part of St. Louis baseball! Best of luck!!!
OMG! Another great in Cardinal history. He will be hard to replace but we said that about Whitey!!!! Good luck in the future Tony. Thanks for the memories!
I’m sad & Cardinal Nation won’t be the same without Tony! He’s blessed us Cardinal fans with amazing baseball and forever fans we will be. THANK YOU TONY !!!!!!
Tony, you are the best! We love you and will miss you! Tons of great memories and what a way to go out.
Tony:
Thank you so much for your years of service. I maynot have always agreed with your managing decisions but have always respected your knowledge and dedication to baseball and especially the Cardinals. I wish you the best in your future endeavors whatever they may be. You will be a revered figure in Cardinals history congratulations on a wonderfully successful career. You will be missed! Thanks for the memories.
One final note. I attended game seven with my seven year old who is a ravid baseball fan. You help create a lasting memory for us, thanks agin for everything.
Jim
Tony thanks for a great year 2011!! Wishing you the best in the years to come. Janet
Tony,
Thanks for the years. One the best ever not only in Cardinal History, but Major League Baseball as well. You will be missed. Hope you enjoy a well earned, deserved and happy retirement.
Tony,
You’ve been under appreciated over the bulk of your time in Stl. I must admit sometimes by myself, but you’ve gotten us two championships and you’ll be seen as one of the best of all time. Let’s get that number 10 up at the stadium!
Thanks!
I was raised a Cardinals fan. It is hard for me to imagine the Cards without La Russa at the helm. I am honored to have been at Game 7 to not only see the Cards complete an improbable World Series run, but also to witness one of the great managers end his career on top. Thanks for the memories Mr. La Russa.
What a fantabulous ride! I believed in Aug 2011 when we were 10.5 out! I believed after we won the Division! I believed after we won the NLCS! And I believed right through the World Series that you so graciously gave us! Thank you for the memories!!! Very happy for you and your family to leave on such a high note!!! Well deserved and Happy Retirement! Look forward to you induction into the Hall of Fame!!! XO XO
Thanks for everything Tony you are one great Guy & Manager. This World Series was so awesome, and fun. You are one class act Tony, all the best to you and your family in the future.
Tony, thank you for the memories. Good luck to you in your future endeavors!!
Thanks for everything Tony! Best Wishes to you – please come back and take in a few Cardinal games as often as you can.
Thanks for the dedication and great work Tony! We will miss you managing the Cardinals. Congratulations on your great career!
Thank you Tony!
I pray for your health and your continued success with whatever could possibly come next. What better way to go, as someone else stated…”It’s like watching John Wayne ride off into the sunset”.
Best of luck in the future Tony. Thanks for everything you’ve done. The memories are priceless.
Thank you Tony… For some of the best years I have had watching-supporting-loving-cheering and crying for Cardinal’s baseball! I have been a fan of my beloved Cardinals for over 30 years & will continue to be for the next 30 years. These past 15+ t=years have been amazing – thanks to you! You are a huge part of our organization & their success; and always will be. I cannot tell you how much you will be missed… probably be missed the most, the first time our new manager makes a bad call! : ) Regardless, we always love you! You are welcome in our city anytime you would like to come visit! And please, please enjoy your retirement!!
You will be greatly missed! Thanks for some amazing years of baseball La Russa!
Tony,
You’ve finally earned the love and respect of the St. Louis community that you’ve deserved for many years. Enjoy your retirement, family and worthy causes. As a fellow attorney, if you’re itching for a new challenge, maybe something in the law would appeal to you? On second thought…
Sincerely,
Scott D. Miller
Well what can I say? Always prepared and professional, and every game you took seriously. You are a master and have helped to bring much success. We love you and thank you and wish you much sunny golf, quality time with family, and of course, continued success with your animal rescue efforts. May God bless you and yours, Tony.
-Todd Bennett
The landscape of Cardinal baseball will forever change. Loved the way you went about your business and we’ll miss you greatly. People will now realize how important you were to the success the last 16 seasons. What a great run.
Thanks, Tony for all the thrills. You are a true professional.
Now go practice some law.
Rob Wheeler
Atty. at Law
Goodlettsville, TN
Thanks for all the great memories, your going to be real hard to replace!
Congratulations Tony on a great manager career. Thank you for all the hard work you have done as the Cardinals manager. Good luck in the future.
Thanks for the memories! Enjoy your retirement.
Thanks Tony for all the great years (and the not so great years) with the Cardinals. You will be missed. Cardinals for life!
I am sadder about Tony than I might be about Pujols. TLR makes it an adventure to be a Cardinals fan…I loved never really knowing what the starting line-up was going to be. Loved watching the bullpen be manipulated into crazy wins. Make no mistake about it. With no Tony, we are third place in the Wild Card this year and certainly not in the World Series, let alone champions. Whoever comes in to replace him better have been paying attention. Thanks for the ride!
Congratulations on an amazing career full of awards and accomplishments matched by few. Thank you for your commitment to Cardinals baseball, and for a thrilling 16 years. You will be missed. I hope you enjoy your time away from baseball.
Bob Hope’s theme song is going through my head – “Thanks for the memories!” We will miss you! On a scale of 1-10, you’re job approval rating is “11”.
Thanks for helping make a good team great! The next manager has giant shoes to fill! Best of luck in the future and God bless you:)
Thank you Mr. La Russa for giving a long distance member of Cardinal Nation 16 years of excitement and two World Series Championships. On behalf of Bleacher Brothers, TLC and Cardinal Nation, we got two words for ya: THANK YOU!!!
As valuable to an organization as Belichick or Phil Jackson! A professional each and every day. Makes me even more proud to be a St. Louis Cardinal fan! Enjoy your retirement Tony, you certainly deserve nothing but the best!
Thanks for the memories, TLR!
Well, Cardinal fans everywhere knew this day would come eventually. Its like saying goodbye to Red or Whitey. Its very tough to do. We are truly fortunate to be a fan of such a professionally managed team. Thank you Tony for all the great times as a fan. Your leadership will be missed.
Tony,
It has been a pleasure to watch are wonderful STL Cardinals with you at the helm. You’ve made each and every game exciting to watch, and you’ve kept my Red Bird Fever strong thru the years. Best of luck to you in your future endeavors!
Amber
P.S. Thank you so much for your autographed baseballs at our Investment Seminar this year! I’ll will treasure it always.
Tony, I wish you would reconsider, we the fans would love to see you continue the St. Louis magic for a while longer. Should you not reconsider, thank you so much for what you have done for the Cardinals, the fans, and St. Louis. It has been a magical time, and wish you well and many happy years in your retirement. You have earned the best of times!
Rob Owen
Urbandale Iowa.
Tony ~ Thanks for all of the hard work and pennants and the two World Series !!! Enjoy retirement !!!
Thank you Tony… For some of the best years I have had watching-supporting-loving-cheering and crying for Cardinal’s baseball! I have been a fan of my beloved Cardinals for over 30 years & will continue to be for the next 30 years. These past 15+ years have been amazing – thanks to you! You are a huge part of our organization & their success; and always will be. I cannot tell you how much you will be missed… probably be missed the most, the first time our new manager makes a bad call! : ) Regardless, we always love you! You are welcome in our city anytime you would like to come visit! And please, please enjoy your retirement!!
Tony,
Thanks for the great job you have done as Cardinal’s Manager. you have given us many great memories and your clubs always played hard and competed. Best wishes on your retirment.
Tony-
Although sometimes I disagreed with decisions made from the dugout during the past 16 years, I have to admit that at the end of the day, I was usually wrong in my initial thoughts. There is a lot to be said for “let the manager manage”, and I appreciate the respect and admiration that players have always had for you and how fiercely you have supported your players, whether they were the superstar or the 25th man on the roster. You certainly have placed your stamp on the best franchise in baseball, and I hope it was as enjoyable to you as it was for me. I am very proud to be part of the Best Fans In Baseball, and Cardinal Nation says a big THANK YOU for all you have accomplished.
Sincerely,
Mike Chopp
From a life-long St. Louis resident and Cardinals fan – THANKS!…for everything, including your upholding, maintaining and continuation of the Cardinals tradition. You were a great custodian of the Cardinals Way! All the Best in your retirement. What a year, what a ride and what a team to end THE LaRussa Years!
Say it ain’t so … Tony. Thank you, thank you, thank you. The most improbable, impossible, glorious comeback. Just a brief note to let you know that you and the Cardinals have fans all over and I for one appreciate your managerial skills and though you are (sadly) leaving, your legacy remains etched in my memory and I will forever look back on this season as the greatest in Cardinals history. Again thank you!!!! And all the best in your retirement.
Tony, Thanks for so many great victories, championships and memories. See you in Cooperstown in five years!
Congratulations on a truly great career. Thanks for the memories
THANK YOU TONY, A LONG TIME CARDS FAN FROM S.DAK. AND A LOT OF OTHERS WISH YOU THE GREATEST!! hOPEFULLY YOU’LL STAY WITH THE TEAM IN SOME SORT OF CAPACITY…
Tony, you are definitely one of a kind and will be greatly missed. You have done great things during your career and we appreciate everything you have done. Enjoy your retirement you deserve it!
You will be greatly missed! You have been the heart of the Cardinal team for many years. Your compassion for each player has made the team who they are today!
Tony, wanted to say that this year was your finest as our manager for the RedBirds. Thanks for 16 years of fun and greatness. Didn’t necessarily like everything you did with personal. But can’t deny the success you had. Thanks and May the Lord bless you and your family and you enjoy the greatly earned Retirment. Thanks for the Memories my friend. Russ Tidlund realtor inSpfld Mo your always welcome in my home.
Thank you for the wonderful years… Congratulations!
Thanks for the great run, Tony. You left a great legacy.
Thanks Tony! For this lifelong Cardinals fan, your time here has been awesome! Thanks for all you’ve done. We will miss you.
Thanks for the memories Tony…as much as any of the greats to wear the birds on the bat you will be remembered as the epitome of Cardinal Nation. Your approach to the game in ensuring your players always did things the right way is a testament to your greatness. Someone of your caliber and and character can not be easily replaced…my only hope is that whoever that person is looks to carry on in much the same way as you chose to carry yourself…with pride, dignity, and a quiet resolve to never give up. I wish you well in your life as you move on…you will be sorely missed and never forgotten.
Thanks for the memories Tony! Enjoy the Hall of Fame! Enjoy retirement! You’ve earned it.
Thank you Mr. LaRussa for the great years you have brought to St. Louis and the Cardinals. Good Luck in your retirement and next adventure. Don’t be a stranger, though. Thanks again!
What you have done for St Louis is beyond words. Thank you for the years, you will be missed!
Thank you Tony for your 16 years of service! I’ve been a Cardinals fan all my life, and don’t even really remember the franchise before you took over! Thank you for the two World Series wins and your dedication to St. Louis
Thank you, Tony, for leading the Cardinals to such a magical season. I don’t think any other manager could have pulled off as many miracles as you did–from 10 1/2 games out on August 25th, to upsetting the Phillies, the Brewers, and the Rangers (including the 6th game miracle finish, the most compelling game I’ve ever witnessed) to win the Redbirds’ eleventh World Series. I’m sure, if you wanted, St. Louis would allow you to trade in jersey #10 for jersey #11 in thanksgiving. Hope that jersey #10 will be retired!
Enjoy your own retirement. You deserve it.
Cheers,
Bob Shiley
Thanks for all the great years that you have given to our national pastime!
Thanks for 2 World Series Wins. We know you were a big part of it, whether we always agreed with your choices or not. May you enjoy your retirement, and have fun watching the boys do it again in ’12!!!! We know you’ll be their biggest FAN next year!
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication, and thanks for putting up with the naysayers.
Thanks for your dedication, skills, tireless efforts, and wonderful success with the Cardinals and other fine teams, Mr. LaRussa. As a lifelong Cardinal fan, since 1944, I am deeply saddened to see you go. Your leadership and baseball accumen are unparalleled in my view. Best wishes for good health, happiness and success in whatever challenges you take on next. We love you. God Bless! Don Martin, Seminole, Oklahoma
Hate to see you go “Tony”…!!! Thanks for the Pennants & entertainment!!!! It’s been a good ride!!!! Best of Luck!!! Frank
Tony,
I thought you were a great when you were with the White Sox and Oakland. I was thrilled when you took over in St. Louis all those years ago. I’ve seen you do more with less than any manager in baseball. More seasons than not I’d look at your team in spring training and think “They don’t have a chance” and yet come September you’d still be in the hunt. You’re the greatest manager ever. Thanks for all of the great memories.
Thanks for the memories….you are undoubtedly one of the most intelligent managers ever. It will seem odd to not see you and Duncan, solid and stoic, standing next to each other in the dugout. I will miss that!! Good luck in whatever you choose to do. No doubt, whatever it is, you will be successful!
Thanks for the memories and for restoring the winning tradition of STL baseball! You will be next to impossible to replace and your baseball knowledge is irreplaceable! Best of luck!
Tony- You are the best !!!
The Team, And Cardinal Nation respects and loves you –
And now will miss you Terribly- but wish you the very best in your retirement.
Enjoy…..
the Crump Family
Happy retirement Tony!! We will miss you!!!
Thanks Tony from the bottom of my heart! You are the real deal, and a man of integrity!! I appreciate your decision as tough as it was, to put your personal life and family first. May God bless you and your family.
Sincerely,
Marsha G.
Thanks Tony! It will never be quite the same. Best wishes and enjoy your retirement
Thanks for the wonderful memories Tony ! From one 67 year old to another, plenty of good times lie ahead. A Michigan Cardinal fan !
Tony, words cannot express the commitment, trust, and leadership you have brought to the great Cardinal franchise over the past 16 years. You leave a legacy that will be extremely hard to follow. But we all know with the integrity of the management and players we have here, that the franchise will remain a class act. Thanks again for leading the team for so many years. Way to go out on top! This is well deserved.
Thanks for your dedication to the Cardinals.
Thanks for all you did for Cardinal Nation!
Tony, thanks for 2 amazing World Series’ memories and everything in between! Best of luck to you in the future and enjoy that family of yours!
Thanks Tony. You have given us so many great memories including the latest. No question you were the greatest manager in cardinal history. I am nervous for what is to come for the cardinals organization but hope they consult you before making any big decisions. Good luck
Tony…..I grew up watching you coach the White Sox and remember the years of “winning ugly” and the joy you brought to that city. I then moved to St. Louis about 16-years ago and have been able to watch you first hand yet again. The teams you’ve put together in your time here have been truly amazing. This is the best baseball town in the country and we’ve been lucky to have you as long as we have. I’m glad you’re going out on top and just know you’ll be missed immensely.
Cheers!
Good Luck to you in your retirement! What a great coaching career. Enjoy!!
You’ve been a gem for this franchise; not always popular but you’ve led the club to amazing seasons. We’ll miss you. See you on ARF!
Thanks for the memories, Tony! This is one we will be talking about for years! Enjoy your retirement. Looking forward to seeing you again when your number goes up on the wall!
Thank you Tony.
Thanks Tony for all the memorable games with The Cardinals. Whoever is the next coach for STL has some big shoes to fill my friend. Good luck with everything that you pursue in your life. We appreciate all the hard work and dedication to our city and The St. Louis Cardinals. God Bless Tony Larussa!!! Thanks Skipper!
Good luck with your future endeavors. It’s been a geat ride.
Your the best T.L.
All the best for a long and happy retirement.
You are now a key figure in the long and hallowed history of St. Louis Cardinals baseball.
Well done,Tony!!!
Thank you Tony! I understand your decision, but you will be sorely missed!!!
Thanks Tony for all the memories you gave us!! This year was the best ever!!…good luck with retirement…we will miss you terribly!!
The Johnston family of St. Peters, MO!
I have been an Indiana Cardinal fan since 1952 as I starded listening to KMOX of a night when I was 11 years old. I would like to thank the Cardinal organization for allowing Tony to manage his way as he has given Cardinal fans many more ups than downs and made one proud to be pard of the Cardinal nation. THANKS TONY!
YOU made us proud. May you enjoy your retirement for many years.
Old time Hoosier.
Congratulations Coach Tony!!! You are a great man and a great Coach. When you were here in Chicago, my late Dad talked about you all the time. He said you were the best. (He was right) Enjoy your retirement. Always said you’d go out on top. Cards are the best!!!!!
Sincerely,
Mary Jean Kennedy
Tony Thanks for an awesome run. You have kept it interesting. We shall miss you.
Tony, for most of your career here in St. Louis, I didn’t appreciate what you did for the Cardinals. I was one of those that continually wanted you gone. But after what you helped the Cardinals do this year, I finally get you. You are an awesome Manager! Congratulations on your 3rd World Championship and on your retirement. Enjoy the rest of your life with your beautiful wife and daughters. You deserve it! I’m only sorry I didn’t appreciate you until now. Go Cardinals!
Wow! You sure blew the baseball world’s mind today. You have been amazing with the Cardinals and in the past with the A’s. Thank you for giving St. Louis fans the ride of a lifetime.
THANK YOU TONY!!! You will be greatly missed!!! I wish you and your family well!! Enjoy retired life!!!
Thank you Mr. LaRussa for 16 wonderful years with The St. Louis Cardinals! You are definitely one of the Greatest Baseball Managers ever! Your baseball career is one for the books for sure….. Enjoy your retirement Sir as you have certainly deserved it! You will be greatly missed and Cardinal Nation won’t be the same next Spring without you. Sincerely, Terri Nicole
Thanks Tony for 16 yrs with the Cardinals and Two World Series Championships. Good luck with retirement!!!!!
You are and will be a St. Louis Cardinal forever. You were the best at your craft than anyone wearing birds on the bat.
Thanks for a great run.
Thanks Tony for a great ride. I hope history accurately reflects how lucky we were as Cardinal fans to have what we have had.
Great thoughts, Mark.
What a way to step down! Great job, great career! All the best!
Thank you, Tony for the great time with the Cardinals.
Tony, “THANK YOU” for the wondrous run over the past 16 years. I had to fend off some LaRussa Hatin’ Friends in your defense. But I forgave them for their idiocy and short-sightedness ….. and said that you were “Tied For First” among the Great Managers of all time. I Wish You and Your Family All The Best In Your Future Endeavors ….. and Hope You Return To Our Great City As Often As Possible Down The Road. 🙂 Bruce
Thanks for all the memories!
We appreciate you more than you can realize!
What great games you have given us!
God bless you!
Congratulations and Thank You for a dream season, Mr TLR!
CLeon
Tony you are the best. Simply put. Thank you for all the joy that you’ve given to Cardinals fans. Also, thank you for what you’ve done for the community, especially with ARF. We will miss you! Come back and visit a lot!
I enjoyed your management of the Oakland A’s when you were here, and that was part of what led me to become a St. Louis Cardinals fan. You did great things with that great franchise, and you will be greatly missed. Thank you for all the wonderful years of baseball you gave us all. I hope you will enjoy your retirement, but please know you will be missed!
Thanks for a great run Tony. You have earned the repect of millions of Baseball Fans, and St. Louis will never forget you. See you in Cooperstown……..wearing Cardinal Red!
Tony:
I am very SAD!!!!! I Love to see your face in the dug out and see the wheels turning in your mind. Making a decision on your next move. You have been an amazing manager. You have made my summers for years so enjoyable. You will be greatly missed. Congratulations on your many victories and legacy that you are leaving with all of us. I will look back and say that I was fortunate enough to have been there and witnessed one of the greatest.
With Great Admiration,
Carla
Thank you for all the years and cheers. Ann
Thanks Tony for the great years in baseball. Thanks for the Championships too!
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES TONY!
Janet
Aurora, Ontario, CANADA
Thank you sir. It has been a great run. it was a pleasure to watch you manage this team over the years. You will forever be a part of Cardinal baseball history. It makes me feel great to hear you speak of the importance of the tradition of this team. I am a life-long Cardinal fan…and I will always be a Tony La Russa fan too! Thanks again and enjoy whatever you do next. Bob Garbarini
Thanks for all your years of hard work for the Cardinals and St. Louis! You will be missed!
Thanks Tony and we’re all sad but happy you are leaving! What a present you all have given us this year with another world series victory. We live in Greenbrier, Arkansas and have had the opportunity to see games in both the old and new stadium. I also was in Baltimore this year to watch you play the Orioles. The dugout won’t be the same without but I’ve confidence that the Cardinal front office will choose wisely for our next manager.
Good luck and come to Arkansas to visit!!
Tony,
Thank you for all of the great years you gave to baseball. I grew up watching you and the bash brothers in Oakland square off against the big Red machine, and I welcomed you with lots of happiness coming to STL. You’re a legend in this sport. You will be missed dearly. Gongrats on this crazy/great season. Way to go out on top! Go Cards #12 in 12!
Best of luck, Tony! Thank you for everything you have done for the Cardinals and St. Louis!!
Thanks for the years and all you’ve done in baseball. See you in Cooperstown!
“MR. LA RUSSA,”
YOU ARE ONE OF THE BEST COACHES WHO EVER PLAYED THE GAME. THANK YOU FOR SO MANY GREAT YEARS IN THE SPORT! HAVE A GREAT RETIREMENT! ENJOY EVERY MINUTE! ROB MCKEITHEN
Please Tony, say it ain’t so. I’m a diehard Tigers fan but hold the Cards close 2nd. I was born in STL and still have family in that area. Thank you for all your years as manager with the STL Cardinals. My love for baseball is second to none. May God always bless you. You will not be forgotten.
Tony –
Thanks so much for many seasons of wonderful Cardinal baseball! I can’t even imagine Cardinal Nation without you! This season was so much fun for all of us – what a great way to go out. Congratulations on an amazing career!
Tony,
Thanks for an awesome 16 seasons of Cardinal baseball. Glad you were able to end it on an historic note. We wish you only the best for you and your family. Thanks for the memories and enjoy retirement! You’ve earned it! AND deserve it!
A member of Cardinal Nation
Your innovative approach to the game will be deeply missed! Best wishes and Congratulations!
Thanks for the memories…you are one of the most intelligent managers ever. It will seem strange to not see you and Dave Duncan, solid and stoic, standing next to each other in the dugout. I’ll miss that! Good luck in whatever you choose to do. No doubt, whatever it is, you will be successful!
Tony,
As a life long Cardinals fan, I had very high expectations of you when you arrived in 1996. After dominating the Central division for years, you delivered a thrilling past eight seasons, with National League pennants, World Series titles, and most recently, one of the greatest and most improbable postseason runs in Major League history. Myself, my friends, and my family have enjoyed your very successful tenure as Cardinals manager, your passion for playing the game of baseball, your strong character in representing Cardinals fans and the City of St. Louis, and most of all, giving us the entertaining, thrilling, heartbreaking, and most of all, exhilirating moments that will define this era in Cardinals baseball.
Good luck to you as move forward with the next chapter in your life. Cardinals Nation will not be the same without you, but would not be where it is, as well.
Best wishes,
Daniel Erusha and family
Wow mr. Larussa what a class act. One of the best manager’s in the history of america’s past time sport of baseball. Thanks for the st. Louis run and have many good day’s ahead during retirement. God speed sir!
Thanks Tony!!! It has been a pleasure watching you manage for all these years. Best wishes for the future.
Tony – thank you for being a blessing to not only the Cardinal Baseball team but the Cardinal nation as well. You have been a blessing to this city and for this we can only say “thank you.”
May God bless whatever you do in your future. May he guide you, direct you, and just be with you.
Thank you, once again!
Mr. Larussa, Sir, Thank you for the unprecedented run of success that we as Cardinal fans have enjoyed since you have been at the helm. I have not always agreed with you or had kind words for you, but we as Cardinal fans live and die for our Redbirds. Thank you again for the 2 World Series Championships and the great run of success you have brought to the city of St. Louis. Good luck with your retirement and please keep working for the animals – ARF is a great charity!
Tony,
Wish you all the best! Your contribution to baseball in St. Louis will go down in history. We appreciate all of your hard work here.
God bless,
Kathy
Tony : I will truly miss seeing you at the helm as the skipper of the Redbirds. I have been a staunch supporter of yours over the years and am guessing that anyone that criticized your managerial tactics would quickly change their mind if they were honest enough and smart enough to realize the success you have brought to the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization. I’m doubting that St. Louis will be blessed with another manager with your dedication, experience, managerial talent and comradrie with the players. It has been a fantastic run! Good luck in your retirement and ARF events/programs! I have attended some of your ARF concerts and hope to be able to attend them in the future! – – Thanks for bringing
St. Louis it’s 11th World Series title in a year that was full of challenges. God Bless ! Enjoy your retirement sir !
Thanks, Tony. You were a class act and will be sorely missed.
Tony I am very sad to hear your news. My father died 16 years ago and you remind me of him so much. He lived for basedball and coached the game himself for more than 18 years of his life. With you gone, I will not be able to share my summers with you. I wish you well in your future endeavors. Thanks for everything you brought to St. Louis. You will be missed dearly!
Amazing run Tony! Thanks for a great season and to the Cardinals for the most amazing Game 6 I’ve ever seen.
Thanks Tony u made growin up n this twn a prideful experience appreciate all u have dne… Enjoy urself og
Thanks for great baseball memories. Not only was the baseball top drawer, but you and your players were always first class citizens.
As a life long Cardinal fan I am truly sorry to see the best manager in Cardinal history retire. Whitey and Red were great, but I don’t know if there is an appropriate superlative to describe what Tony LaRussa did for the Cardinals and St. Louis! While many of us second guessed some of your moves, we appreciated the thought process behind them. You made baseball in St. Louis that much more fun. Thank you for 16 spectacular years!
Thank you Tony for all the memories! I wish you a relaxing retirement. Enjoy your family!
thanks, Tony
Thanks
Thank You Mr. Larussa. You are 1st ballot HOF’r and a Legend of Cardinal Nation!
Gota love them Clydesdales and Birds on the Bat!
Thanks for an AWESOME run! What a ride! We will miss u. Happy Retirement! 🙂
Thanks Tony! Do you really have to go? We still need you!
We will miss you Tony! I hate to see you go but I understand why you would be ready and why not go out on top! Thanks for all of the wonderful memories. I hope the Cardinals are able to replace you with someone is as good at building a team and managing it as you have been. I’m happy that you will end your season here and you will always be a Cardinal
Thank you Tony!! What a wonderful season you and the Cardinals had and it made my birthday on October 27 even more special!!
Best of luck to you in the future and you will be missed!!
Thanks for all your hard work and dedication, Tony! We’ll look forward to celebrating your career and seeing you at future St. Louis Cardinal events along with the other greats.
Thank You Tony. You’re the best. Enjoy retirement.
Saying ‘Thank You’ just doesn’t seem enough. But it’s all I have. So, Tony LaRussa, thank you for everything you have done! You will never be forgotten! GO CARDS!!! 11in11!!!!
Thank You Tony! And Congratulations on your much-deserved retirement! You have helped to give us memories that will last a lifetime.
Thanks, Tony!
Thanks for a great ride, Tony! It was a thrill a minute, and you reenergized the game of baseball for fans and players alike. Best of everything to you in your future endeavors.
Thanks tony for all you have done. You mean a lot to St. Louis and even more to The Cardinals.
Thanks Tony for all the wonderful memories. At least my nails will now have some time to grow back after all these nail biting seasons. You are the best and deserve some time to bask in the glory. We will miss you!
Thanks for a great ride Tony! Happy retirement!
It’s been a hell of a run. Would rather you not leave, but you gotta do what you gotta do. You surely have earned the right to sit around and enjoy life for a while. You have definitely earned a ticket into Cooperstown, so we will all always remember you. Do us all a favor, though, and help Mo find a good replacement, k? Don’t wanna have to suffer through any transition periods. Thanks for all the good work. Enjoy retirement!
My dad is 86 years old. He has been a St. Louis Cardinal fan for the past 78 years! At the age of 8 and a half years old, he became a fan. When I was a little girl, my dad listened to the games on his transister radio. My dad raised 9 kids. He took us to St. Louis to watch ball games quite often. We lived in Illinois. This still happens on occasion, he takes his now grown up daughters to watch his favorite team play ball. This past Friday, my dad turned 86. Yes, his birthday is October 28. The St. Louis Cardinals gave my dad the best present anyone could ever give him.
Thank you Mr. LaRussa for all your hard work, for your faithfulness, for not giving up on the team!
God bless you! God bless the team, and God bless America!
You will be missed!! Thank you for the memories! STL loves you!!
Thanks Tony, you are number QNE and will be missed.You deserve nothing but the best.Good Luck forever from A Cardinal fan.Jim Thomas Phoenix,Az.
Thanks for all the memories Tony!!! It’s hard to imagine Cardinal Baseball without you!! Good luck and may God continue to bless you and your family.
Karen Beasley
Thank you Tony for 16 years of quality, wholesome and exciting years of Cardinal’s History. You will be missed. We wish you well on your retirement and please enjoy the time with your family, you certainly deserve it. God Bless
WOW
Thanks for the memories!
Thanks Tony! It has been an honor watching the cardinals play under your leadership for the past 16 years! Who ever follows has some pretty big strategic shoes to fill!
Tony, thank you so much for your years of service in St. Louis. You approached the game the right way, the Cardinal way. You are a credit to the game of baseball and you will always and forever be a Cardinal. God bless
What an awesome run you’ve had!! Congrats on being great enough to leave the game while you’re still on top!! Happy Retirement!!!!!!!
Tony, THANKS for ALL the wonderful years of memories! This year was amazing & exciting!
Thanks, Sue
Thanks Tony for many many years of enjoyable baseball. One of the biggest St. Louis Cardinals fan was looking from above, his name was Nick and I sure hope he had a front row seat. He didn’t always agree with you but I’m sure he thanks you for all the years you have given baseball. We always wear our Cardinal Red when going to a ballgame.
The Leidolf Family, Nick, Mary Jean, Mark, Gary, Bruce and Janet.
My son Gary, his wife Julie and I got to see the game Carpenter pitched in St. Louis onSeptember 7th. What a Game. Thanks again.
thank you for a wonderful 16 years, tony! you are unrivaled and will long be remembered and missed!! THANK YOU!!!
Thanks Tony for the dedication and hard work to the greatest team in America. I wish you well in your retirement. You certainly have earned it! We will miss seeing you in the dug out and looking to you for that support that we need as fans. May you be richly blessed.
Lonnie Denney
Tony, thanks for a great ride. You are the best and I will miss you.
Good luck in retirement you deserve it.
Sharon
You restored my interest in MLB following the strike in the 90s. That took some doing!
I cannot express how much my wife and I have enjoyed watching STL Cardinal baseball in the last 16 years – it has been a wonderful ride. I agree with Mr. Dewitt – we all knew this day would come, but we hoped it wouldn’t. It feels like a friend just told me he’s moving away forever.
Thank you for all you’ve done and for the wonderful memories you and the Cards have left with us. You’re one of the great practitioners and ambassadors of the game. Your respect for the game is unmatched.
Best wishes to you and your family for many happy years and to the continued success of your foundation.
We’ll miss you greatly.
Thanks again.
Terry & Jeanie
Glendale, MO
Thank you Tony for a great run as skipper of the Cardinals. It was amazing watching the Redbirds this postseason. Excellent job Tony. God Bless and wish you a happy retirement.
Thanks for a great run! I wish you success in whatever you do in your life.
Congratulations Coach La Russa. I’ve enjoyed watching you since you were with the Oakland Athletics (Go A’s). I have found your support to the baseball community and your outside support for animals worth while projects. We even adopted our first dog from ARF in Walnut Creek. Good luck in all of your future endeavours. Thanks for the memories. The Taylor Family, Antioch, CA
Somebody else will be the Cardinals manager next year but, Tony, nobody will ever replace you! Thanks for the memories ……. AND THE CHAMPIONSHIPS!!
Thank you Tony! Please come and visit! Good luck!
What a wonderful run. Thank you for your time in St. Louis and your service to MLB.
Thank you Tony for 16 incredible years with the St. Louis Cardinals!
Tony,
Only the best to you and your family!! Thanks so much for the years of memories, as a life long Cardinals fan, you are among the best managers I team has ever had. Your shoes will be impossible to fill. Thanks again for your commitment to making St. Louis Cardinals not only a winner but always a class act in baseball.
Best of luck. Thanks for the fantastic era of Baseball.
Thanks Tony! As a proud Cardinals fan you will truly be missed! Enjoy retirement and your family!
Wow, thanks & congratulations Tony; we we lucky to have you and you”ll never be replaced. All the best with your new journey!
Tony, you are a pillar in a proud Cardinal history. Thanks for 16 great years.
Tony, thank you for being a part of the revitalization of a franchise in the mid-1990s, and the steering of the team to 2 WS titles. Your career was amazing, the memories are great, and I hope that your retirement is wonderful.
Congratulations!
Thanks for the great memories Tony. Good luck and you will be missed.
Congratulations on your world series wins and to your great career as a baseball player and manager!!! I have been a cardinal fan since I was born and you are one of the greatest managers of all time and your time as a cardinal manager is greatly appreciated!!! We will never forget everything that you have done for the cardinals organization!!! You will be missed! But you deserve to go out as the champion you are!!!!
Great job Tony! This was the most exciting post season. Best wishes in your retirement.
Thanks for 16 great seasons and I hope you enjoy your retirement and keep helping the animals.
I will miss you so much Tony! I was planing on going to my first Cardinals game next season, it just won’t be the same! It was an honor being able to watch you these past few seasons, & hope nothing but the best in your future.
So long skipper and thanks for the best Cardinals team we’ve had in a long time!
As the tears of both happiness for an amazing journey over the years, Tony, you have taken the Cardinals and the entire state of Missouri on, as well as sadness for no longer having what I believe to be the greatest Cardinal’s Manager ever, I thank you for this awesome journey as well as ride. I wish you all the best in life and in retirement, because Mr. La Russa, you deserve it. I’ll leave this last part, hope to see you in Cooper’s Town in 5 years and THANK YOU TONY!!!!!!
Thanks for all the great memories Tony and two titles!!! If you ever get the itch again you are welcome back.
Tony:
Congratulations on your retirement. Thank you for the leadership and excitement you brought to the Cardinals organization. Thank you for bringing another World Series Title to St Louis. Enjoy your retirement; you definitely deserve it. We will miss you; all of baseball will.
‘Surprised and Saddened’ is overwhelmed by the amount of ‘Appreciation and Pride’ that I have for being exposed to your talents over the years, Skipper! From your talks to my kids at Cardinals Crew Days at Busch over the years, to the ever-present level of commitment to competition that you instilled in your players and throughout the organization, your presence as an all-time Cardinal Great is forever solidified! Thanks so much for the memories, Tony- as you’ve earned your place to be part of the Special Cardinal Family of Living Hall of Famers- Musial, Schoendienst, Gibson, Brock, Sutter, Herzog, etc., I certainly hope to see you as a member of the annual “Parade of Legends” on many Opening Days in the years to come!!!! Thank you for 16 years of Cardinals Excellence in Service!!!
Thanks Tony! Love the game of Baseball and have ever since learning it my first year in this country and your first year of managing Baseball for the Cardinals! I will miss you!
Thanks Tony for being a great SLCardinal. Good luck for you and your family….and god bless you…..
John
A Cardinal fan from the Dominican Republic….
TONY, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT.
Thank you, Mr. La Russa. As a Cardinals fan for fifty-five years, I have seen many of my team’s wonderful moments and a major portion of those have happened with you as manager. As much as I don’t like change at the top, I congratulate you on your wonderful career and realize that this is the absolute correct time for you to say “good-bye”. How could you top such an unlikely, magical storybook ending? Thank you also, for helping to show the rest of the country what the best baseball town in America is all about. Enjoy your retirement.
Thanks Tony for a glorious ride. I had really hoped you would come back for one more year. I hope you will remain involved in the front office some how in the future. I wish you all the best.
Hi Tony,
Just wanted you to know how much I’ve enjoyed watching you at the Cardinal helm over the past 16 years. It has been great…!!!! And what a way to go out..!!
I wish you and Elaine only the best in retirement, but still am very sad to see you go.
Roger Herman
I can’t believe your time here is over…we will never forget all you brought to the city of St. Louis and all the great Cardinals teams you’ve managed for us. Best of luck to you and your family…you will be missed! Thank you Tony!
thanks for the memories
Thanks for all memories. You will be missed,enjoy your retirement you earned it!!!
Thanks Tony for all the years you gave St Louis. The fans will miss you. Thanks again Tony
Wow,your going to be missed ,a very happy moment winning the series then a very sad moment kind of like baseball itself .you brought a lot of joy in me and my mothers life as well as the cards but your the one that made it happen. Well the best of life to you and your family, thanks for all the great moments
Tony I’ve never watched the cardinals with another manager its going to be weird. Thanks for the memories and all you’ve done for the cardinals!
Hate to see you go.. But hey nothing better than leaving a winner. GOOD LUCK!!
We’ll miss you Tony! What a legacy you have lfet behind. See you in Cooperstown in a few years!
TOM HUNT
Dear Tony, thanks for so many years of wonderful, exciting baseball. I’m glad you are going to go out on top. Can’t wait to see you in the Hall of Fame!!!
Tony,
What a great ride and what more could you ask for in your profession. Going out on top with the stretch run you had would be very difficult to ever repeat. Now…help get Albert signed and it will be a great year…!
Lance Mayfield
Thank you Tony for giving St. Louis 16 years of great baseball! You will be missed very much.
Sir,
I hope you get to spend more time helping animals. I totally understand the pain you had living in California and working in St. Louis. Thank you for commuting. I only ask that if you are offered a non-managerial job in baseball, please let it stay with the Cardinals.
BMX
Tony, you are the greatest!!! I was in tears, but I wish you all the luck in the world. We have had you in our lives for 33 years, and now, you deserve your retirement. You will always be the greatest manager who ever put a uniform on!!!
As Jack Buck would say, “That’s a winner”
While, I was hoping for 12 in 12, Wishing you all the best .
Thanks for the 16 years and the memories
Chris
Great run! You will be missed here. Thanks for all the memories you created with this club. Best of luck in the future in whatever you do.
Enjoy your retirement Tony. Thoroughly deserved, although I know you’ll still be around Busch Stadium in the future. There is no better way to retire than at the top!!
Thank You, Thank You Very Much, Tony for all your years in St. Louis w/The Cardinals. You’ve made it interesting and exciting for all of us die hard Cardinal fans over the 16 years you’ve been here.
Good Luck to you and your family.
Thank you Tony L. for so many great memories! You are truly one of the greatest of all time!!
Thank you Tony for everything you have done for Cardinal Nation! I am saddened to hear that you are leaving us but I am also very happy for you and your family. I have many great memories thanks to you. Don’t be a stranger! Good Luck to you and as always Go Cards!!!
You are definitely going to be one tough manager to replace. Three national league championships and 2 world series! A job well done your definitely going down as one of the best managers ever in baseball!
I WAS BORN TO BE A CARDINAL FAN. BORN ON 10-15-46 THE DAY ENOS SLAUGHTER DASHED HOME WITH THE WINNING RUN IN GAME 7 OF THE 46 SERIES AGAINST THE RED SOX. 18 YEARS LATER TO THE DAY 10-15-46 ON MY 18TH BIRTHDAY THE CARDINALS WON GAME 7 AGAINST THE YANKEES. NOT MY BIRTHDAY BUT CLOSE ENOUGH. THANKS TONY FOR GIVING CARDINAL NATION YOUR ALL WE’RE SELFISH, THOUGH, WE WANTED MORE
GOOD LUCK AND GOD’S SPEED
JFN
ST.LOUIS,MO
Tony, you are a class act on and off the field. My younger brother encountered you when he was a bat boy in the minor leagues in 1996 and the Cardinals were playing an exhibition game in Nashville. He could not stop talking about how gracious and accommodating you were to spend 2 minutes with him engaging in small talk. That resonates to this day. We were very blessed to have you in a Cardinal uniform the last 16 years. Thank you for everything you have done for St. Louis and for Major League Baseball. We will miss you!
Thank you. All the best in the future.
Thanks Tony it been a hell of a ride
Tony, you are amazing! You have done so much for our team! We hate to see you go, but understand there are other things you want to do too! You will be missed!
TONY, if I could sing I would shout out “THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES”!
Lifelong Cardinals fans, our family’s first trip to spring training was your first with the Cards. Matt Morris and John Mabry were rookies. You and the players were very gracious to my wife, kids and me. Especially you. We will never forget your kindness or the many exciting seasons we have enjoyed with you as our manager. Good luck to you and your family in the years to come.
Graham Valentine
Tony,
Many thanks for the outstanding job you have done as manager of the Cardinals. Your ability to instill a never give up professional attitude in the players has made all the difference. What a great example you have set for the players, coaches, and you many, many fans in all walks of life. You will be missed! Art Huey
Thanks for all you have done for baseball Tony. You will be missed.
Congratulations Tony. You’ve been an inspiration to players and fans alike.
Although I am a New Jersey girl Tony, I have been a Cardinal fan all of my life. I want to thank you for all you did for this team and I will miss you terribly. I just don’t know who will be able to replace you.
I wish you the best in the future and I love you for taking care of the animals as I am an animal lover also. God Bless You,
Carol
“It’s time for you to look back with pride and satisfaction on years well lived and look forward to all the things you’re yet to enjoy!”
Thank you for your years of service to the Cardinals, to baseball; and congratulations on your retirement.
Dear Mr. LaRussa,
Thank you!
Thank you for years of good entertainment; intriguing, thoughtful strategies and your love and devotion to sportsmanship and the game.
Wishing you much enjoyable time with your family and the pets of the world.
TC Thompson
Thank you for your dedication to Cardinal Nation. Glad you are leaving on such a positive note. We appreciate all you have given to the St. Louis Community. Enjoy your retirement!
WE LOVE TONY IN GOLDSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA!!!
My father has been a TONY fan since he first started managing, and a cardinal fan, since he was a young boy… He is now 78!
We have traveled to several games over the years, and I will never forget the night my dad met Tony at the Reds vs. Cardinals game in July ’07 in Cincinnati! The highlight of his life!
Thanks Tony!!! I think you’re the top of the class when it comes to baseball managers! Wishing you the very best!
Good for you! Thanks for all your hard work. Enjoy your new adventures!!
Thanks Tony! You helped to mold this team into a winner and and made a lot of sacrafices to do so! Your drive and want to is eveident in way your teams have played over the last 16 years. Thank you for the 2 World Series Titles, 3 NL Pennants, 7 Division Titles and 9 Post Season appearances. I tip my cap and say good luck in the future! Thanks you will be missed!
Thanks for the memories & all the neat stuff you have done not only for baseball but for our furry friends, congrats on all of your accomplishments on & off the field!!!
I hope you never forget St. Louis, & thanks again for all the memories!!! Have a great retirement!!!!
Billy Joe Boyer
Tony,
Thanks for the memories and the manner in which you conducted yourself over the years as a manager. Your teams always put forth the effort even though they didn’t always make it to the big dance. No one ever doubted your committment to the organization and the support you gave to your players throughout your career.
I have been your biggest fan for years, ever since you were coaching for the A’s in Oakland. I first heard of your outstanding character when i learned of ARF, the Animal Rescue Foundation that you founded and continue to run. My friends and husband wonder why i would be cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals, after you moved to St. Louis, when i should have been cheering for the SF Giants. I told them all, it’s more about the manager who leads his team to excellence, and less about the team. Bravo for so many years of excellence and fine coaching. I will miss you a ton. Baseball will no longer hold my interest unless and until a manager shows up with a character that matches yours.
Tony,
never a better manager for a better franchise. Enjoy retirement.
Thank you for spoiling us for the last 16 seasons. Because of you, Cardinal Nation has grown into an even smarter fan base. Thank you for that!!!
Good for you. Thanks for all your hard work. Enjoy your new adventures!!
Mr. LaRussa,
I was sad to hear you are retiring and know the future Cardinal Manager will have a very tough act to follow.
Thanks for the memories!
Cynthia
Thanks for bringing so much success to the Cardinals. And congratulations on such a successful career. Finally, does this mean that your family will now let you watch sporting events in the off-season?
Thanks Tony for the many years of great Cardinals Baseball with some of the most exciting games ever played and over the years some of the best players to step onto a baseball field . Wish you and your family nothing but the best in your retirement . Sincerely Gene from Poplar Bluff , Mo .
Thank you Tony, for giving us your brand of exciting cardinal baseball and always telling the team play a hard nine.
Tony…. thanks for all the memorable moments!! Go ARF !!!
Tony. words are hard to find, but, I will try.
You have been an inspiration of excellence, a St. Louis hero, iconic, a symbol of strength and perseverence. You have brought joy and entertainment to millions. Your character will be a part of Cardinal Baseball forever. As sad as I am to see you leave, I wish you the very best in all you do.
The words truly are not enough, but, the best I can do. Take care.
Thanks Tony, from the bottom of my heart. Now you can sit back and just enjoy the game – hope someone makes it as enjoyable for you as you’ve made it for us. Huge HUG.
Thanks for the memories Tony! You will be missed by the Cardinal fans. Good luck in your next venture.
Thanks Tony! You helped make this year one to remember forever!
after sunday’s rally speech, i felt motivated to be more, to do more! i have a very brief understanding how much your players must have loved playing for you. peace to you on your new journey. thanks for so many great years with cardinal nation.
Thanks Tony for all that you have done for us. My two kids were born during your tenure here, and they will always remember this stretch of great Cardinal years. My daughter, who is not much of a sports fan has your banner from Tony LaRussa day a few years ago hanging in her room. As a H.S. baseball coach and teacher, I have watched you and admired your class and leadership. You were great for Cardinals baseball and will be remembered.
Thanks Tony, enjoy your retirement.
We’ve been die-hard Cardinals fans in the middle of Cubbie-ville and wouldn’t have it any other way. Thanks for all you’ve done for the team and its fans. We will miss you, Tony, and we wish you the best of everything in your retirement.
Thank you for the years of top-notch management. You should be proud of your accomplishments, especially those in St. Louis. I hope you will enjoy your retirement and I’m sure the ARF will benefit from your having more time for them.
Tony, thank you for all you have done! I have grown up watching you manage our amazing St. Louis Cardinals. You will forever live in Cardinals Nation Memories! Enjoy your time and Thanks again!
Thank you Tony for all your hard work and sacrifice. Thanks to your family for letting us have you as our manager for the past 16 years. We wish you well in all your future endevours. God Bless.
Thank you Tony for everything you’ve done to make this Cardinal franchise the best it could be! I loved watching you and Duncan doing your magic – all the binders with the stats in the dugout! I could see the smoke drifting out of your ears when the game became complicated and was on the line. You made great decisioins and helped our team win yet another World Series. Best regards in your new adventures!!
Mr La Russa,
From a London based St Louis Cardinal Fan. I would like to say that it has been an incredible climax to a fantastic career. The whole of Cardinal Nation will miss you. Only now that you have finished will we all look back in years to come and really appreciate what greatness our baseball team achieved under your guidance.
Thanks for the memories.
Next stop: Baseball Hall of Fame.
Tony,
Thanks for a lifetime of memories! Enjoy your retirement!
Kim Bohnenkamp
Thanks for the memories, Tony! I remember feeling overjoyed when you signed with the Cards. My faith was well rewarded. We appreciate you becoming one of the Cardinal Family as many of us think of our Cardinal Nation. We wish you continued success and luck in future endeavors. ARF! ARF! What a great legacy and great team you are leaving for us to continue the freat Cards traditions. As a lifelong fan, (56 years) I have really enjoyed this time you shared with us. Thanks.
Mark Measel from Cassville MO, and now in LittleRock
P.S. Bring on Chris Maloney or “The Secret Weapon”
Thanks LaRussa for a great baseball season and for being a great manager to the greatest team in baseball. I wish you luck in all that you do as you leave the organization and hope that you are as proud of what you have done with the Cardinals as we, the fans, are. Congrats on going out with a bang, with the win of the World Series. You will be missed.
Congratulations Mr. LaRussa. You’re earned the right to a long and fruitful retirement! I’ve followed your career ever since you led the Iowa Oaks back when I was a senior in college. Best of luck to you.
Tony, I have been a fan of Cardinal baseball all my life. The excitement and joy you have brought to Cardinal Fans is second to no other manager. This year’s thrill has been the best and will go down in the record books. Thank you for all you have done for Cardinal fans everywhere.
Good luck in your next venture and hopefully it will be with the Cardinals in some capacity!
Mark – Blue Springs MO
It has been wonderful to have you in St Louis. it will be strange not to see your face in the dug out next year. Thanks for all the wonderful times you have brought the fans in the past 16 years. Some of the tactics you took in all your years were risky but, for the most part, they worked. You are a true inivator to your job! I hope you and your family much success and happiness. Maybe you will come back and visit with your ARF foundation. THANKS AGAIN
Congrats on your retirement and thanks for your 16 years of service. Even though I sometimes never agreed with you, I respected you and knew you were doing what you thought was right to continue the Cardinal tradition of winning.
Also continue your efforts with ARF!
God Bless you family!
Best of luck to the greatest Cardinals manager ever! Thanks, Tony for what you have done in St. Louis. I look forward to seeing YOUR statue outside the stadium with the other all-time greats. So, how are you going to pose?
Thanks for so many wonderful memories. Your speech yesterday about us fans made me cry. You will be missed and are definitely a lifetime member of the Cardinal Nation. Enjoy your well-earned retirement!!!
You are going out in style and with class. You will remain a part of Cardinal Nation for life and maybe beyond. Thanks for the all of the wonderful memories with which you have left us. Do not be a stranger to St. Louis and follow in the tradition of all of hte great Cardinals who have come before you by visiting often.
Tony, congratulations on a wonderful career. Congratulations, too, on a wonderful family. As a husband and father of 31 years, I know how important it is to have a wife and children that are supportive. You have that too. Best of luck and continued success in future endeavors. I won’t forget you…Tom L
Although there were multiple that I did not agree with you. I can say that you are the best manager to ever wear a cardinal uniform. You will be missed and I wish you the best of luck in all life’s future endeavors. Thanks for all the memories.
Just wanted to thank you for all of the memories. Will miss seeing #10 in the dugout(but I’m sure you won’t be far). Good luck in the next chapter and take care.
We will miss you Tony! Thanks for all you’ve done for us here in St Louis!!!
Thanks Tony for your 16 seasons with the Cardinals. I’m sure you didn’t know it, but I often “helped” you manage by talking to either the TV or radio with words of advice. You were always a “class act,” and you made sure the players were as well. Best wishes for the future.
Chuck Reinhart
Thanks for all the memories, pennants, and championships Tony!!!
Mr. LaRussa, thanks for your undying dedication to St. Louis Cardinal baseball. You have given the franchise and all Cardinal fans so much more than we can ever repay you for. You often talk about playing the game the right way. That is the Cardinal way. Enjoy your family and thank them from Cardinal Nation for all the time away you spent giving us a million memories.
Thanks. I hope you and your family enjoy your retirement. You have earned it.
Cathy
Tony ~ thank you very much!!! I’ll miss watching you with my favorite team…and hope that we’ll see you again ~ somewhere. PS: Tell Pujols to stay in St. Louis!!! PLEASE?
Thanks Tony 10&11th ain’t bad
Thanks for 16 glorious years. there have been good times and bad times, but thanks for hanging in there. Here’s to a fun and sucessful retirement.
Tony –
What a great run you’ve brought our Cardinals in your time here in Saint Louis! Thanks for the great memories and your dedication to the job at the dugout helm. You’ve always played more than a Hard Nine and this year alone is a testament to your managerial prowess in the fray of adversity.
Now you can sit back and enjoy the game as a fan — congratulations again on a great career.
There cannot be a better more appropriate way to retire than to retire as a
champion. Enjoy your retirement, Tony
Thanks Tony for all the wonderful memories! We wish you the very best in all your future endeavors and a well deserved retirement. You will forever be a part of the wonderful STL Cardinal Legacy! All my best to you and yours!
Tony,
It has been an honor to have been a lifelong Cardinal fan, but a bigger honor to have been one during your time in St Louis. You are a class act, and am glad that you went out on your own terms. Truly appreciate your sacrifices over the years for Cardinal Nation, you will always be held in the highest regard. You made those who have had the privledge to be a teammate, a friend, a student, or a fan better for having you in our lives. May your days be full, and your cup never empty.
Thank you Tony for all of your leadership! You have left some VERY big shoes to fill, and a large place in all of our hearts. Enjoy your retirement you deserve this!
Tony you are personally responsible for rekindling my love for the game since childhood. You won championships, but you also made baseball fun again through your demeanor. Thanks.
Tony, I grew up a Cardinals fan and I grew up watching you manage. I hope you know how many faithful fans you have. What a career! Cardinal Nation thanks you for all of the wonderful memories…This isn’t just the end of an era in Cardinals baseball and in your life, but in all of ours as well. Enjoy your family and your new chapter!
Thanks for your 33 years!! You have taught a lot of us how to appreciate baseball and many players how to play the game!!! Thank you.
Jim
Thank you sir for all the A’s and Cardinal memories. Wishing you all the best from Ava, MO.
A sad day for St. Louis and the Cardinals. We’ll miss you. Thanks for all of the great memories 1996-2011.
We all love you (except for the vocal minority of critics – but they won’t like anyone).
I’ve had a great time watching La Russa Cardinal baseball these past 16 years with my Dad and my son. Looking forward to you entering the Hall of Fame…
Hello,
Thanks for the time and effort you put in. wish you good luck in your retirement. Thanks for making the Team such fun to watch.
Long time Cardinal Fan.
Thank you for a wonderful Sweet 16 years!!!
You’re the best Tony!! Thanks for the memories and especially this year’s ride! It was incredible and we will never forget it. Cardinal nation will miss you dearly. We wish you the very best in your next chapter of your life and we know it will be a great one. Enjoy.
Thanks Tony!!! It’s been a heckuva ride the last 16 seasons!!!!! Let me throw the name of Casey Longnecker out there as your successor!!
Tony, I confess to being hard on you throughout the years. This season you proved me to be absolutely clueless while you handled everything with grace and professionalism. I can now honeslty say I appreciate your greatness as a manager and am sad to see you go.
Great 16 year ride .. thank you for the memories
Thanks for everything, Tony! It has been a great ride! Best of luck and a happy retirement to you! It is well deserved!
Thank you Tony for all the years of exciting Cardinal baseball!
It has been a pleasure to watch you work all these years and you will be widely missed by the Redbird Nation. I hope you enjoy retirement.
Tony,
A tip of the cap to you….You have cemented your legacy in Cardinal Nation….
You are a class act & truly one for the ages.
All the best to you & family.
Stan Nickens
Wow, what a career! This is a fitting way to go out, taking this team through this tough season all the way to the championship. Glad I got to see your last game in person.
Great job, Tony. Thanks for all the great games. From a Cardinal fan in Utah.
Dear Tony,
You will greatly be missed by all of us. I have grown up watching you manage the cards and it’ll be strange not seeing you there any more. I wish you could be here for just one more season but every greatness has an end. So good luck and hope you can enjoy retirement. I’m still in aww of this season and now in shock of this news, but no better ending to a great era.
Thanks,
Nathan
thank you tony for all you done for the greatest baseball fanshie ever good luck david
Thanks Tony for the 16 years of dedication to Cardinal Nation! You will be missed on and off the field. Hope u enjoy retirement!
Best of luck! !!
Thanks Tony! See You in Cooperstown
Wish this day never had to come! You’ll be missed by Cardinal Nation. WE LOVE YOU!!!
Thanks, Tony! Your dedication and commitment are second to none and these traits have combined with you longevity in the game to solidify your place in history as one of the greatest baseball managers of all time. jI am a much better baseball fan and person overall with the baseball (and life) lessons you have shared by your example. See you in Cooperstown when you get the call and I hope your pending transition meets and exceeds all your expectations. PlayBall4Ever! D2
Tony, Thank you for the memories! You have been an excellent manager over the years and Cardinals fans have been privileged to have you at the helm. Your dedication to our ballclub has been greatly appreciated! You battled through health issues and never waivered. This season has been a great ride for Cards Nation and the success of this ballclub has undoubtedly occurred, in large part, due to your abilities as a master tactician. May you be blessed in your next endeavor!
Way to go T.L. Please do 1 more thing for the Cardinals lobby for Jose O
What an incredible ride! You have faced numerous challenges throughout your tenure with the STL Cardinals organization, and consistently risen above all of them. (Not all were in agreement with the fan base, but always with the best interest of the organization). You will be missed not only for all of the success you have enjoyed here, but also for all the debates over decisions that were made involving players, moves, and strategies for us to cuss and discuss! You are one of the smartest baseball minds ever!! It has been an honor to witness one of the most successful managers in the history of this great game of baseball! Best of luck to you in the future, and you will be missed by Cardinal Nation!!
Dear Tony,
As a then 22-year old intern during spring training in 2002, I had the pleasure of meeting you casually several times. While this day was bound to come, I was optimistic that your retirement would be delayed a while longer. Things won’t be the same without you at the helm next spring, wearing the ‘Birds on the Bat. The winter-long wait to hear the phrase “pitchers and catchers report” will be bittersweet. Simply stated, you will be missed.
On behalf of a grateful Cardinal Nation, I offer sincere heartfelt thanks to you, Elaine and your daughters for your sacrifice over the years. Thank you for teaching the next generation of Cardinal fans “the Cardinal way”, always competing with class.
Thank you for your prideful passion to win, and for passing that on to your undoubtedly appreciative players. I came to appreciate your candor, class, and competitive fire that is second to none. Thank you for bringining similar class-acts like Bob Knight and Bill Parcells around the ballpark. I enjoyed their conversation, and was impacted by their presence. While I’ve since left baseball, I hope to someday return, if only as an usher at spring training during my retirement.
Thank your for teaching St. Louis fans the nuances of the game, but mostly, thank you for the memories! You are a class act and a favorite son of St. Louis. Please come back often to share, celebrate, and laugh with us. Best wishes in your retirement.
Warmest regards,
Mark Mannion
Thanks, Tony, for your leadership and professionalism. The Cardinals will definitely not be the same without you. You will be missed by the league, your team, and your fans! Thank you for everything!!
Tony, as a St. Louis resident originally from California, I’ve been a fan of yours since you managed the Oakland A’s. Thank you so much for all of the joy you’ve brought me over the years and congratulations on a Hall of Fame career. Happy Retirement!
Tony, you said it best today when you explained the sacrifice that you made with your family in order to bring St. Louis such a reputable baseball team. We cannot thank you and your family enough for all of your dedication to America’s Greatest Baseball City. Best of luck in your future endeavors. Cardinal Nation.
Thanks from the Freeman and Arnold Families in Iowa and Nebraska. We have been Cardinals fans forever and are going to miss you!! Enjoy retirement!
God Bless You Tony in your Retirement. While our hearts are saden to see you go, Thanks for a wonderful ride with Cardinal Baseball doing it the “Right Way”.
Tony – I watched you play in Des Moines, IA and then start your managing career there. Then I watched you coach the White Sox, the A’s and the Cardinals. Even though we live in Chicago now and support Chicago teams it has always been a pleasure to watch the teams you have coached. You are the BEST!!!
Thanks for all your leadership and knowledge you shared while with the greatest baseball franchise there is. Enjoy retirement!
Thank you Tony. Great memories. You are the best….
I’ve been a Cardinals fan from birth, for 31 yrs. Your teams have shown their appriceation and drive to succeed for our historical fan base in their persistance to continue the winning ways of our great team. You have left your personal mark on the Cardinals franchise, and you will always be our manager. Congratulations on our historic season, and best wishes on your future endeavours. – Justin Archuleta
Thanks Tony for leading our Cardinals to all of the great years as a manager.
Thanks Tony for the wonderful ride. You will be dearly missed.
Thanks Tony for a great ride. Thanks for the memories. My 17 year old daughter has grown up a cardinal fan and been inspired by the leadership, the dignity and class, and the determination that you have shown over the years. I’m glad you are going out on top and good luck!!! Keep up the good work with the animals…we too, are animal lovers. GO CARDS!!!!
Can’t say I blame you–nice to go out on top. But you will be sorely missed as manager. It has been fun to follow the Cardinals and manage from home along with you. It is amazing how we have come to know what moves you are about to make. Sure wish you could win a few more games to put you in second place. And I hope this team can continue to play well under a new manager. Best of Luck! Will you still do your PAWS promotions in St. Louis. I was hoping to come to one this coming year.
THANK YOU TONY…….. for giving all the epic adventures through out the years with the Cardinals under your helm. I would also like to thank your family for giving you to us for 7 – 8 months a year. (You know you are going to get bored!!!)
Tony,
I was 10 when you became the manager of the Cardinals…I don’t associate any other manager with our team and probably never will. You will can’t be replaced and we will miss you very much. I can’t imagine anyone else wearing the uniform, in our dugout calling the shots. Thank you for all you’ve done, the time you’ve dedicated & your love for STL!
I will miss you so much Tony. I am glad you are getting to retire after such a great victory. you are cardinal baseball……. you will always be a part of cardinal baseball. we love you…
Thanks Tony! I am a married 60 year old female and I LOVE Baseball! What a way to end your journey….One of the Best World Series I have watched. We will miss you and have a wonderful retirement!
Thanks for all the memories Tony, You are the only manager I have known. It makes me sad, but I know I will see you in Cooperstown. Have a great retirement!! Enjoy yourself.
Tony,
Thanks for 30+ great years !!
Baseball is better for having you !!
Thanks for the wonderful 16 years. The irony is going to be next season when all the LaRussa haters realize how good you were. Congrats on winning your 3rd World Series title, and hopefully they retire your number early next season.
Thanks for your dedication to the team and to St. Louis! It was a fabulous ride and a real success story. Wishing you well in your future life. We’ll always think of you as a Cardinal fan!
Thank you Tony for 16 years of hard work and dedication to the St. Louis World Champion Cardinals. You will be missed here in St. Louis! Congratulations on your retirement!!! Sue H
Tony,
When I think of all the great memories I have from these years you’ve managed the team, it is almost more than my mind can contain. Thanks for everything you’ve done for this team and this city. Ultimately, win or lose, I am happy when our team competes, and you made sure of that every game. Best wishes. Enjoy your retirement.
Thanks Tony for all of the wonderful years with the Oakland A’s and now with the St Louis Cardinals. You are a great Manager of the league. You will be missed. Have a wonderful Happy Retirement
Tony – Thanks for all of the great memories! See you in Cooperstown!
TLR-what a difference you made for the BIRDS! Good Luck and enjoy your much deserved retirement! Next year will not be the same without you. You will always have a home with the Cardinals fans.
Starducky
Thank you Tony! Awesome speech Sunday. I’m glad I could be there!
Well done!
Thank you.
Good Luck, Tony, thanks for the memories!
Thank you, Tony! You will definitely be missed! Congratulations on your amazing career and going out on top! You are one of the smartest and most talented in the game. It was amazing to be able to watch you manage. I wish you the best in what’s next! 🙂
Tony, thank you for everything you gave to the Cardinal organization, to all the fans of cardinal nation, and to baseball in general. You are truly one of a kind. You will be sorely missed in the baseball community. Thank you again for everything!
Thank you for the memories Tony. Your the best of the best and will be missed.
Thank you, Tony, for an exciting 16 years with the Cardinals. I watched the news conference this morning, and really appreciated your comments about your family, and the support they have given you in your career. Good luck with your next endeavor.
It has been an amazing run, and you are one of the all time greats of Cardinal history. Followed the Cardinals since I was in Little League and you since you joined, and you are amazing. You have a lot to be proud of, and what a way to end it!!!!! You are the best.
Thanks skipper, a new manager may be hired but YOU will never be replaced.
WOW!!! I dont think there are words with which to thank you with Mr. LaRussa. I know that everybody that is a Cardinal fan will miss You more than words can say. You have always taught your players to play the game of baseball the way it should be played, and we all Love and Respect you for that. Thank You Mr. Tony LaRussa. Everyone will miss you and We all wish you luck in whatever you choose to do.
Thanks Tony… what a wonderful 16 years
World Series Champions: 2006 2011
NL Champions: 2004 2006 2011
NLCS: 1996 2000 2002 2004 2005 2006 2011
Division Champions: 1996 2000 2001 2002 2004 2005 2006 2009
Tony, thanks for so many great memories. Enjoy retirement! You most certainly deserve it.
You have made my life as a Cardinals fan rewarding. We have been blessed with your talents and it makes me proud to say I am a Cardinal fan and always a Tony LaRussa supporter.
I grew up with you as the manager of my favorite baseball team. When my brother and I met you when we were 11, you were nothing but great to us. Thank you for all of the memories, and now that I am 22, I hope to someday have kids and I will tell them stories about you and all the great Cardinal teams you put on the field. Thank you for everything!
Best wishes-
Josh McCampbell
Tony,
I was bummed out to hear you were leaving this morning. But you deserve to go out on top! Thank you so much for giving us 16 seasons of exciting baseball! It will not be the same looking into that dugout without seeing you there. You were a manager that had guts and brains…we could not have asked for more as a Cardinal fan! I hope you still come around Tony, because you truely are a Cardinal great! Thanks again Tony, Cardinal nation will miss you a ton! Congrats on your retirement! And thank you so much for the memories!
Greg
God bless, Mr. LaRussa! You’ve earned it but I sure wish you’d change your mind. You’ve been a terrific asset to the Cardinals. Im certain that each one will miss you greatly. The fans sure will. You’ve had a successful, unprecidented career. Enjoy your retirement!
Tony, thank you for all you have done to make baseball in St. Louis and the extended Cardinal nation great! You had a heck of a history to live up to and you not only lived up to it but you made new history! I will give my rescue Schnauzer, Tonie, a hug tonight when I get home from work. She is named after you and thank you also for your work with ARF. Terry and Karen
thanks for everything tony! you gave everyone so many memories, and this last season will stand out forever. i’ll never forget meeting you the day after ankiel ran full-speed in the cf wall and seeing his hat bill bent backwards. i look forward to seeing the great work you’ll do with ARF
Tony – you are the BEST! Thanks for your leadership and class over the years – with the Cardinals and before. You will be missed in St. Louis! All the best to you, ALWAYS!
Doug/Lincoln, NE
Hey Tony, I had the pleasure of meeting you once a few years back at Dominic’s in Clayton. You were very gracious and just a class act, just as you’ve always been on the field. Thanks for the memories and all the best!
Bob Merz
Just what you would expect.
Thanks for the memories Tony, you are the best. Best wishes for a much deserved retirement. You will always be part of Cardinal Nation.
Thanks for the great ride Tony!
Tony enjoy your time away from the game you sure deserve it. You have continued the great tradition of Cardinal Baseball and we as a Nation have been proud and thankful that you have been our manager these past years. Good luck and God Bless
You have been a great inspiration! Thanks for all of the wonderful baseball memories!
Coach, this is bittersweet- you deserve this- but will be greatly missed. You are, were and forever will be the best in my book.
Kara
Thanks for showing us what a genuine proud American really is……
Your legacy will live on forever with MLB fans everywhere!
Tony, we as Cardinal Nation owe you everything. You have been the mastermind behind it all. Thank you for all the great years you have given us. You will be truely missed. May God bless you and your family and best of luck on the beginning of your new journey
Tony,
There is no way to express my gratitude for all you have done for so many. Obviously, your numerous contributions to baseball and especially the Cardinal Nation will never be forgotten. Your devotion to the ARF foundation and all it stands for is phenomenal. And personally, even though I’m middle aged, the story of your life in baseball has been an inspirational reminder to me so many times and will continue to be. This past 10 months I’ve fought stage 3 cancer. Fortunately, during this time I’ve been able to enjoy the Cards exciting season, attending the Mothers Day game 6 days after surgery. (from Oklahoma). When things get challenging I recall some of the principles from your management such as “focus on today- the task at hand” and “never quit” – just to name a couple. Yes, you’ve been an inspiration to many you’ll never know about. As sad as I am about your leaving, I know you are just stocking to your principles – moving ahead when it is time. So may God’s blessings rest on you, your family, and the ARF foundation as you begin your future. And THANKS for everything!
Forever a fan,
Diane
Sorry- I meant sticking to your principals.
Thank you, Mr. LaRussa. Your commitment to your team and drive to win are tremendous traits/values that blend well with your longevity in the game to make you one of the very best to manage a major league baseball team. I am a much better baseball fan and person due to the many baseball (and life) lessons learned over the course of following your career with the Cardinals these fast 16 years in town. I look forward to seeing you in Cooperstown when you get the call and pray that your transition and next chapter(s) in your life meet and exceed your expectations. I will miss you, yet am happy that you are going out on top! Thanks again for all the memories… PlayBall4Ever! D2
THAN YOU FOR ALL THE MEMORIES,You are a class act and we will miss you,my 104 anut Marie Davis, told me when this run started,n”NEVER GIVE UP OM THE CARDINALS” she is a devoted fan of over 75 years,and listens to all the games. Good luck on the next chapter,Mark Rodamaker
Tony, you probably know this but the positive effect that you have had on Cardinal Baseball fans is vast and far reaching. Being 51, and the youngest of 5 siblings, my family has lived through a great era of Cardinals Baseball. A great amount of this has been under your management. Mom and Dad are gone now and we have even lost a brother too early in his life but, we always had a common love of the Cardinals and I will never ever forget the fun and enjoyment that you have brought to the City of St. Louis and our family. You will be missed but never forgotten. May you and your family enjoy “Happy Flights” in the days, months and years ahead! Thanks for teaching us all that if you committ and play a “Hard Nine” it will pay off on the ballfield and in life.
Please come back every year for the ARF Stars to the Rescue, we will miss you and your winning ways. May God bless you and your family.
Tony, Thank you for your sacrifices and those of your family that have given this city years of incredible Cardinals memories. You have earned this moment, the moment to savor this historic victory as it becomes the beginning of a well-earned retirement. Thank you for the years of games I’ve enjoyed while watching your brand of Cardinals baseball. “Play a hard nine,” is a nice life philosophy, too. You are the true professional, and your attentive image standing in the St. Louis home dugout will be indelibly saved in the hearts and minds of all Cardinals fans. Cheers to you!
Tony, you never got the credit you deserved! I believe you are truly a great part of Cardinal tradition. You will be sorely missed. Thank you for a great 16 years! Best of luck in future endevours, as long as you stay away from the Reds or Cubs or Brewers!
Tony,
You not only represent St. Louis, but all the Cardinals fans throughout the country. You should be very proud of what you have accomplished in all your years of managing in the Major Leagues. You are the only manager I can think of that can be credited as essentially a 10th player on the field. I am so proud that I can say I shook your hand in Philadelphia after the 1-0 win in Game 5 of this years NLDS. You will leave a lasting impression on all Cardinals managers to follow. Way to bring it home this year. Best of luck to you in all of your endeavors.
Cameron – The BIGGEST Cardinals fan in New Jersey
Thanks for the memories! And for your great work for the animals.
Best of luck to you in the future. We will miss you!
Thanks Tony,
I lost interest in baseball after the strike up until 2004 when I lived in Springfield MO and got to watch you and the cards on Fox Midwest. I fell in love. And I’m a Cardinal fan forever because of what you and these guys have done. Thanks again.
We were impressed when we first saw you at spring training in St. Petersburg many years ago and had great expectations for the team under your direction and managing skills. We were NOT disappointed. We will always remember sitting on one of the player benches at that time when one of the coaches was going over signs with the pitchers. He asked all of us to leave as he did not want his words to be heard. At about that time you walked up and told him not to expect us to leave and he should take the pitchers farther away from us because “these are our fans!” We knew then that you were the right choice for Cardinal Nation. Happy Retirement.
Tony, you have been the rock that grounded everybody. I only wish I was half as successful in my field as you were in yours. I can’t wait to see that HOF plaque of you with the Birds on the Bat in Cooperstown. Congratulations on a great career and thank you for the job you did for our Cardinals. This is a bittersweet day for Cardinal Nation.
There will never be another game like Game #6 of the 2011 World Series.
There would never be another manager who could have pulled off a win.
You and Mr. Duncan pulled the right plays at the right time, and the talented Cardinals did the rest. St. Louis and all the Cardinal fans are rightlfully proud of this team. Please help find another winning skipper!
Blessings to you and your family. Keep feeding the squirrels!
Howard & Angie Perry…..and a host of family & friends
Tony, you were different than most managers. You demanded the respect of everyone and did it your way. Although I disagreed with you at times, you had my respect. It will be hard to replace you. Congratulations to your wife and family and enjoy your retirement. You are a winner.
Thanks Tony for all the memories. I was only 8 when you came to the Cardinals so your the only Cardinal manager I know. It will be weird not seeing you in the dugout. Enjoy the much earned time off with your family.
Tony, thanks for leading my favorite addiction for the past 16 years. I look forward to describing this time to my kids and grandkids the way my dad talked about the teams of the 60s and my grandpa about the Musial days. Thank you Tony..best of luck and we will all see you in Cooperstown!!!!
I grew up in St. Louis and spent most of my childhood and young adult life watching TLR lead Cardinal Nation with quiet confidence, integrity, and belief in the ability and potential of his players. Hard to imagine anyone else at the helm.
Tony,
You have been the linch-pin keeping this team together and united. Without you all these championships simply do not happen. You have been the keystone and the capstone. Thank you.
St. Louis will miss you terribly (unless, of course, you and Elaine decide to retire here). 😉
William F. Maddock
Oakville, Missouri
Thanks for 16 years of quality baseball. This 16 year run has been one of the best in Cardinal history. What a way to retire!! With a World Series Title and 3 days after completing one of these team brightest and most glorius pages.
Next step : Baseball Hall Of Fame. Cardinals retire # 10 and red jacket for TLR!!
Tony – as a lifelong Cardinal fan (60+ years), I can only say thanks for all the memories!! You have been an integral part of an outstanding organization that has provided Cardinal fans one great memory after another. I have little doubt that whatever you decide to do in the future, said endeavor will prove to be most successful.
Thanks Tony for sixteen great seasons. You drove me crazy sometimes, but I never doubted in any game that we had the best manager in the dugout. You are a brilliant tactician and student of the game, and you always got the most out of your players. Good luck in all your future pursuits, and god bless you and your family.
Tony, Thank you for all you have given to St. Louis, not only in baseball but to the community. What a ride it has been. Also, Thanks for bringing McGwire to St. Louis the first time and again as a hitting coach. At a very low time of my life the Cardinals & Mark McGwire lit my flame for life. You brought so many great players. Then Albert Pujols! Enough Said. God Bless you in your remaining years. Denise
You’ve been awesome Tony! Hate to see you leave, but what a ride!!!
Also a lifelong Cardinal fan, we’ll miss you!!
Thanks for everything!!!!
Sue
It’s been a absolute pleasure. Thank you for your tireless dedication to the tradition of Cardinals Baseball. You will be missed.
Tony – Congratulations on the retirement! A lot of great work was done in St. Louis over the last 16 years. Thanks for all of the wonderful memories and especially the 2 Championships. It has been a pleasure to watch.
Tony,
Congratulations on a long and successful career!
Only the best for a relaxing future!
Thanks Tony for all that you have done for Cardinals baseball. You will be missed. May God bless you and your family.
Thanks, Tony! You will be missed!
Thanks so much for your great work!!!!:)
Tony, congratulations and thank you for 16 years of dedication to Cardinal Baseball and St. Louis. I am a lifelong fan. At 16 I saw Stan Musial play in his last game at old Sportman’s Park and rode the bus home…When Stan attends games I can’t help but get a lump in my throat. Needless to say, the last 16 years have been the best run of consistent success in my lifetime as a fan, and our city has been very blessed to have started each season in the last 16 with a chance to win. Most of all I respect the integrity you have given to the game of baseball. See you in Cooperstown.
Thanks Tony,
What a wonderful way to finish your career, you have given us many wonderful memories.
Thanks for the past 16 yrs. Our first Cardinal game was when you were chosen as the manager of a great ball team. Good luck on your retirement.
¡Felicidades! Jefe
Tony,
Thanks for coming to St. Louis and working here for 16 years. My 87 year old father made a comment about you to me that I will pass on. He said about your decision making during games, “He is right about 99% of the time.” That’s coming from an old baseball fan.
Thanks, and may Christ be with you in your next assignment,
Rev. Dale Pugh
Good Luck Mr. LaRussa all CARDINAL NATION wishes you and your family congratulations on your retirement. Thanks for your 16 seasons of GREAT BASEBALL
Thank you for the memories! You’re a great coach.
You’re the only Cardinals manager I’ve ever known since I’ve been alive Tony, and you taught me so much about the game and what it means to be part of Cardinals Nation. We’re gonna miss you a lot more than you realize. Have a wonderful retirement and we hope to still see you around the ballpark from time to time!
Thanks for the memories Tony, you are first class!
Thanks Tony for all your hard work over the years! We as Cardinal fans appreciate your tremendous effort and tremendous results. We hope to see you again in another parade, alongside Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Red Shoendienst, Stan Musial, and other Cardinal legends, celebrating another year of Cardinal baseball success. We wil miss you.
Thank Mr Larussa for a great 16 year run. you some of the greatest years of my life as a Cardinal fan to life. My daughter and I will always have great memories and stories of the teams you led. Thank-you.
Thank you, Tony – for years of making the game exciting! And a special thank you for all your kindness and caring for animal. Became a fan of yours when I read about ARF – and I want to thank you so much for all the work you do to aid strays. Enjoy your retirement – you certainly deserve it!
Tony,
A Thank you doesnt even seem like enough! For 16 years we in Cardinal Nation have watched you manage and make decisions that took “guts and heart”… There are sooo many Cardinal memories that we will forever be a part of …On the heels of our 11th Championship and that memory being so fresh I reflect on other times when it wasnt joy we shared….The pain WE ALL shared when Jack and Kile passed was a little less by your leadership in the days and weeks that followed. I hope you get some well deserved special time with your family now, continue your charity work with ARF and One day soon we will stand with you as you are welcomed into Cooperstown~
First saw you managing the Iowa Oaks many years ago and have followed your career since. Was very excited when you came to the Cardinals, because I knew we were in for a great era. St. Louis Today and the miracle of TV have enabled this out-of state member of Cardinal Nation to drink in all the joy you have brought to my native city. Thanks for making the first two months of my own retirement special, and best wishes in yours!
Tony,
Thanks for the great memories and building a winning tradition in St. Louis. The Beitz family has been listening to and attending Cardinal baseball since the 1950s. Now we annually ‘rent’ a party room for a family reunion at Busch Stadium. In fact, my father-in-law passed away on his couch while watching opening day and a Mark McGwire home run in 1998. The best to you and your family!
Don Beitz
Ames, Iowa
Thanks for your years of dedication, Tony. You were truly the ‘puppetmaster’ this postseason. You and the team gave the fans the most incredible ride of our lives. CuDa
Tony, I’m 18 years old and you left a definite mark on my childhood as a Cardinal’s fan from Upstate New York’s North Country. You are truly a great man, and a great baseball mind. 3 World Championships and 6 Pennants later nothing really meant anything except bringing up a new generation of ballplayer that could be helped along by the veterans. You gave the Best Fans in Baseball the greatest memories that we could ever ask for. Open that bookstore Tony! Maybe some french vanilla iced coffee and a copy of Stan Musial’s biography on the house?
Thanks again for all of the memories. Cardinal Nation will sorely miss you.
Thank you so much, Tony, for all that you’ve done. My family moved to Missouri from Alabama, where all my family lived, when I was 6. We’d always been somewhat of Cardinal fans, even living in Braves territory; the move just cemented it. I was very introverted after we moved, because I had no friends or family around me. I had to start over. But, in the midst of all of it, I had baseball. I remember going to Busch Stadium II for the first time, and I fell in love with the Cardinals. I eventually made friends, but whatever problems (be them family related or something else) surfaced, I always had La Russa’s Cardinals. Now, in my senior year, before I leave the state of Missouri for college, Tony helped deliver one the most memorable World Series wins in the history of baseball. Thank you, Tony, for all that you’ve done that you’ll never know about.
hello Tony. cong. on a great career,esp. your time spent managing the StLouis Cardinals.you had a lot of great years but i believe this year was your greatest year you ever had.i have been a Cardinal fan for 65 years and i did not execpt to see the Cardinals winning the World series this year.enjoy your retirement and i will be seing you in the hall of fame.all the best Gary
On behalf of my late husband and myself, Tony, thank you for the wonderful job you did in St. Louis! Best wishes to you and your family in the years ahead. You will be missed…
There goes my complete confidence of a race to number 12 in 2012 . . . however, you deserve to enjoy what you’ve accomplished. What a mark you’re leaving on this game . . . There isn’t a manager who will play the late inning and admirably gutsy ‘Tony’s Chess Game’ as only you can . . . Favorite version of the popular dance remains ‘TO-NY-LA-RUS-SA’ popular w/ school children in your earlier STL years. Hope to see the next Clydesdale named Skipper Tony. Most of all – thanks for the standard of excellence in your leadership . . . Congratulations!
Hate to see you retire, but you have definitely earned it. Thanks for all of the memories.
The entire Cardinal Nation thanks you for 16 fantastic years of baseball, Coach. Best wishes in all your future endeavors.
A well deserved retirement to one of the greatest class acts in baseball…Thank you for 16 years of great Cardinals’ memories!
One of the best memories for my husband and I came last June, in Arizona, when the Cardinals were playing the Diamondbacks. After batting practice, you turned to the folks lined up behind the dugout and looked for a kid to throw a ball to. Our 5-year old son, Andy, was standing there wearing his St. Louis All Star Game cap. You tossed a ball to him. Already a Cardinals’ fan, Andy now considers you to be his personal friend. Thank you!
Tony:
Thanks for all the wonderful memories!!! You have accomplished so much for Cardinal Nation!!! We appreciate your efforts and knowledge!!!! We will never forget you and neither will major league baseball!!!!! You will be missed!!!!!! Good luck in your future endeavors!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for all your hard work and dedication Tony! We as fans couldn’t of had a better manager! Enjoy your time off!
St. Louis and baseball–so intertwined! Thanks for a great season and a boost to the morale of everyone in St. Louis. This is great for the City, the fans and the team. Game 6! OMG. Game 7!!! A lesson in never giving up. Thank you so very much, Mr. La Russa. Enjoy your retirement. You’ve earned it.
Thank you Tony, for all the great years Thank you for always being a Gentleman.
Thanks Tony for all the years of dedication. Enjoy your retirement, You will be missed!! (:
Thank you TLR for everything you have done for the Cardinals and fans nationwide. Get well, enjoy your family, and start working on that HOF speech.
Tony, thanks for the incredible ride. Cardinal Nation will forever be indebted for your 16 years leading the BEST organization in MLB to new heights. We will never forget. Best wishes to whatever you decide to do. Don’t go to the Cubs though!
Thank you for 16 fantastic seasons. You are truly one of the great ones. Have a wonderful retirement.
Thanks for 16 great years, Tony! I have been a Cardinals fan since 1960, lived in St. Louis from 1963 to 1967, so obviously I have seen a lot of great Cardinals teams. Yours ranks up there with the greatest, and certainly this year’s World Series victory is a great final note to your career. Your leadership has been outstanding. I am very grateful for your time in St. Louis. I wish you the best in the coming years and look forward to seeing your induction into the Hall of Fame, It is a lock!
Sincerely,
Bill Pardue
Thanks for sharing your great mind with baseball fans. I will miss seeing you in the dugout, but wish you nothing but the best in your retirement!
Looking forward to seeing you in a bright red blazer with all the other Cardinal greats:-)
Thanks for all you have done for the Cardinals and St. Louis. Congrads going out on top of the World.
We love you, Tony! Thank you for making our Cardinals number one again! The players and fans all love you! We wish you would stay with us; we hope the very best of everything for you as you move in another direction. We will never forget you or your legacy. 🙂
Thanks Tony for all of the memories you made some pretty unpopular moves at times but like ol blue eyes sang you did it your way…happy retirement
Thanks for everything, Tony, we will miss you alot. You did some crazy things with the Cards, but they all worked for you, thats what made you such a great manger!! Thanks again!!!
Thank you TLR for your professionalism, your fierceness, your attention to detail, and your honor to the Birds on the Bat. Every year you managed to take teams with major positional holes and turn them into contenders simply through intelligent management and shear will. Thank you for all you have contributed to the Cardinals and the great sport of baseball. You will always be the best of all time to this fan, and I am sure many others.
What a great accomplishment in the name of baseball! You have been a class act all of these years. Thanks for the memories, Tony! Happy retirement and may God bless you with good health and happiness! GO CARDINALS!!!
Met Tony at an A’s & ARF fan gathering at the local mall one day in 1994. My dog had recently put down due to Leukemia. Tony was gracious and sympathetic.
Thank you Tony for 33 years of great baseball. I will miss your intensity and baseball competiveness.
Trini
You brought the Cardinals from an early to mid 90’s slump. You took us to the World Series 3 times in an 8 year period. We’ve won numerous championships under your guidance. Thanks for the memories!!! 🙂
Hi Tony,
Congratulations on your 2011 World Series Championship! You’re the greatest!
My husband and I live in Tulsa, OK and make at least one trip a year to St. Louis for a game. We truly love watching the Redbirds play baseball AND seeing you in the dugout! But, after 33 yrs., I think you more than deserve a rest!!
Enjoy your retirement and we wish you the very best always – you and your family.
Sincerely,
Lynn and Cyndee Jones
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Thank you, Mr. LaRussa, for your countless contributions to the world of major league baseball. It has been wonderful growing up watching you accomplish great things. I’ve been a Cardinals fan(atic) all my life and was thrilled when you took the helm for my team. Your leadership took them to high levels every season. Well done!
Thanks Tony for bribing the rapture to Baseball Heaven!
Thank you Tony for 16 great seasons as the St. Louis Cardinals Skipper! You will be missed!
Thank you Tony for all the memories you’ve helped make for so many fans and Your Family for the sacrifies that they have made.
Thanks Tony! As a Cardinal fan since I saw Stan ‘The Man’ Musial play in the early 60’s, I must say you were the best manager the organization has ever had. You are a sure first ballot hall-of-famer! Thank you for guiding the St. Louis Cardinals and making the Cardinal Nation Proud!!!
God Bless You!
Tony,
You are now a legend in a franchise of legends. You have redefined the Cardinal way and have created so many memories that will be shared for generations. I will miss watching you in the corner of the dugout and witnessing your genius. May you have a wonderful retirement and I look forward to cheering you every chance you have to come to St Louis. We will miss # 10!!
Thank you so much Tony for your efforts on and off the field. You are a true leader and have meant so much to St. Louis and are an inspiration. I will visit that bookstore if you open it!
Thanks for all you’ve done for Cardinal baseball! Good luck on your next chapter.
Thanks so much a you were a great coach, I’m only 13 and I love baseball
Tony, your knowledge of baseball and your “feel” for the game gave us some wonderful years with you as the Cardinal manager. Thank you for giving us such joy and excitement, particularly this final year of your coaching career. Now enjoy the wonderful excitement of retirement!
Thanks Tony! You have given Cardinal fans, both young and old, memories that will forever live in our hearts. Good luck in all of your future endeavors!!
Love you Tony! Thanks for a great job!
As a life long die-hard Cardinal fan I have enjoyed the years with you and the Cardinals. You gave us some wonderful memories and we will miss you greatly.
Tony, thank you for inspiring not only our team, but Cardinal Nation. We may have the perfect team, but that is only a reflection of our perfect leader’s strength, passion, skill, tenacity & character. As stated earlier, ‘thank you’ to your wife and kids – where we are today wouldn’t have been possible without their support. You make me proud to be a Cardinals fan!!! You have created a hell of lot of amazing memories. But this year? The anticipation, excitement, infectious energy & sleepless nights! As said as I am to hear of your retirement, you have earned it. Enjoy it with your family, friends, and your fellow St. Louis Cardinal fans. You & the Clydestales – don’t be a stranger. We love you!
God bless you Tony and thanks for everything. I’ve traveled from Omaha many, many times to watch you preform your magic and have watched you and your men from home since “Extra Innings” made that possible. I grew up as a kid watching the Omaha Cardinals and loving the St. Louis Cardinals, went to the same school as Bob Gibson and have been a “fan” since I can remember (I’m three years older than you). I was at game 6–I will never forget it; and I have so many other great memories of you. May you live a long and happy life. Thanks for your contribution to my life.
Thank you Tony, wish you were sticking around for a few more years, but thank you for the great ones we have had you for.
You have been a terrific “Skipper” for our teams. I grew up watching Cardinal baseball with my Dad and didn’t think anyone could outdo Whitey – but you made it. My dad passed January 1 but I know he was rooting for our Cards!
I hope this doesn’t mean you are also retiring from your fight for the animals – they still need you 🙂
It’s been a Great Run Tony thank you!!! Hope you have a long, happy and healthy retirement.
We shall forever be grateful. Thanks for the ride. You did it your way.
I’ve been a Cardinal fan since the club was in Sportsman’s Park. Yours are the best 16 years I can remember! Thank you for everything, Tony! Congratulations on a career to end all careers!
Replacing your leadership may be the hardest task the team has ever faced.
I wonder if Jim Leyland is getting tired of Detroit!
Thanks for the memories and good luck in your next venture.
All of my adult baseball memories are with you leading the way, Tony. Best of wishes for a great retirement, St. Louis will never be the same without you!
I’ve never been a huge baseball fan but I couldn’t help but jump on the Cardinal train this year. As the Cards continued to amaze me I made sure to make each game a part of my schedule. Thanks Tony! I’ve never seen a team with so much spirit and talent. I know you were behind that the whole way!!!!!
Tony it has been great you have awarded my son and I to witness 2 world series championships and all the great cardinal moments I wish you and your family the best my 8 year old son sends the same he knows baseball like I’m sure everyother kid in st Louis and says you are the best to ever coach the game!! Congratulations Tony
Cardinal Nation will miss you so much. You have meant so much to St. Louis Baseball fans and players. I hope that you will be happy with the next chapter. You will be a hard act to follow.
Coach. Larussa, it has been a true honor and priviledge to follow you throughout your carrier, especially during your tenure with the Cardinals, my father and I have spent many hours watching the Redbirds both at home and in person, you have been apart of so many wonderful memories that he and I have shared, we wish you all the best in your retirement and hope you know you will depart as the Best Manager in Cardinals history to atleast 2 huge fans…..GOD BLESS!!!!!!!
Tony,
Thank you for soooo much!! You have given your all and so has your family, to whom I also say a big Thank You!
Dear Tony…I have loved my Cardinals for 6+ decades…and I laughingly say, “I bleed CARDINAL RED!!” I have alway been a supporter and I cannot thank you enough for 2006 (the year I went to Spring Training and met you (you autographed a picture of my dog) it was also the year my Mom (who raised us kids on Cardinal baseball) passed away…and this year…I never gave up hope..if you weren’t eliminate…you could still win..and I’ll be damn you did!! If you open a Cardinal Book Store…I’d come to California for that!! Enjoy your retirement…you more than deserve it! With lots of love, respect and more thanks than I can offer,
Patricia Barger
Thanks for all of the great years. I’m one of the fans who has not always agreed with you, but I have always had tremendous respect for you and your accomplishments. I am sure no manager in baseball history has been more passionate and dedicated to winning than you. I realized the other day, that my son is in high school, and there has never been a time in his life that Tony Larussa was not manager of the Cardinals. So few managers spend so long, and accomplish so much, with a single team. Thanks!
As a lifelong Cardinal fan I appreciate the many years of fine leadership and coaching you have provided to our team along with putting quality players on the field. The Cardinals under your coaching have always been a competitive and enjoyable team to watch. Good luck in the next step of your life and keep on supporting those animals!
Cheryl Baugh
Thank you for the most exciting playoff ever and 16 fantastic years. We will miss you!!
Thanks for the memories Tony! You are and will forever be a class act!
Thanks Tony for some great years of baseball.
Tony-
Thanks for the memories!! Good Luck on all your future endeavors.
Thanks Tony! You have been a great manager to watch and I appreciate the sacrifices you and your family have made to provide great coaching with the Cardinals. You deserve a break, enjoy your retirement!! A tip of the hat to you Tony!!
Thanks for 16 great years with my favorite team!!
The St. Louis Cardinals. Thanks Tony!!
Thank you, Tony, for such a great run and career, especially with the Cardinals! You’ve definitely earned all that you accomplished. Have a great retirement!
Thanks for all the memories. You had a great run and gave the fan base many thrills.
Best of luck to you and your family, Tony….as a life-long Cardinals fan, you are the best!
Did you tip your ‘retirement’ hand in a ‘Tony TV’ comment back in August? Something about “giving the great fans something to talk about”
and …”ask your next manager” (or words to that)?
Thanks, Tony…all the best to you!
Thank you Tony for taking great care of our Cardinals for the past 16 years. You are and will always be a great Cardinal.
You are the best! Thanks for the memories.
Tony, thanks for your tireless work and spirit of excellence as a manager and a leader. The Cardinal organization and fans, as well as the community of St. Louis are all better due to your efforts. All the best in your retirement!
Thanks, Tony! Hate to see you leave. Cardinals will have a hard time finding someone to replace your shoes! You’ve done an amazing job! Good luck with whatever your future holds!
Tony, you’re Great! Thanks for all you have done!
I was of fan of yours for 16 years and I want to Thank you, Tony, you will be missed!
Thank you Tony for the memories. I am so glad you got to go out a winner. Good luck with the future and with your ARF organization.
Thanks for the wonderful years you’ve put into building such an AMAZING team! St. Louis has been blessed to have you! Good luck and Best wishes!!!
Thank you for everything Tony! You did amazing with the Cardinals. One of the best managers they ever had. You will be missed forever. You did things that seemed near impossible. Thanks for the World Series’es Tony!!!! You will not be forgotten!!!!
Thanks Tony, You have kept the Red Birds Flying high for so long! You never gave up on your team and they never gave up on you! What a great way to end a great baseball career! On top of the baseball world! Enjoy and thanks for all the great memories you have give to all the St Louis Cardinal fans!
Tony, As a Cardinal fan since 1964, I must say it’s been a joy with you as skipper. Thank you for your hard work and for the great memories! Congratulations and ALL THE BEST in the future!
Tony thank you for your talent at managing a winning team, thank you for not giving up this year. You will go down in Cardinals history…
Thanks Tony for all of your blood, sweat and tears for all these many years. We all know you love baseball too much to stay away forever. I’m thinking when Bud Selig hangs it up, you would be an awesome commissioner of baseball. Your knowledge of the game, your integrity, your class and your stature would bring so much to that office.
Tony, you were hired by the Cardinals when I was five years old. You’re the only manager I remember the Cardinals having. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you’ve given to Cardinal nation and this city (and furry friends as well). You’ll always be a legend in St. Louis. I wish you every happiness in your retirement. Please don’t be a stranger, the fans at Busch will always be happy to have you around.
Thanks Tony for all the great memories and one of the most successful era’s in Cardinals history. You will be missed.
A big thanks Tony, I haven’t always agreed or understood some of your moves but it was a great run and your results speak volumes. You have really made the past 16 years as skipper a really fun time for all true fans. I wish you nothing but the best for you and your family. Enjoy a long and healthy life in the next phase of your life.
Thank you Tony for the greatest ride to end this season and for all your years in St. Louis. Being from Madison, WI isn’t the easiest being around Brewer fans all the time, but I am a true and proud cardinal fan and always had your back! Thank you again for the memories and continued success in whatever you decide to do. -Ray
Tony, you will be sorely missed. Thanks for bringing the Cardinals back to glory!!!
thanks Tony…it’s been a great ride..enjoy the rest of your lief…GO CARDS!!!
Thanks Tony. It has been 3 years since I fell in love with the great Saint Louis Cardinals team and your managerial wizardry. I did not know baseball before (I come from France). Second guessing your every moves and decisions had become my favorite pastime. I will miss you greatly and cannot imagine how much of a shock this news must be to your players and the rest of the organization. I am thankful you led this team to an epic eleventh title that will be remembered for ages. I enjoyed every bit of the ride. I wish you the best in whatever you will be doing next. Again, thank you M. La Russa, or should I say: “Grazie Mille”!!!
Thanks Tony!!! You kept the rich tradition of St. Louis Cardinals baseball. You always made the right moves that put the players in a position to win every ball game. Congratulations on the many years of success and enjoy your retirement, you deserve it.
Tony,
Thanks for all the wonderful memories, what a way to retire. Wish you all the best. By Barbara Taylor
Thanks for all of the memories. I have always been a Bobby Knight fan also. You and Bobby should go into business together.
Sad to see you go, Tony. Every thing I think I know about managing a baseball team and game is based on how you managed the St. Louis Cardinals since I was 8 years old. Your shoes are unfill-able and you will be greatly missed. Thanks for giving a young Cardinals fan everything he could ask for and more.
-Ryan Beckmann
24-year old lifelong Cards fan
Tony,
Thank you for 16 years of wonderful memories! I wish you the best of luck and enjoy retirement!
Eileen
From a “die hard” cubs fan.
Thank you for coaching all of those great teams, and keeping it a “friendly rivalry”
Congratulations on your retirement !
Tony- I have been a Cards fan my entire life, I have to say that it has been as much a pleasure watching you manage as it has to see any players past or present play. Thank you for all the great memories. The whole of Cardinal Nation will miss you, good luck in all your future endeavors, we’ll see you in Cooperstown.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You will be missed!
Congratulations on your retirement.
Couldn’t be luckier to only have known only YOU to lead the Cardinals victoriously to the top!! As a girl and now as an adult, I appreciate your passion for our Cardinals and I am so proud to be a Cardinals fan from St. Louis here in NYC! Thanks, Tony!!!
Going out in style – You’re the best Tony!
Thanks for a great 16 years, Tony. You have given Cardinal Nation many amazing times to celebrate. Thank you for your dedication to the Cardinal organization, and thanks for bringing the Championship back to Stl here in 2011! You will never be forgotten. Good luck with all you do in the future.
Thank you for the many great memories Tony. I am a lifelong Cardinal fan and raising 2 members of the next generation of Cardinal Nation. You restored winning and pride to the greatest TEAM in MLB, and set a great example of what it means to play “The Cardinal Way”. I am sad to see you go, but it is wonderful that if you feel this is the right time, you can go out on top after winning the greatest World Series in history! Enjoy your well deserved retirement – we will miss you!
Tony, I always said that 1964 was the greatest baseball year of my life, but you and the 2011 Cardinals have given me an even greater year with this fantastic year! Thanks so much for building on the Cardinal tradition and taking it to a new level.
You will always be remembered among the greatest of baseball managers and the greatest of Cardinal managers. Best of everything to you, your family and your foundation.
St. Louis and Baseball will miss you Tony. Thank you for bringing two championships to St. Louis. All the best!
You deserve to go out on top Tony. Thank you for all of the great years and making all of us proud to be fans of the Cardinals. I am privileged to have had the opportunity to support the Best Manager that baseball has ever had. Miracle Season complete!!!!!!!!
Thanks Tony for the past 16 years and all the winning moments. You will be in the hall of fame as a cardinal
Tony, thank you for the memories and congratulations on one hell of a career! You will truly be missed!
Thanks for representing the city of St. Louis and team.
Great Job!
Thanks Tony! You have driven me nuts over the years but it has been fantastic!
Thanks for everything, Tony! You will be missed!! Congratulations on going out on top. Enjoy your retirement! Please keep ARF going just as you did the Cardinals & enjoy the rest of your years with your family! Thanks to your family as well for all of their understanding!! Good Luck & I wish you & your family the best in life!!
Thank you Tony! You are truly a Legend of the game, and its been a privilege having you as the leader of our beloved St. Louis Cardinals for the past 16 seasons. I look forward to seeing your #10 added to the list of retired jersey numbers and hopefully seeing you annually in the parade of Cardinals Legends that we get to see on Opening Day and other special occasions!
Thanks for everything, Tony! We’ll miss you!! Congrats on your retirement.
TONY, THANKS FOR BEING THE MANAGER OF OUR CARDINALS FOR MANY YEARS. WE WILL MISS YOU THAT’S FOR SURE. TAKE THE TIME NOW AND ENJOY YOUR FAMILY AND RETIREMENT. DO THE THINGS YOU HAVE PUT OFF DOING BECAUSE OF THE JOB. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS, MARY C
Thanks Tony for all that you have done with the Cardinals. You are an amazing coach who knows the game. This baseball World Series was so awesome and fun to watch. Congrats and best of luck!!
Thank Tony for the many cardinal memories, enjoy your retirement.
Tony,
Thanks for 16 wonderful years with all the ups and downs and in-betweens.
You give your heart and soul to the game. Thanks for 2 World Series Championships.
Enjoy life, retirement, your family and dogs.
Mary Frese
It was awesome celebrating our victory with you, the team and the rest of St. Louis. Thank you for all you have done for the Cardinals and St. Louis! Eventhough I hate to see you go I wish you all the best. Many blessings to you and your family!
thanks for so many wonderful years as the skipper of the st louis cardinals….you will be missed so much…you and the team have handled yourselves with class and dignity and everyone in the cardinal nation thank you!! happy retirement!!
Mr.LaRussa,
Thank you for 16 great years, and two world championships. You were an inspiration for us all to be around, and we wish you well in whatever you do. Thanks
Thanks Tony!!!!! We will miss you.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You….it has been a pleasure to watch you lead the Cardinals. All the best in your life journey, you have helped make the St. Louis communities journey a ton of fun!
Wow what a sad day for Cardinal fansd and St Louis good luck with everything you do and enjoy your retirement. You will be greatly missed by St Louis and the Cardinals.
Delinda
Amazing year thanks so much! Fell in love with baseball last year. You did great Tony. Have a Happy Retirement.
Tony you have been an inspiration to all of St. Louis and baseball and you will be missed. God this was one hell of a season and I was at that Cubs game where everything turned around and I think even myself gave up but without your moves we could have never pulled it off. Thanks for the highs Tony and enjoy retirement and we will see you for number 12 in ’12!!!
Thanks Tony! I appreciate all you have done to make this town and all Cardinal fans proud.
Sincerest thanks, Tony, for a year to remember! I appreciate all of the coaching staff’s dedication to this prestigious organization. The sacrifices you’ve made…the sacrifices that your family has been forced to make year after year, it does not go unnoticed. I pray you are blessed above and beyond comprehension. Joshua in North Carolina
Tony thanks for everything you’ve done for the Cardinals and St. Louis. Congratulations on a fabulous and successful career. Enjoy your retirement, you’ve earned it.
Amazing run Tony! Thanks for everything! Now what hat will you be wearing in the HOF? Cardinals I presume/hope!
Tony,
May your life be as happy as you’ve made everyone in the St. Louis area, Jupiter, Fl and the world.
You were a gentleman and wonderful leader. Your absence will be sorely felt.
I have friends in France who watched every game and are sad you’re leaving.
Best regards,
Marcia B
tony you will always be in the hearts of every cardinal fan thank you
Davie thank you to may god look over your wife
Thanks for all you’ve done for the Cardinals and Major League baseball!! You deserve to enjoy some time off for doing whatever your heart desires! Have a happy, healthy, blessed retirement! You’re the best! Congratulations for getting “Manager of the Year” in advance!!
Thanks, Tony, for showing the truth of the belief that “if there’s a will, then there’s a way.” What a glorious season this year was, and we wish you all the best in your retirement.
Mr. LaRussa,
You have always taken care of those around you, now it is time for taking care of yourself! Enjoy!
Thanks Tony! Like me, many fans get frustrated throughout the year, but your genius at management has never been as obvious as it was this year! I don’t think anyone else could have guided the team to such a Victory! You really are a GREAT Manager!
With a tear in my eye and joy in my heart one of the best managers leaves the Greatest Game in America! God Bless you Tony and your family. Thanks for the ride. Now, take a break and then get out there and save some animals!
Tony – I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed second-guessing your decisions since we moved to St. Louis over 10 years ago – “NO!! Don’t send in Izzy!!” But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. You’ve done a great job with the Cardinals and brought a lot of joy to St. Louie. I wish you all the best in whatever you do, and many years in which to do it!!!! Before you go, please have the Rally Squirrel spayed or neutered!!! 🙂
Thank you for all you’ve done over the past 16 seasons. Enjoy your retirement. We’ll see you in Cooperstown.
Thanks for the wonderful gift of excellent sport for greater St. Louis and all the Cardinal fans throughout the country. Cardinals have been a team of which to be proud. Thanks too for the enjoyment I have had as a fan. Love how you play the game. Will miss you a lot.
Tony, I have been watching you since your days back in Oakland. Being a from the Bay Area I have always enjoyed watching you manage the game and players. You seem to always know what kiv\nd of call to make, pinch runner/hitter, picther chance, hit and rtun or even my favorite the sqeeze play. No one did as good as you. When you went off to St Louis, I was already there (Rams fan) so I continued to watch your style and they way to created the Cardinal team. You will be missed. Thanks for the memories and enjoy your time off.
Thanks.
Tony, Thanks for all the great years of Cardinals baseball and for leading some of the best teams in St.Louis Cardinals history. Thanks for all the Championships and most of all the great memories……….Once a Cardinal, Always a Cardinal
Thanks for all the great memories……I hope retirement brings everything you hope for……
Thanks Tony for being such a wonderful manager. You will be greatly missed, not only in St Louis, but in the entire baseball community. Best wishes for your future.
Mr La Russa you were Great Skipper of the storied Cardinals Club. I Wish you the best in retirement. Maybe we can see you on baseball tonight on occasion? As a life long Redbird fan I would love to hear your baseball philosophies. Enjoy the Sunsets
Congrats and thanks. I have had the blessing to be around for 64, 67, 82, 85 (stolen), 06, but the last one was the best. The way your club persevered and never gave in was incredible. Game 6 might be the best postseason game ever in any sport. You are in the Cardinal family forever now, and we expect to see you back here in one of those red blazers as a Hall of Famer when your number 10 is retired, right between Enos and Kenny.
Thanks for all your hard work and dedication Tony! You will be missed:(
What a great ride!! Thanks for everything Tony
Tony I enjoyed watching you manage my favorite team for 16 years. You are on a legendary status in the managing world and even though you haven’t won as many games as Connie Mack and McGraw, you are still the greatest manager ever. Thank you for bringing two championships to St. Louis and I wish you would come back for more but i guess its time to go. Enjoy the rest of your endevours after baseball god bless.
Thanks Tony for all the great seasons. I have been a Cardinals fan since ’68. Way to go out on top. You deserve to. Thanks again and enjoy your retirement.
I was impressed when you were in Oakland then imagine my surprise when you came to the Cardinals….bless our lucky stars. You did right by the baseball fans in St. Louis so you deserve to enjoy some time with your family and friends…enjoy it
Mr. LaRussa,
As an ardent Cardinals fan, I cannot begin to express how much your vision and leadership have meant to the team and the city of St. Louis. You will be sorely missed. I wish you well in your future endeavors and hope you continue to enjoy the success you have had as a baseball manager. Thank you for this year, it was one to remember! Thank you for all the wonderful baseball memories you have given me over the last 16 years. Most of all, thank you for your leadership to the Cardinal’s organization.
Tony,
Thanks For All The Great Memories, You Are Truly One Of The All Time Greats. Your Tireless Efforts Will Never Be Forgotten. The Cardinals Will Have A Difficult Time Replacing You For Sure.
Wishing You And Yours The Best.
Tony, thanks for all the great memories I have of the Cards games over the past 16 years. I’m sad to see you go but all the best to you in your future plans.
Thank you Tony for giving St. Louis fans 16 yrs of your baseball career. Congratulations to you and your family on your retirement. I wish you the very best in the next stage of your life. Even with the ups and downs of the 2011 season, the best manager in baseball rallied the troops to never give up! I can remember every post-season game since 1967, and I have to say this was the most exciting post-season that I have ever seen. You will be the next St. Louis Cardinal Hall of Famer!!
Hey Tony I will always remember the great moments that happened in your era and even though there will be more managers to come, you will always be number 1. Thanks a lot Tony you will be missed
Thank you Tony, for your 16 years of mananging the Cardinals. This year has been so exciting and it’s all because you and the players never gave up. What a great way to retire – after winning one of the the most thrilling World Series ever! We will miss you. Next up is the Hall of Fame. Enjoy retirement, and please come back to the Winter Warm-up and back to STL for some games next year!
Thanks Tony so much for the best heart stopping season ever! Loved every minute of it! Just won’t be the same without you. I hope you continue your fabulous work with animals and stop in Busch Stadium whenever you’re in town – we’d all enjoy seeing you.
Tony- I’ve watched the St. Louis Cardinals for as long as i can remember, say middle 90’s. I’ve seen McGuire hit his 70 homerun record, i’ve seen the redsox defeat the cardinals in 04, the Cardinals beat the crap out of Detroit in 06, and I could not take my eyes off this entire 2011 season. You are hands down the greatest manager that this organization (or even the MLB) has ever seen, and you will be dearly missed.
Thanks so much, Tony. You have continued and enhanced the rich tradition that is St. Louis Cardinals baseball. You will be missed but never forgotten.
This Nation (Cardinal Nation) is better off because of you. Your quick thinking and precise planning has given a great tradition of excellence in this great city. We will forever be grateful for all you’ve done. May God bless you in your retirement.
Thank you Tony for all that you have done for this organization.
I can’t remember Cardinal Baseball without you at the helm – I was 5 years old when you took over – and it’s going to be an interesting watching them next season without you.
The 2011 World Series run this season will go down as one of the best in the history of baseball, and there would be no better way for you to go out on top.
You’ll undoubtedly be remembered as one of the best to ever be a big league manager – best of luck to you and yours in your retirement.
Thanks for the memories Tony.
#11in11
Thanks Tony for the memories!!! As a life long Cardinal fan I have truely enjoyed your years in St. Louis. You and your style of managing will be missed! Wish you and your wife the best in the future. You go in the the Hall of Fame as a Cardinal. Thanks again for a season no Cardinal Fan will ever forget and will be talked about by all baseball fans a one for the ages!!! Go Cardinals!
Thanks, Tony. What a great ride you took us all on. Your steadfastness, trust, and leadership are models for young and old. As a third-generation Cardinals fan, I didn’t think I could love the team more… but I have grown to do so over the years you’ve been in St. Louis. Blessing to you, your family, the dogs, and everyone you love.
amazing season, tony. You will be the one we compare everyone else to! we will tell our grankchildren about you, and we will always say “what would tony do?”. best of luck for your retirement, you truly deserve it!
Thanks for all the great memories, Tony! We hope the Cardinals can continue their winning tradition without your leadership. Thank you! Really admire you for the reasons you are retiring. It will be nice to spend time with your family and pursue other interests while you are young and healthy. Blessings to you!
Tony, my son was so upset when he read that you’d be retiring. Even a 12 year old knows that your presence in MLB and particularly with the Cardinals’ organization is going to be sorely missed. Thank you for everything you’ve done for Major League Baseball & the St. Louis Cardinals. We wish you and your family a wonderful and happy future! From your biggest fan, Joseph, & his mom.
Thanks Tony! Tell Dave to stick around a little while though, will ya?
Thanks Tony for the great games in St Lou and in Jupiter – having lived in both regions there is still nothing u can compare to cardinal baseball and ur presence is one that I will miss! U signed my bling bling cap a few years back at spring training – shall cherish forever ! Njoy ur retirement
Thank you Tony for giving this White Sox and Cardinals fan so many wonderful memories. From Winnin’ Ugly to Wild Cards it has been a memorable ride. Cooperstown awaits!! Congrats.
Thanks for this amazing season and for many years of wonderful memories. Congratulations on your retirement !!!
Tony, you were the greatest manager I could imagine growing up with. You were managing 16 out of my 18 years of life and I learned what baseball was from you. The way you went out there everyday with focus and dedication, showed you knew what you were doing and that you were great at it! I came to love baseball from these St. Louis Cardinals and it is all because of you. You defined this Cardinals generation for the city of St. Louis and you showed us how to respectfully play the game and to never give up hope. They call this place baseball heaven. Thank you for allowing us to be such good fans. You were amazing at what you did and I know all these fans love you and will miss you so much. Good luck with the rest of your life. I will never forget you.
I’ve been watching baseball a very long time, and this playoff run was simply the finest display of baseball managing I have ever witnessed. Baseball can break your heart, but every once in a while it brings tremendous joy. Thanks for the joy in 2006 and 2011!
Thanks for the memories Tony! I’ll never forget your run as Cardinals skipper!
Thank you for helping make cardinal baseball the way it should be in St. Louis, I didn’t always agree with your calls, but I can’t disagree with your “W’s”. Wow what a 16 yr ride…….all the best to you and your family.
In 1969, while you were a member of the Iowa Oaks, you signed a baseball card for me. I said Thank You. After these past 16 years I want to say, once again, Thank You!
Thank you, Tony. I was born and raised in STL but have been a long distance fan for the past 20+ years. Thanks for making so much of my time away from home great to be a Cardinal fan – especially this last, unbelievable run!!!!
Tony, thanks for all the great years in St.Louis and thanks for leading some of the greatest Cardinal teams in St.Louis history. Thanks for the Championships and most of all for the awesome memories. Can’t wait to see ya get into the Hall of Fame………Once a Cardinal, Always a Cardinal!!
I became a fan at age 8 during the 1996 Post Season. Youre the only manager I’ve ever known and I can’t imagine looking in the dugout at anyone else. Thanks for solidifying my place in Cardinal Nation and Thanks for the memories Tony. I am truly sad today.
Mr. La Russa,
Thank you for all your hard work and dedicaton to the St. Louis Carndial organization and all the players. What a pleasure it has been to watch you over the years managing the Cardials and even before that. I wish only the very best for you and your family in the future. Enjoy your retirement we will miss you.
Thanks Tony for your service and leadership to the Cardinal Nation. Congratulations on retiring as a 3 time World Series champion.
You have been part of a wonderful Cardinal family for many years, thank you for a wonderful ride! Best wishes in your retirement and please know you will be missed in St Louis!!
Tony, I grew up listening every night with my dad to Cardinal baseball and have always been a huge fan. My daughter now 22 goes to several games with me. I introduced Cardinal baseball to my wife who never watched any sports. She can give play by play just like Al after the past several years. She & I both love the Cardinals and are so happy for the team. Loosing you as the manager will be difficult but you certainly deserve it & enjoy life spending time with your family. When I told my wife this morning…she cried. We will always remember the La Russa years!!! THANKS!
Boy, what a ride! Seems as if it just started yesterday. You have surrounded yourself with the most talented athletes and made it so much fun to follow. Best of luck and thanks!
Thanks Tony for all the memories, all the postseason here in st.louis and the two world series titles.
Neil Balani
St.Louis MO
Thanks Tony for 16 wondeful years with the Cardinals. Thanks for your leadership qualities in steeringthe Cardinals to the 2011 World Sries Champions. I am a retired UnitedMethodist pastor from Illinois who every year accompanieda bus load of Cardinal and Cub fans to ballgames in St. Louis and to Chicago also. YOU ARE THE GREATEST TONY! MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY N YOUR RETIREMENT! Again thanks for the ride! GO CARDS!
Thanks Tony!
It has been a wonderful ride. It has been sixteen fantastic Cardinal years – I am sad you are leaving but wish you all the best in the future.
God bless you Tony for everything you’ve given us, for allowing us to partake in the glorious era called your career! God bless you and your family!
Tony, thanks for all you’ve done for baseball with creating a closer role and for bringing your knowledge of the game to the game you love. It has been a pleasure watching you manage over the years and congratulations on another World Series title with St. Louis.
You will be missed. See you in the Hall of Fame
What a ride!! You have accomplished so much in your career and we are proud to have had you as the Cardinal’s manager for the last 16 years! We will miss you and wish you the best retirement ever!!
Thank you for your dedication to our franchise and for bringing us back to the top! Congrats and good luck, Tony!
Unbelievable Tony! What you did is unspeakable sir! I second many others comments by saying, thanks for making our baseball memories both from our childhood and the recent past so beautiful. No one will ever understand what it means to be a Cardinal fan. Thank you very much for your years of service and sacrifice for a team that you loved…and a team that loves you!
Thanks for all the great seasons! The Cards will not be the same without you!!
Congratulations of a very successful career. You have made a difference in a lot of people’s lives through the years. We especially want to Thank You for your efforts coaching the team this year. What a story this has been! Since I just retired in July I want to let you know that you will enjoy it! Thank you and good luck and enjoy the rest of your time for yourself and your family. Thanks,
Pam, Wally, and Chris DeLong
Tony, thanks for the memories, not only were you a great manager for our team, but I always admired how you showed such respect for your players, and they in turn had so much respect for you!! Have a great retirement……you deserve it!!
Wishing you all the best. I’m a Mets’ fan, but I’ve enjoyed watching your Cardinals beat them all this season! It will be impossible to replace you, but you have made it possible for many fans and players to enjoy the most exciting baseball ever imagined.
Thank you also for your support of animals! You are truly an inspiration.
I hope you have a fantastic retirement with your beautiful family. We all appreciate all you have done for the wonderful Cardinal organization. See you in Cooperstown in a few years!
Congratulations on winning the 2011 World Series! It was a thrill to watch and I had faith in the Cardinals all the way! I want to say thank you for all the wonderful years you have provided baseball!! It will be tough not seeing you in the dugout this year as you will be greatly missed. Enjoy your retirement 🙂
Could not have picked a better way to go out Tony. You clearly out-managed Washington in the WS and demonstrated your expertise as a manger in utilizing your staff. God bless and enjoy your retirement to the fullest!
Thanks for 33 years of incredible managing in NL and AL Tony LaRussa 16 of those years with the Cardinals and 3 WS Championship including the most incredible come back in MLB history #11 WS Championship for the Cardinals. I couldnt think of any better way than going out on top and that what you did. Thanks Tony! Cardinals organization and Cardinal Nation will miss us and we Salute you.
Tony,
Thanks-but I am not sure that word is enough to say to someone who has taken our St Louis Cardinals to 2 World Series and won them. You are an amazing man and owner. The work you do with animals is another reason why we love you here in St Louis. So Mr. LaRussa Thank You from Cardinals Nation We salute you.
Thank you Tony for all that you have done. Congrats on winning another world series right before your retirement. You will definitely be missed alot. Enjoy your retirement!
Thanks for the memories!
Thanks for all the memories Skipper! All of Cardinal Nation will miss you. Enjoy your retirement.
Sure will miss you. Best wishes on your retirement 🙂
Thank you Tony for all your years of service to the Cardinals. We all have such wonderful memories of Cardinal baseball under you. You will be missed, but you deserve retirement. Enjoy it!
Thanks for the memories. I think we were perhaps spoiled a bit as we took your presence for granted. You always exibited a great drive but always with class. Thanks again and best of luck.
THANKS TONY!!! I am a huge Cardinals fan and I know that they could not have done the things this season or in seasons of the past withouth your expert managing. Thank you so much for everything you’ve ever done, and good luck in retirement.
Thanks!
Austin Dukes
I’ve been a Cardinal’s fan all of my life and each year I have grown more attached to this current group. Some of them played for our farm team, the Redbirds, and it’s always great when they make it to the big show. Thanks for the wonderful memories that you’ve given us Tony and have a happy retirement.
Tony, you’re a true Cardinal now and forever. THANK YOU!
Unfortunately the words “thank you” seem to fall far short after all you have given the St. Louis Cardinal Organization and St. Lousians over these past 16 years. You gave them your blood, sweat, tears and spirit…maybe even your soul. But in this, your finest season – by many measures – you gave us much more…you gave a new generation (and reminded several older generations) the true meaning of not giving up, even when others have. You illustrated that the attitude of “keep on trying” has a place in our society and you did it on a national stage! Once every great while we are reminded of the triumph of the human spirit, of the rewards that are to be attained by fighting until your final breath. Bernie calls you Don Tony…I’ll think of you as Don Quixote Tony…fighting battles that the rest of the world says can’t be won…and winning.
I had a wonderful year with you and he Cardinals Thanks 2011
Thanks Tony, for bringing character, heart and winning baseball to the best franchise in the MLB. It won’t be the same without you!
Skipper – Thanks for a great era in Cardinal baseball. There are so many things that have made you one of the greatest managers of all time, but for me I always appreciated how you ‘respected’ the game. I am not sure which season I view as your best, 2002 or 2011. Both exemplify a character not often found in sports today. You have added to a rich Cardinal history and will always be remembered as one of the great ones. Looking forward to your HOF induction. Best of Luck!
Tony,
Thank you for all of the great years! As a fan, I’ll miss watching your managerial mastery, but enjoy your retirement!
-Mark
Thanks skipper for the great ride. See you at Cooperstown.
Congratulations Tony! Good Luck in all of your future endeavors. Keep smiling and we look forward to your induction to the Hall of Fame. Hope to see you at next years Winter Warmup.
Tony, I have followed your Carrer with the St.Louis Cardinals .I have been to many games and watched many more on television. I can say without a doubt you are the best Manager a Team could ask for.You will be deeply missed and I wish you the very best in your retirement.A huge Cardinal Fan and Animal Lover!!!!!
Don Whitfield. 70 years of age
Thanks, Tony!! You’ve been a refreshing entity in a sports world so bady into the act of anything goes as long as it makes the Dollars. You have injected your true values into this tremendous sport of baseball … what a welcome & wonderful friend you’ve become to millions of viewers! Thanks a ton & the very best wishes to you in your futurer endeavors.
From a Canadian friend …. whom you have never met ….
There are many of us who have appreciated the care and dedication you gave to the St. Louis Cardinals, players, fans and the City of St. Louis. I am so sorry to see you leave, but I know you deserve the time for future endeavors. You gave us the best and I sincerely appreciate you. Sondra F.
Since 1968 when, at age 11, I was taken to my first Major League baseball game in St. Louis, the Cardinals have been my team. One of the reasons is the lasting effect the team and the fans left with me; motivated, driven, but respectable to the other team and fans…a reputation that I have always been proud to have been a part of. That relationship has not only continued but flourished thoroughout the years. Something like that can easily be lost given the wrong leadership. Your guidance and example throughout your time with the Cardinals has only enhanced the Cardinals tradition.
Thank you, Tony…I don’t know what else to say, except that you may retire, but you’ll ALWAYS be a Cardinal.
God bless you!
Thanks for being a gamer, never doing it the easy way. You are a true champion and the Cardinals will miss you.
I am 82, been a Cardinal fan since I was 12, only saw one game in person at St Louis in all those years and that was 5 years ago. All other games have been on the tube. I always watch when the Cards are playing Washington Nationals or Baltimore Orioles, a blessing for me. Thanks Tony for the great job and what you have done for Baseball
Thanks for the memories Tony! Enjoy life after baseball!
TONY, I would like thank you for some of the most wonderful baseball memories that I have; I would also thank your family for the sacrifices that they have made during the years. Good Luck with your future endeavors and Blessings on the years ahead!!
Please keep up the great work with the animals!
Awesome Awesome Run this year! Thanks for the memories!!
Thank You Tony!!! You earned your retirement!! Enjoy it!
From the last game at Sportsman’s, the last game of Stan the Man, to the opening
of both the current and previous stadiums…all historical and memorable, but you
have added another exciting chapter to the continuing story of Cardinal baseball.
Thank you, and God bless you on your continuing journey.
The yesterdays are what we talk about for the rest of our lives. I and my family will have our yesterday memories of the Cardinals to talk about for hopefully a long time. Thank you Tony!! The best to you and your family in the years ahead.
Thanks Tony, it won’t be the same without you! Good luck in your next endeavor.
Xo
Congratulations Tony, you have been an AWESOME Manager and have made St. Louis Cardinal baseball so much fun to watch. My family and I have been Cardinal fans since I was a little girl, back in 1967…my first World Series game, with Bob Gibson on the mound. Your teams have given us so much entertainment over the last 16 years and I wish all the best to you and your family. St. Louis and all of Cardinal Nation and the players/coaches will miss you greatly…Pam in Russellville, AR
Tony, all of Cardinal Nation will miss you. You have given us two World Series and many joyous moments. I was born a Cardinal fan and you will be in my heart and in the hearts of all the fans forever. I will look for you in Cooperstown. Thanks for leaving us in baseball heaven. Barbara in Nevada, MO.
Thanks Tony, for all you have done for the Cardinals – and their fans – and for baseball. I’ve been a Cardinals fan most of my life and appreciate all you’ve accomplished for the team. Congratulations on another world championship for you and the Cardinals. You will be greatly missed, but I hope you will enjoy your retirement!
Glenn Bristow,
San Antonio, TX
Tony,
Thanks for all the great runs, not the least of which was this year’s historic run! I will always appreciate the way your carried yourself and managed your teams! You have always made me proud to be a Cardinal fan (and to raise my son as one as well)!
Thanks!!!
I have been a Cardinals Fan since I was a small child. Although it is sad to see Tony reitre, what a way to go out. You provided great leadership to Cardinal nation and you will be missed. Congratulations on all of your accomplishments.
St. Louis baseball will not be the same without you. Enjoy your retirement!!!
Thank you Tony! We are hoping the next chapter in your life will be bigger and better than the 1st. You are a ‘Super Star’
Thanks, Tony, for some memorable years. While I have not always understood why you did what you did, you were truly brilliant in 2011. God bless you and your family and enjoy your retirement.
Tony, thanks for my favorite 16 years as a Cardinals fan! Any slight questions I may have ever had about your managerial skills and stature as a human being were resolved when I read Three Nights in August! Best wishes for a health and enjoyable retirement!
I have been a Cardinal fan all my life and I’ m a lot older than you.
This has been a year I will never forget. What a thrilling finish.
God Bless You. HAPPY RETIREMENT.
It was a great run! Thanks for all you’ve done for St. Louis and for the Cardinals!
I’ve been around baseball teams for some 25 years, and sometimes I questioned your moves. I should have know better. You did what was necessary to win Cardinals games. I’ve been a Cardinals fan for 54 years. You will go down as one of the top five MLB managers of all time. You’re five years from the Hall-of-Fame. Congratulations, Tony, on a great career. The Cardinals will truly miss you.
Thanks Tony, all of St. Louis and other cities around the world appreciate what you did in St. Louis whether it was on the field or off. Not only does St. Louis lose a great coach but they also lost a great citizan.
I have been a Cardinal fan for 77 years, and you were one of their greatest managers. Thank you for everything.
Thank you Tony for all you’ve done for the Cardinals and for your class, leadership and ingenuity. Congratulations on winning another World Series title and leading the Cards to their tenth and eleventh World Series titles, this season’s being among the most memorable championship runs in Major League Baseball history. And, thanks for all your contributions to the great game of baseball. Here’s hoping every day of your retirement is filled with home runs, grand slams, no-hitters and, mostly, perfect games.
Thank you for a wonderful ride, Tony! I have lived in a few baseball towns, including Seattle during the Lou Pinella era. I feel priviledged to have lived in St Louis for the last 8 years where I have become a diehard fan of the St Louis Cardinals and TLR..One of the (if not the best) managers in the history of baseball! Good luck Tony – if you do open a bookstore, I will throw away my Kindle and buy all my books from you! Congratulations on a great season and World Series Championship!!
I want say thank you Tony for all the great baseball. The best thing about you was the feeling that with you out there, the team had a shot. Of all your great numbers 9 postseasons in 16 years is my favorite. Take care and we will miss you.
As a long time Cardinal fan I want to say thank you for all the great memories. This world series was the greatest I have seen and a testament to your ‘never say die’ philosophy as a coach.
Congrats TLR on 33 seasons of World Champion Baseball!! You are truly a St. Louis hero and will be greatly missed! Happy Retirement!
Because of the respect you have brought to this game and this organization, I will be forever grateful. Look forward to the day when I can tell my grandchildren and hopefully great grandchildren that I saw one of the greatest managers who ever lived do it in person. Cardinal Nation and the game of baseball thanks you!!! Who knows, maybe we’ll get to see you as a talking head one of these days so I can finally agree with what being said during the broadcast!
wow,, tony!! WHAT A CLASSY GUY AND IT ALWAYS SHOWED IN YOUR BALL CLUBS—THE CARDINALS WILL NOT SEEM LIKE THE SAME TEAM WITHOUT YOU–BEST WISHES AND GOD’S SPEED.
although i don’t like the decision, I can understand on wanting to go out on top. Enjoy your retirement w/ your wife and helping the animals. You’ve helped give a lot of people, who would otherwise, have not gotten a second chance at baseball a second chance. Thanks for all the wonderful memories Tony.
Thanks for the ride Tony! On to greener pastures for you. You have done Cardinal Nation proud. You will be missed but remembered. See you in Cooperstown!!!
TONY, THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES, I HAT TO SEE YOU GO AFTER A WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP BUT I DO WISH YOU THE GREATEST RETIREMENT ENJOY LIFE AND HOPE YOU COME BACK TO ST LOUIS TO SEE OUR ST LOUIS CARDINALS AND THE GREATEST FANS IN BASEBALL. AGAIN THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES. THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE WHEN WE WON WAS MAGICAL YOU WILL BE MISSED.
Thank you Tony. You are without a.doubt one of the talented managers in basebase for the generation. Your talent will surely be missed.
Thanks for the ride Tony. This is a retirement well deserved. Enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed watching the Cardinals over the years!
Tony-
Cooperstown will be lucky to have you, its been a great ride!
Thank you Tony for a job excellently done!!! You will truly be missed, yet always remembered!!!! It was an AWESOME ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tony, thank you for everything! You are a Cardinal Hall of Famer!
Congratulations on your retirement! Thank you for all your sacrifices, time and wonderful memories. There is a season for all things……
Skipper,
Got to speak to you on two different occasions via the final ‘Busch LaRussa Beer Chats’ of the season. Both times on my calls you were ever the consumate gentleman and class act. As a Cards fan of 52 years, thanks for making the last 16 some of the most memorable baseball a fan could watch. You and your squad helped our family thru ups n downs, illnesses and losses. Sometimes it was just a distraction and then others, like the last 10 weeks it was the joy of turning on the radio and balancing on a razor blade nearly every day and then finishing without being sliced to pieces, LOL. Good luck and enjoy a very well deserved retirement and thanks again for all your work and thank you to your family for their sacrifices so you could do your job and bring a level of baseball to the fans not soon to be equaled.
Kevin (Minnesota)
Tony,
Thanks for your many years of Cardinal loyalty and service. It has been a real pleasure to be a Cardinal fan and have you as our manager. You will also be remembered as a champion! Good luck in retirement…I assume we will be able to see you occasionally in Jupiter, Florida…:)
Enjoy your retirement…you earned it. GO CARDS!!
Steve Abram
Tony,
Enjoy your retirement! Thank you for all the memories. Other organizations wish they could be the Cardinals Baseball Club!
As you ride off into the sunset farewell!
Ed Bruski
Thank you for a fabulous 16 years!! It was a WILD and FUN ride!!! You will truly be missed, yet always remembered!!!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!!
Thanks, Tony. Terrific job. A grateful nation — all in red, of course — salutes you.
Tony,
Thank you putting the cardinals in a place where everyone expects success. That is a direct reflection of your leadership. High standards are earned, not awarded. Best to you and your family!
Thanks for all your great work!
Tony – thanks for the years of memories. We wish you well in your retirement. Your loyalty to your players, your managerial expertise, and your innovations set standards that will be hard for others to replicate. You brought out the best in your players; but you also brought out the best in Cardinal fans. God bless you.
Thanks Tony. Your that best! The Cardinals will go on but it will be difficult to accept, at least for a while, that you are not at the helm.
Thanks for such an amazing run; not just this year – but for your entire tenure as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Special thanks to your wife and the rest of your family for “lending” us the man we called “The Skipper” year after year. The sacrifices you have made have not gone unnoticed.
Thanks for the journey – it’s one for the ages and one I can’t wait to tell my kids about. Thanks for the ride!
Best of luck in all that you do
Corey Schaaf
It’s hard to say goodbye to someone so special and who has had such an impact on our city and our sport. You’ll always have a special spot in our hearts and minds. Wishing you continued success with ARF. Thanks to the La Russa family for sharing this wonderful man with the rest of us. We truly were blessed to have him at the helm for these wonderful years. Getting ready to book the bus for Cooperstown as I’ll be there as well to celebrate your induction in 5 years! Thank you, thank you….you’re a gem! Denise Singleton bigredbird
Tony I’ve been a cardinal fan since the 50’s and you have been one of the best managers. you’ll be missed and always be loved in my heart as a cardinal fan. thank you for the years you gave us.
Thanks Tony! Wow! This feels kind of like Hamilton’s homer in the 10th. We were on top of the world and now the wind is let out. Like this incredible World Series championship, news of your retirement is going to take a while to settle in. I can’t picture you not being in that dugout. Not yet anyway. I don’t know how many real baseball men are out there but I hope the Cardinals find a good one to fill your shoes. You will be truely missed. I also want to thank you for all you do for our four legged friends too. God bless you and your family and thank you so much for your time as a Cardinal!
Tony,
In my 37 years of life I remember two great managers for my beloved Cardinals, you and Whitey ! You are a wonderful manager and I enjoyed watching all the emotions you went through this year. You really care about the Birds on the Bats. You were at your best this year and I will always cherish 2011…Whatta year! Thank you, enjoy your retirement, and please stay in touch with the St. Louis Cardinals.
P.S. Don’t even entertain an offer by the Cubs, FOR ANYTHING. ; )
Congratulations on your retirement Tony. You richly deserve it and some special time with your family, though we were all hoping for one more year. You have been a great mentor for so many young men who will grow up to be special like you and give back to their community. This has been the best season my husband and I can remember and they have been quite a few. May God bless you and your family. Pat and Chuck Benson, 76 and 78 respectively.
Thank You for all the wonderful years tou gave to all the St.Louis Cardinals fans.
Best wishes in all that you.
Rick
Thank you Tony La Russa! You will be missed so much! I was hoping for another year. It won’t be the same. I have been a Cardinal fan since childhood, back in the Gibson era but you also brought fabulous baseball to St. Louis. It is great to go out on top though!!
Thank you for all the great years and great games. You are definitely going out on top! Best World Series I’ve ever seen. Cheers! (I was hoping you’d sign my baseball before you left; Red Schoendienst signed it, also. Way back in 1969!)
I would like to thank you for the many great memories you have brought to me and my family. Your contribution to Cardinals baseball has left an impression on all of us that will be remembered for a long time to come. My sons have grown up as Cardinal fans and we are proud to be a small part of Cardinal nation!
Thank you Tony and the coaching staff too!
Craig, Leslie, Shayne, Ryan and Ethyn Bradley
Karnak IL
Tony: My family lived near you in the San Francisco Bay Area and embraced Oakland A’s baseball while you did a terrific job managing there. What a wonderful coincidence that we moved to St. Louis about the time you brought your magic here. Thank you for MANY years of outstanding baseball and for accomplishing something this year that no one believed possible. Best wishes to you in retirement. You deserve it.
Brent Griggs
Here’s to the last guy to ever wear a #10 Cardinals uniform…
Mr. LaRussa, I just wanted to tell you thank you for all you have done in St. Louis. You have really made my cardinal experience an excellent one! This year has been the most amazing and crazy baseball season in the history of baseball in my opinion. Thank you again, sir.
Ben Dickey from Conway, AR
Tony: Thanks for not listening to that law professor and choosing to ride the busses. What a story. Now for the book and the movie. I’ll be first in line. You are an inspiration. Bob Paine
Thanks for sixteen great years of baseball in St. Louis. Cardinal fans have long memories, and you will be appreciated for a long time. You always showed your commitment to the team and the city, and it really was noticed and appreciated. Happiness to you and your family here forward.
Thank you Tony! It has been a blast watching your teams take the field over the years. Now you get to sit in your favorite recliner/car/season ticket spot and criticize the guy making the decisions just like we do. Have a fun retirement. See you giving your thoughts next year on ESPN?
Thanks again,
Ben
Mr. LaRussa,
On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for your many years of hard work and dedication to the St. Louis Cardinals and to baseball. My mother who died suddenly September 16, and my father, who is 89 and recuperating from recent surgery, and all of the children and their families are diehard Cardinals fans. (Dad was watching the Series from his hospital bed.)
Our best to you and your family during your retirement.
Ken Hise for the Delbert and Pauline Hise Family
Tony, Growing up closer to KC than STL, you would have thought I would have been a KC fan – not so!!! I alway’s loved the Cardinals spirit, comraderie and simply their love of the game! It was infectious! You could not watch the game and not feel that somehow the Cardinals would come out on top – this has been going on, in part, because of YOUR 16 years with this incredible team! I soooo appreciate your leadership to these awesome player’s and for being a mentor to all. Take care and I hope you have a longggggggg and healthy retirement! Enjoy it – you deserve it!
Thanks for 16 great years and 2 World Series trophies. It will seem weird not seeing you in the dugout next season, you have become such a part of STL Cardinals baseball.
Because of you and your fabulous Cardinal team you have made this 66 year old Grandma one happy person. I predicted at the beginning of the season that you and the team would win the world series. I have a Cardinal room at my house and you hold a prominent place on the wall next to my autographed picture of Stan the Man. Thanks for all you have done to make this grandma a happy one. Happy retirement!!!
Thanks for so many great years Tony! Your first year in St. Louis was when I was two years old. You’ve been the most familiar and constant person in my memory of Cardinals baseball. From my first game in 1999 when I saw Mark McGwire hit yet another home run, to my most recent game in Game 2 of the World Series this year, you have been part of the reason it’s been so enjoyable and fun to be a Cards fan! Congrats on the great run, and another title. You get to go out like so many want to and so few get too: on top. Enjoy retirement TLR!
Tony – You have inspired Cardinal Nation for as long as you have been a red bird. Thank you for understanding St. Louis, its people, and its culture of baseballl. You have been a true face for the Cardinals, and you will be missed by the entire Cardinal Nation. Thank you for everything you have done for this City and its people. It has been a real pleasure to have the oppotunity to watch you manage the Cardinals, and manage this team to several World Series victories. Everytime Red Bird Fans enter Busch Stadium, memories of you, Tony, and your team’s wins will flash before our eyes. As people think about the many Cardinal players that have changed baseball history, they will be compelled to remember you, Tony. Whether you are in the dugout of the STL Cardinals or not, the fans, as well as players, will feel your presence, and the power of the past will be ever present in seasons to come. The history of St. Louis baseball is the pride of Cardinal Nation, and that history has helped guide Cardinal Teams to victories for a long time. Thank you for adding to that book of great St. Louis Baseball History. Your contribution to St. Louis will be forever remembered and used as motivation for future Cardinal victories. When people think of the St. Louis Cardinals and their achievments, they will undoubtly think about you, Tony LaRussa. Thank you for the thousands of memory reels that will forever play in my head. To those many memories of the past, and those yet to come in the future, heres to you, Tony. Thank You.
Red Blooded Forever,
Michael
Thanks Tony you will be missed. Congrats on your retirement go out and do what you love to do. Thanks again
Thanks for the memories, the ups, the downs, making other managers clowns. Sixteen years of excellence, did it your way, titles galore, with players of lore.
Enjoy your time with family and friends, ARF now has you fulltime to meet ends
Who will the beat writers, their pens now empty, pick on?
Don Tony you will always be #1 !
Tony,
Thanks for the tears and the joy and the ulcers, but most of all, the memories. I hope they are as valuable to you as they are to my family and me.
All the best in the rest of your life,
J.C. Wilson
Thank you Tony for all you’ve done for the Cardinals and for your class, leadership and ingenuity. Congratulations on winning another World Series title and leading the Cards to their tenth and eleventh World Series titles, this season’s being among the most memorable championship runs in Major League Baseball history. And, thanks for all your contributions to the great game of baseball. Here’s hoping every day of your retirement is filled with home runs, grand slams, no-hitters and, mostly, perfect games.
Thanks for all the great memories Tony. The Cards always reflected your professional, dedicated personality. You will be missed. Your off the field efforts regarding animal welfare is also very admirable.
Wishing you a long, blessed retirement.
A grateful Cardinals fan
Thanks for all the memories, Tony. You’ve been with this team as long as I’ve been watching them play. There will never be another like you.
I moved to the STL area the same winter Tony was hired as a coach. That next summer I finally learned why my Grandpa was such a baseball (Giants and A’s) fan. I wish he were still alive to share that joy with. Thank you Tony for the memories. You’ll always be part of the Cardinals.
Thank you, Tony! It was a pleasure having you with us in St. Louis for the past 16 years. Don’t become a stranger!
Tony,
As a life long Cardinal fan I want to say thank you for all the great memories. This World Series was the Greatest I have seen and a testament to your ‘never say die’ philosophy as a coach… Cardinal Nation will miss you and all that you have done for us. Good luck in the future.
I hope your replacement will be as cool and look as good as you do in a Cardinal uniform. Can’t wait to meet him/her in Jupiter in the spring. Have fun in retirement – it’s a blast. Thanks for giving us something to do almost every day in the summer – CHEER for CARDINALS! Thanks for keeping it fun (most of the time).
Thanks, Tony, for adding to the great history of a great franchise. You are one of the all-time great managers in baseball and you have served our team well. Enjoy your retirement and the time with your family. You deserve it.
Thanks Tony, you are one of the greatest!!
Thanks for a very wonderful run Tony, you will be missed!!!! I have been a fan of your managing since your days with the White Sox and hate to see you go!!!
Enjoy your retirement, you have earned it and good luck with whatever you decide to do in the coming years!!!!!
Allen Godwin
a forever Cardinals fan!!!!
Murphysboro, Illinois
Thanks for the memories.
Hey Tony, a bit of a shock; congratulations on winning the World Series and I wish you the best in your future endeavors.
TLR, thank you for 16 amazing years. Tears of joy at our 11th World Championship have now been replaced with tears of sadness at your retirement. Please stop by and visit us often, as you will be in our hearts and souls for the rest of our lives. Via con Dios, Skipper.
Can’t imagine St. Louis without our All-Star coach you will be greatly missed, but much appreciated thank you for all you’ve done for the city of St. Louis and all its’ fans! Happy Retirement Tony!
Dear Tony,
Thank you for all these wonderful years! You have made the 90’s, 00’s, and 10’s Cardinals as wonderful to watch as in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. It has been an awesome ride.
Life-long ‘Birds on the Bat’ fan.
Hoped you would stay one more year with this great group of guys, but it is a perfect time to end an illustrious career. Thank you for 16 wonderful seasons of Cardinal
baseball. Best of luck to you.
Thanks for all the memories. I’ve enjoyed watching your
Tony:.What a run you have given us! Thanks for all the wonderful years. May God bless you and your family in your years of retirement. I, also, retired at 67, five years ago. A Cardinal fan since 1948.
It will be hard to fill your Shoes. Thanks for being YOU!!!
Tony –
I’m twenty years old, so ever since I can remember you’ve been the Cardinals’ skipper. Games just won’t be the same without you in the dugout. Thanks for hundreds of great memories! Good luck in your retirement! Go Cards!
–Abby
Thanks Tony! Its been a wild ride! We will miss you!!
Congratulations Tony! Enjoy life after baseball. You will be missed!
Thanks, Tony for all the wonderful St. Louis memories that you have brought here over your career. I hope everything goes well for you in your future. We will all miss you! Congrats on such an awesome career. And I know its early but Welcome to the Hall of Fame! Thanks again for giving us an absolutely amazing season. Not a bad way to end a great career.
Tony, it has been sweet while it lasted. I was blasted for wanting the Cards to win again after winning in 2006! I told them that there have been far more failures than victories during that time and that you never now when you may retire. And now you’ve done it and on a very high note! Yours will be hard shoes to fill!
There are times this past year I thought you lost your mind but you got us to the playoffs and in the playoffs your decisions were money! Great job in writing a historic piece of St. Louis Cardinal baseball. Enjoy retirement. Now you can second guess the manager like the rest of us!!!!
You’ve been the Cardinal Manger for most of my life and its hard to imagine the team without you. I’ll never forget your success with the Cardinals. Thanks for the memories! Good luck!
thanks tony its been great love watching you on tv you done a great job
As a life long Cardinals/Oakland A’s fan you were a manager of my teams since I started following baseball. 27 of the greatest baseball years ever.
THANKS TONY. I’ll miss ya
Thank you Tony for facing all these challenge’s and conquering them with all your talent !! Now enjoy your time off with your lucky family Paison !!
OUT of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
TLR , Te saluto.
Thanks Tony for the 2 World Series,and a special thanks for #11 in 11 and was allready thinking how you would take us to another World Series win for #12 in 12 . It was a great run with you as the manager , the team and the fans will miss you , wish you good luck with the rest of your life ! HAPPY FLIGHT…HAPPY RETIREMENT
Tony,
It’s been a wild ride, thank you for weathering the storm for us. You have set the bar high for your replacement, we only hope he can be half as good as you were. Best of luck in your retirement.
Thanks Tony – Lifelong Cardinal Fan and you made it that much better to be a fan. Thank you to your family for the sacrifices that they made to let us have you for the last 16 years. Now is their time!!! Good luck in all that you do!!! Way to bring us another championship!! Thanks for the memories!!
Tony – thanks for all the years and excitement. This year was the most exciting yet. You deserve your retirement, but we will miss you so much.
Our family is definitly part of Cardinal Nation and we owe a lot of great memories to baseball, the Cardinal players, and you, Tony!! We love you and hope the very best in your retirement!! You will be missed beyond words can convey!! Good luck to you and enjoy the years to come!!
Thank you for 16 years of hard work. It has been good run and the best of luck for the future.
Thanks Tony! St. Louis loves you and so do I! Enjoy Life
What a great run and thanks for all the memories. You will be missed. My father taught us to be strong supporters of the St. Louis Cardinals, he would have enjoyed this season and the play offs. Congratulations and happy retirement.
Thanks Tony for all the great memories you have left us with. Besides the two world championships and the many post season memories, you gave us some of the most exciting moments in Cardinal baseball. You always put your heart and soul into this team, and will be truly missed!!
You were disrespected for no reason and the people behind you knew the type of man you are! Quite simply, you did nothing but win and got the most from your entire roster. You will be sorely missed both by the Cardinals and their fans, but by all of baseball. The legacy you leave behind will be hard to touch. Best of luck on your next endeavor!
we’ll miss you, tony. you were a superior manager and a great person to boot. please don’t be a stranger here in cardinal country. thanks for all the great memories and especially the 2011 season.
Thank you for the last 16 years. It has been wonderful seeing the Cardinals in the postseason all these years. I feel that this year you saved the best for last. This World Championship is more memorable than winning in 2006 because of 10 1/2 games back at the end of August. Kudos. Enjoy retirement.
Thanks Tony for 16 years and 2 World Champuonships! I was hoping for a return and repeat in 2012, but can’t complain aboutwhat you have done for this team and this city. Thanks for everything it has been our honor to have you this long. Best of luck in all you do!
TONY-THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GREAT MEMORIES, ESPECIALLY 2011. BEST OF LUCK IN THE FUTURE TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
Thanks for everything Tony, and the best of luck in your future! We will miss you!
Thank you Tony for carrying on the proud tradition of St. Louis Cardinals baseball and adding many memorable moments to their history. Your accomplishments are truly Hall of Fame caliber. Hopefully this is not Good Bye….just So Long for just a while.
Tony, what you have done for St Louis has been amazing. Thank you for what you have done and all the best to you and your family.
Thanks Tony,
I am a true Cardinal fan.I am 74 yrs old and have followed the Cardinals since I was a child.I have enjoyed your leadership of the cards. Again thanks and enjoy your retirement.
Tony, thank you for being a consummate professional and for your tireless efforts. Enjoy the short walk from the dugout to Cooperstown!
Tony,
Thank you for doing what you do. You make me proud to be a Cardinal’s fan and I wish you success on your future endeavors. Enjoy your retirement.
Tony, I enjoyed the 16 years you’ve managed the Cardinals. You will go down in history as one of the greats. May your retirement be filled with wonderful memories. We will all miss you. Smile whenever you see a squirrel in memory of 2011.
Thanks Tony
As the mother and now grandmother of life long Cardinal fans, you are truly a class act. Enjoy your retirement.
Thanks, Tony! You’re the best!
Ruth M
Thanks Tony, enjoy your retirement and keep watching baseball. From Texas Kathy, always a Cardinal Fan.
Three years ago, while waiting for a game against the Pittsburg Pirates to start, I tossed a baseball to you while you stood in the dugout; you took the time to sign it for me. It was my first time actually being in a major league baseball stadium, what a memory! You are first class all the way around, you deserve every success you have achieved. Thank you, enjoy your retirement!
God bless you Tony!
Tony, thank you for all the hard work and the years of joy you have brought Cardinal nation by leading the team to the post season 9 of the past 16 years, and for our three pennants and two world championships! You will be a hard act to follow!
Tony,
I’ve been a huge fan of yours my whole life. I am so happy for you and all of your accomplishments. I am going to miss seeing you in the dugout but will hopefully still see you around the game of baseball. My favorite manager of all time… Thanks for the long ride and Congratulations on the World Series Title!!
Thanks, Tony, for many years of outstanding service to the baseball fans here in St. Louis. My mother, who passed away this past August, was a huge Cardinal fan. She wasn’t able to be here and join in the outstanding playoff & World Series games but I knew she was watching from above.
I always enjoyed listening to your press conference after each game. You are an amazing manager and will be greatly missed. Best wishes in your retirement and I look forward to the day when you become a member of the Hall of Fame.
Been going to Cardinal games starting in Sportsman Park. Started taking my grandchildren when they weee 3 & 4. Thanks for all the great games and memories. Thanks especially for the Sunday morning radio show on KMOX
Thanks, simply thanks. You will be missed, remembered and honored. You help define Cardinal Nation.
Thanks Tony! We’ll miss you. Hope they ask you to manage the All-Star game next year anyway.
Thank you Tony for the incredible memories. You are by far the best manager not just in Cardinals history, but in MLB. Good luck on your retirement and have fun with your bookstore lol!!!
There will never be another season as challenging and ultimately as rewarding as the one we just experienced. As usual, your timing seems right to me. Allow me to wish you health and happiness in your retirement. Many thanks Tony!
Thank you, Tony. You will be missed.
Thanks for the past 16 years. You will never be replaced. I’ve been watching baseball more since you came and especially when you brought over McGuire. Best of luck enjoy yourself and your family
Tony,
Thanks for the memories. I met you in the Cardinals dug out in 2005 while home on leave from Iraq. I was with my friend that had just gotten out of the hospital after being hit with an IED. Hanging out with you and your layers is one of the greatest memory I have. Thanks again for all that you have done.
Sgt Bryan Wyrich
Thanks for the memories Mr. La Russa! Enjoy your retirement and family. Well earned with this team. What a great bunch of guys put together to win.
Thank you TLR for such an extinguished and exciting career as Cardinals Manager — won’t be the same without you! This has been a rough year for you and the team at times, but you brought the Cardinals out on top! I will always cherish your personalized autograph in my copy of “3 Nights in August.” Happy Retirement and a fond farewell~~~~
thank you Tony! what a career! enjoy your family & friends now, but please come say hello once in a while. see you at cooperstown in 5 years!!!!!
Thanks for the memories (both w/Sox & Cardinals)! You are one of the best managers in the game.We appreciate your ability to get the most out of your players & getting good coaching help from your assistants. You are a credit to the game of baseball and will be remembered fondly.
I’m a73 old Cardinal fan, grew up in the St Louis area, went to the same grade school as Mike Shannon. What a phenomenal year. Thanks to you and the guys.
Thanks Tony for 16 seasons of GREAT CARDINALS baseball. St. Louis will miss you next summer!
I have been a cardinal fan for lots of years, mostly because of you, Tony! Here’s wishing you the best that life can offer in your retirement. The Cardinals and Cardinal fans will sorely miss you!!!! Best wishes.
Thanks Tony,
You did everything you could to lose games while with the cardinals.
You are the biggest bonehead of all time when it comes to managing the cardinals…
Despite your best efforts as coach the players talents shined through and we still managed to get you another ring.
I have never been so happy in all my life.
Thank you, Tony. You were a big key to the Cardinals, St. Louis, and especially the fans. It was a great 16 year run and we thank you for the two World Series titles and teaching us the true game and love of baseball. You will be missed.
thanks tony for educating in a professional manner a BIG FAN from Scotland.
I have thoroughly enjoyed baseball, especially with the cardinals since I first visited Busch stadium in 2002. I remember also 2006 so enjoy your retirement & I hope whoever follows that the cardinals will keep on swinging!!!!
David L Forsyth
PENICUIK
Scotland
Thanks for all GREAT memories
You have provided with many, many, hours of super entertainment.
May God reward you with a retirement full of family Joys
Thanks Tony! You had your own style and like Frank Sinatra said you did things your way. Congrats and thanks to all the wonderful memories since I was a kid! You will be missed!
Thanks for 16 memory filled years, Tony.
Win or lose, right or wrong, up or down you did it your way! You always played a hard nine. Good job!
Thank you for the past 16 years you for the past 16 years. I have had some of the best times going to Cardinal games. It’s sad to see you go but what a way to go out on…
Thanks, Tony! It’s been a good run for all these years. I appreciate your professionalism and your support of the players and coaches you’ve worked with. Those of us who have been lifetime Cardinals fans but live outside the area (Nebraska) still keep a close eye on what’s happening in Cardinal Nation. I enjoy coming to StL for a couple games each summer. Blessings on your future. Tell Albert to stay for 10 more years before you leave.
Thank you for the last 16 amazing years Tony. I am 18 and don’t even remember the Cardinals without you. You are arguably one of the best managers to have ever graced the game of baseball. It’s going to be so different without you, but I wish you and your family all the happiness in the world.
I hope the classy way you ran the club continues. Glad everything worked out for the pennant this year. Hold your head up high. Only fools don’t admire you and the way you lead your life. Enjoy your “retirement” I know you will be busy making things better for both animals and people. Will miss you in the dugout.
Thanks Tony for the great effort. I am truly sorry to see you go. I believe in my heart that you are the greatest of all time. You will be missed and i am proud to say i was in attendance for your final 2 games.
Rick
Thanks for everything Tony. I grew up a Cards fan and always said your name in the same breath as the Cardinals like Peanut Butter and Jelly. You were a great Manager and a winner. If the next skipper achieves half of what you have in St. Louis I’ll feel blessed. Thanks for everything again Tony and enjoy your Retirement.
Danville misses you, Tony. Come home to your family and community…we all miss you, and thank you for making the Cards the best of baseball for all these years!
Great job Tony.
Thanks Tony St. Louis along with major leauge baseball will miss you. See you on either ESPN or the MLB NETWORK you’d be a great broadcaster.
Thanks Tony for 16 of the greatest seasons! I will never forget the look on your face as the Cards clinched the series. You will definitely go down in history as the greatest of Cardinal managers. Enjoy your retirement.
Thanks Tony, My son Ryan and I always tried to see the Cardinals in Houston each year as we live in Texas (Round Rock) and you always made it memorable. Thanks for the Memories and keeping the Cardinal way alive and successful. Enjoy your retirement you have earned it. Next stop Hall of Fame! I’ll be able to tell my Grandson about the memories.
Thanks for all of the great years you have spent with the Cardinals. It has made watching the team a great joy. You will be missed tremendously.
Thanks Tony for 16 years !! You will be missed!
Thanks Tony. Through all 33 Years you did everything the right way. A different perspective on the game is always welcome and you brought that perspective to every game. It’s hard to imagine the Cardinals and baseball without you, but hey, everything must come to an end. Congrats on your retirement.
Your players respect you, the fans admire you, the city loves you. You’re a class-act Tony. Thanks for the memories!
thank you for one big great ride, best wishes to you in the future!
Thank you Tony!
You were the best manager any team could ever want. Your legacy will last forever.Nobody else could have gotten the cardinals from barely making wild card to world series but you.Thanky You
I hope your retirement is as fulfilling as your career has been. You and “your guys” have set a high standard for those following. Best wish, Pat Coleman
Tony,
From Cardinal Nation, best wishes on all your future endeavors!
We appreciate the dedication and time spent for the Cardinal organization and the professionalism you displayed even when being questioned during some tumultuous times during tenure of the St. Louis Cardinals. I am sure we all would have liked for you to return in ’12, but there is nothing second to family. You have more than earned and well deserve the future time spent with those close to you who have sacrificed so much, allowing you to pursue your dreams, and making ours come true at the same time!
We only hope that your jersey be retired by the St. Louis Cardinals at a future event, allowing “The Best Fans in Baseball” to pay homage to what you have meant to St. Louis through the years. May you enjoy the ride on the Clydesdale led Budweiser wagon one last time!
Beyond that, an obvious place in Cooperstown is only a matter of time. You will add yet another Cardinal to the Cooperstown club, reinforcing the idea that St. Louis is truly the best place to both manage, play, or just enjoy the baseball being played by the Cardinals.
Regards,
Cardinal Nation
Thank you Tony for your 16 years at St. louis. I know all good things must come to an end, but, WOW, are we going to miss you!! I have only been a Cardinal Fan for 8 years, but, going to 2-3 games every year and seeing you manage those guys like you do has been incredible! Good luck with your retirement. I hope life is good for you and I know that all the players will be sad to see you go. I feel like I know you personally and wish I could of shook your hand….you will be sadly missed by all.
We really want you to change your mind and stay, Tony! You’ve been a wonderful manager, and all of St. Louis thanks you and admires you as a person, as well as the Cardinals manager. It just won’t seem the same without you at the helm, and the next manager will have a lot to live up to. Please don’t forget your fans here, and return as often as possible. God bless you and your family, and enjoy the animals! You will be missed, Tony!
Tony, Thanks for all the memories and all you’ve done for the people and animals in St. Louis! Although I’m sad to see you go, I know you won’t be gone forever. I look forward to seeing you at the next World Series championship ceremony sitting next to the other Cardinal greats. Enjoy your family and retirement!!
Thanks Tony for giving us all baseball played in it’s finest sense. You never waivered in uphoalding your principles to present the finest fans in baseball with the finest leadership to present teams that will never be forgotten. The position you proudly held has to be the most second guessed job in Cardinal Nation. We applaud you for putting up with the Naysayers and proving them wrong time and time again. Please come back often and share your wisdom with future leadership. Thank you for all you have given to St. Louis and the community served by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Enjoy your retirement to it’s fullest!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Tony, for a great 16 years. Since the negative few tend to be so vocal, I don’t think you will ever fully comprehend how much you are truly valued, respected, and appreciated by most Cardinal fans. You are the best and Cardinal Nation has been blessed to have you in the family. Although I fully respect your decision, I wish we could have you around one more year, with this team, to go for two World Championships in a row. With you in place, I believe we could do it again. Moving into second place with total wins behind Connie Mack would be nice too. Wish number two would be that you could stay involved in baseball with the Cardinals in some fashion. LA did it for Tommy Lasorda and the Cardinals should do it you you. Wish number three would be that we see you in St. Louis regularly. You are a part of the fabric of Cardinal Nation and will be missed.
Blessings to you and your family, Tony. Now we will all wait patiently until you are voted into the Hall of Fame.
H. “Bligg” Bliggenstorfer
Thank you Tony for not only being a class act on the field, but off as well. You taught me more about baseball, self control, poise than any public figure I know of. god bless and thanks for the memories!
Tony,
I’ve been a die hard fan of baseball and the Cardinals for over 55 years. I know and love the game and its wonderful history. Through all of Cardinal history, we have never had a better Manager than Tony LaRussa. While your team’s records and accomplishments are evidence enough, it’s more than that. You came to St Louis with a respect and reverence for the traditions of the Cardinals….”the Cardinal way”. You’ve left your mark on the great St Louis Cardinal organization and traditions, on the many players with the good fortune of suiting up under your watch, and on Cardinal Nation itself. After 16 years of Tony LaRussa leadership the “Cardinal way” is in a better way than before you. Thank you for all the wonderful memories… for respecting what you were given and making it better than it was. Selfishly, I hope you never wear another uniform…. either way, you will always be a Cardinal. Wishing you God’s blessings in all future endeavors.
Tony
Tony thanks for 16 great years! Hope you have a wonderful retirement. All I can say is GO CARDS!!!!
TONY, THANKS FOR 16 GREAT YEARS I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE SUMMER OFF ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT YOU WILL BE MISSED BY CARDINAL NATION, ALL THE BEST TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
Thanks Tony. I have been a Cardinal fan for 50 years since I was a small boy. You have carried on the tradition and made me proud to be a Cardinal fan. Glad to see you go out on top. You are one of the games best stragest of all time.
we love you much…….YOU ARE COOL
I LOVE YOU……
Thank you, Tony,
for your grace under such extreme pressure. I read “Three Nights in August” and I was literally exhausted by everything that went into it. Then I thought, this is just one 3-game series. Now you’ve got to hop on a plane, prepare for the next series and start all over again. I don’t know how you’ve done it all these years. And this year, to achieve all this in the face of the injuries, the shingles, etc., simply amazing.
Again, thank you. Enjoy whatever comes next!
Thanks, Tony for all that you did for the Cardinals and the entire St. Louis area. We’ll miss you, but hopefully we’ll see you again as you continue working for animal causes. Wishing you and your family the best!!
Thanks, Tony. We’ll miss ya! What an awesome run.
Tony: Thanks for fielding a team that has competed, each and every season, for the division title and beyond. Your teams have been fun to watch … especially this season! Thanks, also, for your charitable work. You are a caring, compassionate person, and I wish you the best in your retirement! : )
You’re the man Tony, thanks for all you did and will continue doing in the world. I have been a Cardinals fan my entire life and you have led them through every year I have watched with the highest of expectations and utmost respect for your rivals. You are a great man and manager of the GREATEST TEAM IN THE WORLD!
Thanks for the wonderful ride and all the memories Tony. Continued success and always stay near baseball heaven.
Thanks Tony for one of the best championship runs ever! Enjoy your retirement.
We thank you, Tony, for many good years of Cardinal baseball, from Jupiter to St.L.
My family through several generations has bled the Cardinal red, and we always make a ruckus at Dodger stadium with a big RED finger. We’ll keep on keepin on!
Thank you for maintaining the winning tradition during all your years with the Cardinals. You are truly one of the great Cardinal managers and one of the best all time.
Thanks Tony for all your years with the Cardinals! You will be sorely missed. Enjoy your retirement because you certainly have earned it.
Thanks for an amazing baseball era, Tony! I’ve grown up with you as the skipper of my favorite team and I just can’t imagine any one else doing the job. Enjoy your retirement, you have more than earned it!
I would like to thank you for the 33 years of baseball memories you have given me and everyone, from back to the White Sox and those horrid jerseys, to the Oakland A’s, and finally to our beloved Cardinals. You have brought an air of dignity to any team you have been involved with. On a personal note, I would like to thank you for giving Mark McGwire the opportunity to be your hitting coach for the past two years.
Thanks tony for everything you have done for this wonderful club…ur the reason y i love baseball not only baseball but the best team in baseball the Saint Louis Cardinals…Thanks for the best years…
Hannah Altenhein
Thanks Tony, for contribution to the history of baseball. You have always done your job with class and have brought about a different brand of baseball. We as fans are so lucky to have a seat and watch you manage and out wit your opponent’s over the years. When you came to St. Louis from Oakland the Cardinals needed a manager of your caliber and you have made The Cardinals one of baseball’s most prestige organizations, and as a life long Cardinal and Tony LaRussa fan.
Thanks Tony from Buffalo NY
A life long Cardinals fan from afar, you have brought joy and class to the cardinal organization over the last 16 yrs – Thank you from the bottom of my heart for wonderful memories of baseball played the Cardinal way. You will always be remembered and appreciated for all you have given us – A cardinal era has now ended, but while I am sad to see you go, I couldn’t be happier for you personally to go out in this manner.. I look forward to your induction ceremony in Cooperstown NY in 2016 – I will be there cheering you on there as well. God Bless and Enjoy your retirement.
Cardinals RULE…..Thanks Tony Larusa!
thank you for all your insperation.you have changed the game of baseball for evere . thank you
Thanks Tony for all you have done, the great memories, the wild rides and the World Series Championships.
Thank you for all of the memories. It has been an exciting 16 years. Enjoy retirement!
Thanks Tony for leading the path to so many precious memories. My admiration for you and your Cardinal team is as high as it has ever been. I’ve been a Red Bird fan since the early 1940’s and cherish the baseball experiences that they and you have given me. God’s greatest blessings to you and your family. Enjoy every day of a well deserved retirement.
Thx, Tony, for committing 16 great years to the St. Louis community, ball club/organization, and fan base. You will be missed. Best of wishes to you and your family in your future endeavors, wherever and whatever that may be.
Thank you, Tony, for all of your hard work and dedication to the St. Louis Cardinals. You have meant a lot to the franchise and our city and will be remembered fondly by Cardinals fans. It is fitting that you’re able to leave the dugout as a World Champion as you deserve nothing less. Best wishes in your retirement and don’t be a stranger to St. Louis!
Thank you Tony everytime I’ve had surgery you have won the world series maybe its been good luck for ya
Been a Cardinal fan since 64. Saw my first World Series game this year with 2 of my 3 sons, who were raised Cards fans. It was game 1. So enjoyed watching the way the team competed which is a reflection of the mangager.
Thanks for 16 wonderful seasons. Cardinal Nation will miss you. What a wonderful way to end your career 🙂
Tony, Thank you for the past 16years. You have been a great and historic manager and you will be missed. You came in to this franchise after some of the best managers in the game and you became one of them by respecting the game, the players and of course Cardinal Nation. You never forgot the fans, and we will never forget the past 16 years. Through the good times and bad times you have lead the birds on the bat. Thanks for the memories!
Melissa Whatley
Thank you tony for your dedication to the St Louis Cardinals and to Cardinal Nation for the past sixteen years. You have been a fabulous Field Mgr. and will be a tough act to follow.
Best Wishes in your future endeavors Tony. GO CARDINALS….
Thank you, Tony!!! Thank you for making my last 16 summers enjoyable… I hope we keep the winning tradition alive. Best wishes in your future endeavors!
Thanks Tony for a great run. I am 67 and have been a Cardinal fan since grade school and this truely has been the greatest year yet. Good luck with retirement. I know you will enjoy it.
Thank you Tony for all the great memories in St louis. You gave us the best chance to win and your hard work and dedication show that, your legacy will live on forever as a Cardinal and as a true ambassador to the MLB.
You have changed the way that big league managers manage. More and more we see the line-up changes; the pitching changes; the “match-ups”; all of which were your trade-mark. Soon, you will see more teams moving the pitcher from the 9th spot to the 8th spot, like you did this year. You have style and your style will be around for along time. Baseball says THANKS!
Iwas hoping for one more year Tony but not very many get to go out on top. Congrats and good luck.
Thanks Tony,We may have second guessed you every game and thought you were doing some crazy things but in the end you will be remembered for bringing some of most winning seasons the Cardinals have seen in decades.Hope you take time to enjoy your soon to be hall of fame retirement. Maybe you will find a place in the Cardinals organization later on that you can help bring another Word Series Champ to St.Louis. God Luck and Good Health.Thanks again.
I’m only 18, and I’ll see plenty more Cardinals baseball in my life, but there will never be a manger like Mr. La Russa. Best of luck in your retirement, you really deserve the best from here on out.
Thanks Tony!!
You did a great job !! Always good to go out on top. Enjoy your retirement!!
A job well done sir! Thanks for your dedication to greatness Skipper; your tenacity in the face of adversity is a testament to your character.
Hey Tony,
Just a quick note to say congrats on pulling of one of the greates playoff runs in recent memory. The “Never say die” attitude your team displayed was clearly an extension of your drive and commitment and I will always remember this post season as the greates I’ve ever seen. Once a Cardinal, always a Cardinal. Best of luck to you and thanks for the legacy you have left with Cardinal Nation.
Ray Johnson
St. Charles IL.
St. Louis Baseball without Tony is like St. Louis without the Arch ! Man you have done it all and we will miss you. Hope you a long and healthy retirement you desire it . Thanks for the Memories.
Tony thank you, thank you, thank you for 16 years of wonderful Cardinal baseball.
Cardinal nation lived through all of the ups and downs you and all the players you managed endured. You are always welcome in St. Louis! We look forward to your induction to the Hall of Fame. Enjoy your retirement,what ever you decide to do.
Thanks for your leadership and my best wishes in your retirement. God bless you.
Congratulations on winning the world series and on your well deserved retirement.
Baseball is the loser here as a class act leaves the stage. Thank you from this
Dodger fan.
Congratulations on the retirement! St Louis will miss your leadership with our beloved Cardinals. Wish you good health and good times in your retirement. However, the Cards will not be the same without you!
Thank you for all you’ve done for the Cardinals organization. You defended our team no matter what anyone else out there thought about it, and for that I truly respect you. I hope that you come back often, because surely the city of St. Louis will miss you
Tony, I grew up with your name and the St. Louis Cardinals being synonymous. It’s tough to see you go! Know that you will always be close to the hearts of us St. Louisans, and we appreciate all you did for the club, the city, and the sport of baseball! Enjoy retirement!
Thanks Tony…you did a great Job…my late Husband played for the St. Louis Browns with Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola…sorry to see you go…Happy Retirement
Thanks Skipper for all the memories and for leading us all on this great season. Cardinal Nation is going to miss your leadership and command of the game. Godspeed.
Thank you Tony for all your years with the cardinals.
You did a great job…a plus for the Cardinal, STL and all the fans. We were hoping you would hang on for one more year, one more series, and get to #2 position for managerial victories, but understand your desire to retire…you deserve it, and so glad you are going out on top!! Thanks for the memories…my sweet mother was one of your biggest fans, and happily lived to see the new stadium and the 2006 win. She died Dec. 18, 2006 and said seeing the Cardinals win one more was a dream that she thought would not come true….but she did it, and so did you and the Cardinals! Thanks for the memories!
Thanks for some wonderful memories Tony. This was the best World Series ever.
Thanks Tony, you have handled yourself with such class through the years. I enjoyed watching your teams from the bash brothers to the Redbirds. You have provided me with a year that I will never forget and that has helped me love St. Louis even more. Thank you for all the personal sacrafices that you and yours have made for the team and the city.
Tony – Thanks for all of the memories. As a life long Cardinals fan I consider you one of the best manager we have ever had. You have made all of us very grateful for your masterful approach to the game of baseball. You will be missed but best wishes for your future endeavors.
All good things must come to an end. sad to see you go. But maybe Big Mc can follow in your foot steps?
God Bless You, Tony! Best Wishes to you in all of your future endeavors! I hope you stay with the Cardinals organization in some way! Congratulations to you and your team this season with an extraordinary World Series title, you picked the perfect time to retire! You are going out on top, the true sign of a champion!
Came to MO.in 94 from Cal.Have always been a fan.Thanks so much for all you have done.Best in the years ahead.mark
In retrospect, I will have to say that I was wrong about my negative opinion of you at the beginning of your managerial term in St. Louis. Thank you for the two World Series titles and an almost always competitve team. I wish you, your wife, and your children best wishes and thanks for the memories!
THANK YOU TONY !
Living in Italy and following Cardinals wasnt easy, but thanks to your magnificent work it has been well worth it.
2011 is you masterpiece!
BUONA FORTUNA! GOOD LUCK!
thanks for the memories tony, we have always enjoyed the way you handled the team and yourself a class act the whole way. this cardinal fan will miss you
Thanks! for all the memories! What a year this year. I enjoyed it the most! Best of luck. You will be missed. God Bless!
Thank you La Russa for all of your years with the Redbirds. You have been an amazing coach and have help made Cardinals baseball so much fun to watch over the years. You will be missed in the dugout. Good luck and good health to you in the future. Again thank you so much! GO REDBIRDS!!!!!!
Thank you Tony for all you have done for the Cardinals and for St. Louis!!!
We appreciated your leadership, hard work and dedication over the years. Now it is YOUR turn, YOUR time. Thank you again…you will always be remembered in our household as TONY KNOWS!!!!! Good luck to you and your Family.
Thank you,Tony, for teaching me about the game of baseball and for soo many wonderful memories with the St. Louis Cardinals. You will be greatly missed! Best of luck to you in your retirement!
Thank you for your dedication, committment, and leadership to Cardinal Nation. Your loyality is greatly appreciated. Cardinal Nation will hire another manager, but we will never have another Don Tony! Your record speaks for itself, another Cardinal Hall of Famer.
Best Wishes as you begin another Chapter of your life.
I grew up in St Louis in a Cardinal family. I remember the Cards games and players at Sportsmans Park. Later in life I moved to the SF Bay area and became acquainted with your leadership of the Oakland A’s. On my move back to Missouri I was happy that you were leading the Cards. You will be missed as manager. Your leadership and direction of the team has been outstanding. Thank you.
Thank you, Tony! The Cardinal Nation will never be the same! You brought skill, intelligence, and grace to the Cardinal organization and gave all Cardinal supporters something to admire and emulate. Enjoy the next phase of your life–retirement, are you sure? And God bless.
Thanks Tony for all that you have done for the Cardinals and St. Louis. My favorite part is always watching your reactions to the big plays. My family and I will miss seeing you with the team. The next manager has some GIANT shoes to fill. Enjoy!
Tony,
Congratulations on a great career. I particularly enjoyed this year and the way that you conducted yourself. I was impressed at how you trusted each player in giving them opportunities to achieve. Have a great retirement and may God bless you and your family.
Joe Czaicki
Couldn’t have picked a better way to go out! Unbelieveble Sept. and Oct., What a managing job! Thanks for the Best Play-offs ever!
Thanks Tony. You will be missed as a manager. Cardinals were lucky to have you for the time you managed them. Enjoy your retirement with your family. I know they are happy to have you back.
Thank you very much Tony!!!!!!! Your seasons with the Cardinals have always been fun to follow and fun to watch. The two World Series Championships you brought to Saint Louis were fantastic!!! Good Luck and Congratulations on all the wonderful things that are to come for you. Thanks again for all your hard work and leadership with the Cardinals organization.
Tony, you’ve had (too) many detractors in your career, especially during your time in St. Louis. One thing no one could doubt about you, though, is your respect and love for the game of baseball.
This became all too obvious the longer you stayed in St. Louis. And not only did that love and respect for the game become evident to Cardinal fans everywhere, what also became evident was your respect for Cardinal baseball, its history and traditions, and the fans.
Maybe those same Cardinal fans didn’t understand much about you when you arrived in 1996, but, being a displaced Cardinal fan in Seattle, I had had the advantage of watching you manage when the White Sox and A’s came to the old Kingdome. So when you were hired to manage in St. Louis, I knew our Cardinals were in good hands. Not only did it continue to be so for 16 years, but it got better and better each year.
My Cardinal memories go back to Boyer, Shannon, Brock, Flood and Gibson. Some of my favorite memories shall also now include La Russa.
For all of this, I want to say thank you. Thank you, Tony La Russa, and best wishes to you and yours.
Thanks Tony for Great Memories!!
Thanks, Tony, for taking charge and putting together many magical years with the St. Louis Cardinals! I’m nervous about your replacement…. My husband and I work the Winter Warm Up every year. Please keep coming back and visiting your ARF booth. Your concerts are fabulous. I also hope to get your book signed this year!! Good luck in your retirement and enjoy your family. Thanks, Marc and Bev
Tony–As long as I live, I will remember the thrill of watching the Cardinals during your unmatched tenure as manager. The best fans in baseball deserve the best manager in baseball—-and you have been just that. Congratulations on a wonderful career and for the many, many thrills you have provided all Cardinal fans while you managed our team in what is known as “the Cardinal way”.
Tony–It’s hard to imagine the Cardinals without you! I’ll never forget the end of this season and the brilliant post season. Thanks, congratulations, and the best of luck to you!
Steve in New Mexico
Tony – thanks for being a great skipper. We are in the Air Force, and have been stationed at Scott AFB twice. My oldest son is now 13, and is a DIEHARD Cards fan. The look on his face Friday night was priceless as we watched the win on TV out here in DC. The look on his face today almost broke my heart as I told him of your decision to retire. You have led many great teams, and no matter where we have been stationed, one thing has been constant, you and the Cards. God Speed and see you in Cooperstown!
Thanks Tony for all you have done for the Cardinals and St. Louis. You did it with class and didn’t want to continue for the wrong reasons. With only 36 more wins to make you the 2nd most winning manager in history, most would have continued for that reason. Wow! What class. You will be missed. You’re the best.
As an eighteen year old life long cardinal fan, it is going to be weird to see someone else coming out of the dugout, but thank you so much for 16 of the best years of baseball that St. Louis has ever seen.
Thanks Tony!
-Rally Squirrel
Tony,
Thank you so much for putting baseball into my heart. You have no idea just how many hours of enjoyment you gave me. I have grandkids and they are Cardinal fans. They love it. My Grandmother is also a converted Cardinal fan. It has brought a family together. Enjoy your retirement you deserve every bit of it.
We learned more about baseball strategy from you than any others we’ve seen.
Thank you for your love of the game and recognition of its players.
Thanks for the ride, Tony! Much happiness to you and yours in whatever the future holds.
I don’t want to disrespect anyother managers (as you like to say) but you are certainly tied for first as best baseball manager ever. I don’t know of one who qualifies as better than you.
I was rooting for the Cardinals in this years W/S though I don’t consider my self a True Cardinal( NY Yankees) fan as so many others have, but a fan of Baseball. In the years that I have watched you manged from the A’s to the White Sox and the last 16 years in St. Louis you have represented Baseball, your town, and your players with dignity and class. I envy the true Cardinal fans that they had such a great manager for these years but most of all a good person! Enjoy your retirement, your family and keep up the good work for the Animals in Ca.
Go crazy folks…that’s winner!! Tony thanks for the best Cardinal years ever. St. Louis is really proud to have had such a leader for our team. Enjoy your retirement you have certainly earned it.
Tony,
I want to thank you for16 years of memorable moments, here in St Louis. You will be sadly missed here in St Louis by the fans and players. Enjoy your retirement and always remember you touched many hearts here.
Thank you and may God Bless you and your family!
Bob Miller
A great era of baseball just ended.
You are a class act Tony! Thanks for all the wonderful memories in St. Louis!
HEY THERE TONY,
THANKS FOR THE EXCITING MEMORIES YOU GAVE ME AND THE TOWN OF ST. LOUIS. I AM CURRENTLY LIVING IN TOPEKA, KS BUT, I LIVE THERE FROM ’86 TO ’09. YOU ARE A GREAT MANAGER. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN ALL OF YOUR ENDEAVORS. YOU ARE THE BEST.
PAT KRUGGEL
To say that I will miss your leadership of the St. Louis Cardinals is a gross understatement. I have admired your style and your insistence on excellence. I was fortunate to be able to meet you at Spring Training last year. I’m so glad I went! God bless you as you retire, and thank you again!
Tony, thank you for all the great memories.
Red Schoendienst was the manager of my childhood, Whitey Herzog, the manager of my young adulthood, and you, Tony, the manager of my middle years. Each one left a special mark on St. Louis baseball history. I hope you will always feel something special for St. Louis because St. Louis will always hold you dear. Thanks for Albert and all the fine baseball over these years. And thanks for giving a diehard Cardinals fan who can’t live in St. Louis anymore, something to be proud of year after year about her hometown. You and your team showed the country how important it is to never give up, no matter what is thrown at you.
Tony thank you so much it has been a great time with you as manager of the Cards you will be sorely missed in St.louis I thnk you Bravo
A great run Tony. We love you and would have liked a few more years, but understand why you would want to go out on top. A true professional who managed “like a Cardinal”. Look forward to welcoming you into the Hall of Fame as a Cardinal. Thanks for just being “Tony”.
Good Luck Tony,have a great retirement and thanks for bringing to St.Louis the World Series Trophy and your great leadership as a manager and as a wonderful individual.
I may live in Texas now but I am still a Cardial fan and when I livedbimcst Louis I was at the games whenever possible. Thanks for all the years you were with the Cards
Thank you tony! you will be missed, best wishes to you!
Tony, Thanks for all the memories. I’ve been a Cardinals fan all my 56 years, but the last few years have been the best. You have given me the opportunity to share my love of the Cardinals with my boys. That is a real gift!! Thanks for the sacrifices you made to be here in St. Louis. Enjoy the next chapter in your life. You deserve it! We will miss you!
Thanks Tony for all your years and may your retirement be as wonderful for you as you have been for all of Cardinal Nation. You Sir will always be a part of St. Louis Cardinal’s. Many Blessings to you and yours. What a great man you are on and off the field.
Tony,
What you have done for the Cards is exemplary. I do not blame you for going out on top.
A big time thanks for your accomplishments and letting fans such as myself always having something to look forward to every Spring.
May your retirement be everything that you are looking for as you fully deserve it.
Bob in Dublin
Thanks for 16 great years as it made my replanted life from Central Illinois, Jacksonville to Cub country in Chicago bearable as I could always brag about Redbird success. Good luck in your retirement.
Thank you tony!!!!! You’ve done a marvelous job! Best wishes in your future.
Tony, you have been the St. Louis Cardinals. I have been a die hard fan of the Cardinals since 1957. I was hoping that you would return next year to solidly establish yourself as the second greatest manager of all times. No one will pass you in victories with the situation with managers as it is today. Stay healthy and live a very, very long life.
I’M a lifelong cardinal fan, thanks for your great work, enjoy your retirement!!!
Thanks, Tony, for the past 16 seasons. It’s been a blast.
Simply, thank you for everything, and particularly for the most exhilarating two months of baseball this life-long Cardinal fan has yet experienced. Thank you also for you care for the animals. Enjoy your free time.
Tony, thanks for all that you gave to the Cardinals and the fans! We will never forget you throughout the years you have been steadfast loyal and a wonderful manager. A special thanks to your wife and daughters who have allowed you to do something you love for so long! They are very special people also. God bless and good luck in whatever you do. You truly will be sorely missed.
Joyce and Bob
Thanks Tony for all the great memories and good luck to you!
So happy for you Tony. You are a great man. I think you coached with class and were truly concerned with your players. You were a great leader. Cardinal nation will MISS you terribly.
Thanks,Tony for all you have done for the players and all of us fans!! You helped me become a cardinal fan for life!!
Thanks Tony!
I am not a Cardinal fan, but I am a baseball man. I’ve rooted against you for nearly all of your career, mostly because I generally pull for the underdog…and frankly, any team with you at the helm had the advantage in my mind. I’d like to thank you for leading your teams with passion, respect for the game, integrity and compassion. Thank you for illustrating why baseball is the best sport around by showcasing how the nuances are what oftentimes decide games and how hardwork/effort will nearly always top talent without character.
Best of luck in your future endeavors. You’re a class act who is well respected by this Brewer fan.
Sincerely,
Andy Tonies
Thanks Tony,
Thank you for all the memories of your final year in the great Game of Baseball. This WS win was especially memoriable.
We are going to miss you.
Tony, I have been a Cardinal fan since I was 10…I am now 80.
Have a great retirement.
Len Stawasz
It’s been a great ride. Thank you Tony!
Tony, you are one of a kind….never in my life have I enoyed my Cardinals as much as I did with you at the helm! Your record is outstanding and you are a class act all the way around. I, as well as many others, would love to have you stay, but you have earned the right to leave when it’s best for you and your family, and to leave on such a high note as this season ends is fantastic. God bless you and thank you for all you have done for our Redbirds. You will be missed!
Tony, you are a brilliant man. The ride wasn’t always so smooth during your tenure in St. Louis, but I am confident in saying that you made the organization better while you were here. Thank you so much for your dedication to the team, community, and other social endeavors. I wish you the best in whatever you pursue next.
Tony, Thank you for your sense of focus, your knowledge of the game, and your sense of Baseball etiquette, and thank you for so many years of really really fine coaching. Thank you for the World Series appearances and the wins. Thank you for your work off the field, your work helps more than just baseball players and more than just human beings. Enjoy your family and best wishes.
I have learned so much about the art of baseball by watching you manage. Your efforts are forever etched in Cardinal history and in my memories. Thank you and enjoy your retirement.
Tony, you are not only the winningest, but the classiest manager out there. Thank you for adding yet another stellar chapter to the long and wondrous Cardinals history book. We have been honored to have you here. The very, very best to you in your future endeavors. If your career could be summed up as one game, we would have to say in Jack’s immortal words “THAT’S A WINNER!”. We will miss you!
Thank you for being such a wonderful person and coach. You are the master of baseball coaches for your strategies and behavior. I pray to our heavenly Father that you will endeavor in your next realm of legacy.
Is there anything we can say to make you stay…. Thank you from the bottom of my cardinal heart for the competative nature you instilled in this Cardinal team and all the 15 teams before them while managing the Cardinals… The memories will be part of my sons and I lives forever. PLEASE stay for one more round, your so close to being second all team winningest coach… Thanks again
Thanks for the great run, Tony!
Thank you for all the memories Tony!!!!Everyone is going to miss you!!!!You were a great manager!!!!I am proud to say that I am always a Cardinals fan!!!!Its sad to see u go but u ended on a great note!!!!Its the end of a era!!!!Good luck in your retirement Tony!!!!!
Didn’t always agree with your decisions Tony – but always respected you. Your announcemwnt showed the classy guy that you are! Good luck, enjoy retirement from managing and “keep smilin” it becomes you! You ‘are going out a Hall of Fame manager – proud to have had you on “our team”!
Charles & Carol Shaffer
Thanks Tony many great years. You will be missed. Bring on Jose
Thanks for everything and to hades with your critics. Good luck!!!!
Thank you, Tony, for 16 years of dedication to the St. Louis Cardinals. Thank you for the many, many contributions that you have made to the St. Louis community and I wish you the best of luck in whatever you chose to do next.
To TLR: Thanks for everything. I may not have always agreed with you, but I always trusted your decision. I’m 29 years old now and feel like I will die an old man having never seen another Skipper in St. Louis like you. I can’t wait to see #10 retired at Busch! (And I’m getting a La Russa World Series jersey for Christmas this year).
Congrats on a wonderful run as Cardinal manager…..I believe this was your best work…..Good luck on your retirement.
Lifelong Cards fan, genetically set from birth. Cheered your victories, stood by you in your losses. Class act, and I am glad you got to go out on top. Hope our next skipper is just half as good a tactition and leader. I mourn the loss of you, I celebrate having had you as skipper.
There may be “no crying in baseball”, but I cried today during your announcement. Just know you have a special place in many of our hearts, and please don’t let the naysayers be who you remember when you think of Cardinal nation. We love you and wish only the best for you! Thanks for the memories and a job well done!!!
Thanks so much coach for all you’ve done for the Cardinals. You’ll always be MY manager! Best of luck in anything you choose to do in the future. Cardinal Nation is proud to have called you our manager for all these years. You’ll always be a Redbird in my book!
Thank you Tony. You will be missed. Enjoy retired life and please keep helping homeless animals.
Lonnie Gatlin
Here’s to 16 fantastic years! Thanks for the memories Tony!
Thanks for 16 great years Tony. You made this team into a consistant contender. As a lifelong Cardinal fan, thank you so much. I look forward to your enshrinement in Cooperstown. Have a great retirement. You deserve it.
Thanks for a job so well done! You will be missed!!!!!
Thanks for your leadership of the Cardinals and setting a great example as a human being.
Thanks Mr. LaRussa! You were the best manager and tactitician the Cardinals ever had! Good luck in retirement!
Dear Tony,
You have helped give me and my family some of the greatest memories of our lives. We live in Utah but live and die by the cards and because of your leadership we could always count on a winning club. Thank you for your life’s work your a hall of famer and a gift we were lucky to have.
Thanks Tony for all the great years. You made a team out of a bunch of hardworking guys that don’t get a lot of glory. I applaud you for that. I wish you the best in all of your endeavors. I can’t wait to see your induction into the Hall of Fame.
Thanks for being such a great manager! Thanks for giving us a another year to smile! Have a great retirement you deserve it,your family deserves it, but Cardinal Nation will miss you. God Bless and take care!
hi tony, your high class is leaving behind an example for all of us to followno matter what kind of life we are involved in – even retirement agers like me. i have been a fan of yours since white sox days. good luck in your retirement.
What a ride! Thanks for the many wonderful memories we’ve collected while you’ve been at the helm. You will be extremely missed. I can’t even think of St. Louis or the Cardinals without you. You’ve done an awesome job so you’re leaving tough shoes to fill. I hope you enjoy your retirement because it’s been earned with blood, sweat and tears. Farewell Skipper!!
Tony, your leadership has deepened my esteem for this wonderful Cardinal organization. I was a baseball nut before, but you have taken it further. I do hope you stay in baseball in some capacity, for your skills and knowledge of the game can only deepen everyone’s appreciation. Blessings to you and the family!
Dear Tony,
Thank you for your dedication to our community and our beloved Cardinals! In the face of constant criticism you always remained true to who you were as a person and Manager. Your perseverance in bringing to us as fans a consistent contender and now another World Series is admirable!! I really respect your “fight”, what a special person and great man you are. You will be sorely missed, but in the end your family is what truly counts. Thanks for all the great memories…Best wishes, Mike
Tony, thanks for the efforts over the years, you’ll not be forgotten. Good luc with your future endeavours.
Tony it has been an awesome sixteen years. I can’t even imagine anyone else in the dugout. Thanks for the great memories. Yes you are right when you said that “We got your best”. Thank you!!
Thanks for your dedication and intensity and heart for 16 seasons. My enduring memory will be the joy that lit up your face when Allen Craig caught the final out of the 2011 World Series.
You better get a red blazer now and be prepared to return (like all other Cardinal Hall of Famers) for auspicious occasions.
Tony, thanks from the Australian fan base for the years and efforts that you have put into our Cardinals. You will never be forgotten. Good luck with your future enterprises.
Dear Tony, you have done a tremendous job. Your wisdom and class are really shown by your retiring now when all the world has seen your managerial skills blossom on such a stage. Leave them(us) always wanting a little more someone once wrote and you have contributed to so manta wonderful moments that brought my family closer together. BRAVO, THANK YOU, GOD BLESS AND GOOD LUCK!
We wish you the best. We are really going to miss ya! Sad to see you go.
I’ve been a Die-Hard Cardinals and Athletics fan since I was a kid in the 80’s. You’ve always been my skipper. I don’t know what to do with out you at the helm. I can’t THANK YOU enough for 30+ of passionate coaching. Hope to hear you in the broadcast booth next Summer!
Thanks for the memories, Tony. What a wonderful 16 year ride you’ve given us. I went to my first Cardinal game in 1958. I was at game 7 in 1964 which was the last hurrah of that great Yankee team and the rejuvenation of Cardinal baseball once again. I think that your era has been the most spectacular one during my lifetime. I and most of the other Cardinal fans will miss everything that you brought to this great game of baseball. Like the Sinatra song you did it your way. Best wishes and have fun when you get to Cooperstown. You deserve it!
Thank you Tony, for all the wonderful memories!! You did an amazing job, and you will be missed. Thanks also to your family for sacrificing you to us for all these years. Best of luck, and enjoy your retirement! So glad you could leave as a world champion!
Thank`s Tony, you did it more than ok, you know how and when to do it., we will miss ya,
Thanks for 16 years of fine baseball and fine baseball leadership. The St. Louis Cardinals are the greatest partly because of you!
Thank you Tony for a wonderful ride. You exemplify everything wonderful and great about baseball and are a true class act. I, my husband, and my 87 year mother (and there is no bigger Cardinal fan than she — in June 2006 she had surgery and the first words literally out of her mouth as she was being brought back to her room were: “Was there anything in the paper about Albert’s DL status?”) will miss you greatly. You deserve a wonderful retirement!! We wish you nothing but the best!!
Also, thank you for everything you do for the animals!! We are animal lovers too.
Thanks for making the Cardinals the powehouse of the new millennium – your shoes can never be filled!
Thank you Tony, for all the wonderful memories!! You did an amazing job, and you will be missed. Thanks also to your family, for sacrificing you to us for all these years. Best of luck, and enjoy your retirement! So glad you could leave as a world champion!
I was a Cardinal Fan long before I moved to Texas. I cheered for all your teams through the years, and even wished for your comeback to win the wildcard this year. Unfortunately, I am also a Rangers fan, and grimaced when they failed to win the Series, but your greatness can’t be denied. Enjoy your retirement, it’s well deserved. A Texas Rangers Fan.
Thanks Tony for all the years you put your hard work and dedication in for the Cardinal nation. I have been a Cardinal fan my whole life and watched many games, but none more exciting than the series this year! Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for providing the MLB & all of its fans, 33 wonderful years of managing. I watched you manage the A’s to a world series when I was a kid, and then you made my dreams come true as a Cardinals fan, TWICE! Enjoy retirement and thanks for the memories 🙂
Thanks to you and your family for your support of the Cardinal organization and for being a professional at all times. Good luck in the future and I hope you have a long, healthy, and happy retirement. The 2011 World Series will be one which will be replayed and talked about for many years, one which sets the bar very high for the most memorable ever! No one can ever take that way! Thanks again for your sacrafices. Take care and thanks for the memories.
Many Thanks for all you have done and I wish you well in all your future endeavors!!!!!!
Tony, you made me a baseball fan at age 72 and perhaps a Cardinal fan forever! Thanks and best of luck in the future. You have been truly blessed and have made all Cardnel fans blessed also.
Fingers56
Thanks Tony! Here’s to your retirement…may you have as much fun as us Cardinal’s fans have watching our beloved Redbirds during your time as OUR skipper!! You’ll always be #1!!!
Tony, Thank you so much for all the great memories and moments that have happened since you became manager 16 yrs ago, didnt really have a team that I rooted for and with everything you’ve done, im proud to say im a cardinals fan 4 life. its going to be different and some getting used to watching cardinals games and not seeing you there in the dugout. Enjoy retirement and cant wait to see ya in the hall of fame!
Tony,
All the best in your future endeavors, you will always be a part of our lives and our family. Before you got here we were a group of Cardinal fans, but now when you look back on your legacy you have left us a Cardinal Nation.
Thanks again Tony!
ARF!
Thank you so much for your dedication to the St. Louis Cardinals and it’s organization. You have shown the fans of the Cardinals that you are a part of our lives as well as the teams. I hope you have as rewarding a retirement as you have had in your career. Thanks again and good luck in your future.
Thanks Tony for all the memories!
Even though I was in Texas for the WS games I knew that the Cardinals were going to win it. Thanks Tony for all your hard work over the years and hope that our next manager will follow in your foot steps as a winner.
Tony, Thank you for providing my family and I with a ton of great memories. I have been a Cardinals fan for 41 years and am so proud of what this team has accomplished. My 12 year old daughter is now a baseball fan after what she witnessed over the past couple of months. God bless you and your family. You are a true legend in MLB and to the Cardinals organization.
Thanks for the memories Tony!
Thanks for all the fond memories that have come with your managerial leadership of the Cards. Your poise, temperment, skills and focus were integral to the successes of the team.
You will be missed. May good fortune and happiness follow you wherever your path leads from here.
Good Job Tony…enjoy your family now!
Tony – what a ride you have taken us on these past 16 years. We didn’t always understand what you were doing, but you did…and it nearly always worked out. Thank you for bringing Cardinal baseball back to St Louis…winning, fundamentally sound baseball that we were always proud to cheer for.
The only manager I’ve ever known……. I was a fan of the A’s and now the cardinals…… It’s gonna be odd to see anyone else in the duggout kicking cups around and rubbernecking at the bottom of the stairs. 🙂 Good luck to you in your future endeavors!
Thanks Tony for 16 wonderful years in St.
Louis. Although I wish you were coming back. I wish you all the luck in your future endeavors.
God Bless You
Harry Floyd
Tony you surely will be missed! Thanks for an awesome run with Cardinals. First watched when you were with A’s. But my true love has always been Cardinals. You lead them through a great era and sad to see you go. You enjoy your life now and hope all your dreams come true. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!! Best Wishes!!!!!!!!
Mr. La Russa, In my opinion you are the greatest manager of all time. I have admired your managerial savvy well before you became the Card’s skipper. I will miss you, and wish you all the best in life as well as whatever endeavor you may put your hand to. Thanks to your family for allowing us to enjoy our time with you. Please pass along my thanks to Mr. Duncan as well. We pray that all will go well with his wife’s illness, and thank him for coming back and being a part of the greatest run I’ve ever witnessed. What talents you both are. It will seem as if members of the family are absent every game.
Oh my gosh…I am so sad to hear this…Tony you are my hero…I don’t know what to say but thanks for all the great years…my blessings to you on your retirement…I love the Cardinals and you made them complete…what will they do without you…Good Luck in your future…we just lost the greatest coach ever…you will never be forgotten
Cardinal fan since ’46. Thanks for the ride the last 16 years. end of a ‘GREAT’ ERA. YOU WILL BEE MISSED!
Congratulations Tony on your retirement. It came a total shock but you so deserve it. U did an awesome job as manager for the cardinals. Thanks for all the memories especially this last season. I wish you good luck and hope to see you around in St. Louis.
Thanks for an amazing career. You knew how to use your players better than anyone.
Tony,
Thank you for the hard work and the respect of the past history of baseball that you approached the game with. As well as the personal integrity you have displayed yourself and nurished in your players throughout your career.
I wish you a long healthy retirement from managing.. You will be greatly missed on the field. I know with your love of the game we will see you serving as an ambassador to baseball in some compasity soon. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best. Otherwise, I know we will see you in five years.
Sincerely,
Ed Price
Dear Tony,
While I will miss your leadership, it’s great to see you go out on such a high note! Thank you for all the Cardinals successes, and all the great years of exciting baseball. I hope retirement is a great time for you and your family. Take care, and God bless.
Alan Yeakley
Portland, Oregon
Thanks for all you have done! You are truly one of a kind. Never understood some of the moves, but they seemed to work in the end! See you at the HOF ceremony in a few years!! Enjoy your family and your retirement!! God Bless.
Dear Tony, thank you for all your hard work and devotion to the Cardinals organization, the game of baseball and for filling our family’s summers with great Cardinals baseball! It has been a pleasure watching you manage, and the Cardinals play over these years! We send best wishes and great success to your family and you in whatever you decide to do! Thanks again, it has been a great run!!! The McNamara Family
Thanks for a Great ride!
Thank you Tony for all the years of exciting baseball. I have been a fan of yours since the Oakland days. Born and raised in the Bay Area I have always been a fan of the Giants and Athletics. It is safe to to say I wish you would have continued on in Oakland but I also became a St. Louis fan when you arrived there. Your style of baseball will be missed by fans of the sport across the country. Congratulations on your 3rd World Series Championship. And hats off to all the great fans of St. Louis who will have so many fond memories of your 16 years at the helm of the Cardinals. Cooperstown awaits. Best wishes and God bless. Baseball will not be the same without you.
Tony, You ARE the best! Thank you for your passion both for the game and all that you do for the community. Here is wishing you all the best in your future endeavors!
Thank you for everything Tony!! Enjoy your retirement….
Thanks for the memories. Enjoy your retirement!!!
Been a Cardinals fan since 1957 and I have learned something about baseball watching the Cards led by Tony nearly every game. Thanks for the many years as skipper of our beloved Cards and best wishes to a future Hall of Fame member.
Thanks for the Great memories. Went to my first W.S. game Friday night with my son Matt and we had a blast. Thanks for a great 16 years TONY we will miss you.
Such a unique, and successful, style of coaching that I loved watching over the years!!
Tony,
Thanks for the memories and the sacrifice you and your family made over the years in baseball. Enjoy your retirement and I wish you success and good health in anything you choose to involve yourself in the future. Waiting for the day when you get the “Hall of Fame” call so Cardinal Nation and I can celebrate your accomplishments in baseball and the Cardinals. There will be a replacement manager, but there will not be another Tony La Russa. You are one of a kind and no one will manage with your style, grace and respect for the game and players.
Tony- You are the BEST!! You’ve given countless memories to all of us in Cardinal Nation! Both my sons will never forget being at Busch and watching your Cardinals pound the ball. Best of luck and hope your retirement brings you as much pleasure as your coaching did.
Thanks Tony, for going out as a Cardinal and getting us that 11th title.
Thanks for all the years of baseball the way it should be played. We will miss you as the cardinals manager. May your life be just as successfull outside of baseball as it was in it. Go Cards!
Dear Tony
Cardinal nation thanks you for 16 years of having your teams play the Cardinal way. With you we always had a chance of winning. You are a class act. Thanks for the memory of 11 wins this post season to get Cardinal nation #11 in 11. #12 in 12 will be alot tougher without you
As a Cardinal fan in Milwaukee, You’ve made it hard to survive the year but its been a great time and you’ve kept a tradition that has lasted for over a 100 years. Thanks for keeping the Cards at or near the top over the past 16 years. Best of luck in the future.
I’m from the Bay Area so naturally I cherish the A’s glory years more. But as a baseball history fan I quickly recognize, appreciate and applaud your contribution to baseball not only in Oakland but in the rich baseball city of St. Louis. What a blessing you have been to baseball. Retire if you must but don’t go too far away…. You should now be mentioned with Musial, Gibson, Pujols and the rest of the Redbirds!
Thanks Tony. You have been such an inspiration to all of us.
We are surprised and sad that you are leaving the Cardinals, but we recognize that things come to an end. You have created a high water mark for our St Louis Cardinals; something that made all of us proud. We will miss you.
Jan and Jack Reis
Baseball is losing one of its great managers. I know that not everyone believed in you and your methods, but what you have done for Cardinal baseball is monumental. You deserve to go out on top, and that is what you did. There is a time for every season – and LaRussa baseball season has come to an end. Enjoy your retirement! We will all miss you!
Tony,
What a season the Cardinals had!! It was really a magical post season. I don’t think it can be topped nor can you has their manager. Good Luck…my Jack Russell terrier, Ella Belle says “ARF”!!
Tony, thank you for a great run!!!!!! You are one of the greatest managers of all time!!! Thank you to your family for all the time you missed with them, so you could coach the greatest team, in the greatest city!!!!! I wish you the best, and don’t forget the great city of St Louis!!!!!
Tony, Met you at a leadership speech that you gave. Really enjoyed your talk and found you personally to be a class act. Not at all like the press sometimes likes to make you come across. Professionally we found you to be an exceptional manager and can’t thank you enough for your efforts for the Cardinals in STL. Wish you the best in your retirement and we’ll surely miss you. Gary and Anita Mueller
Tony, Thank you for everything. When I heard the news today I did not know how to take it at first. I was sad you were leaving and Happy for you to enjoy your retirement. If you do open a Book Store somewhere, let me know I’ll stop in and buy something from you. You are a classy guy, so Enjoy your retirement.
Tony,
You’ve been the manager of The Cardinals for over half of my life. It’s hard to imagine you will not be there next year. Thanks for all of the memories! I will always look back at this era when I’m an old man with amazement. Enjoy your retirement.
LET’S GO CARDINALS!
Tony,
Congratulations on a remarkable career. Thank you for all you have done for the Cardinal heritage and the game of baseball. You deserve the best, as one of the best.
May God bless you and your family.
Tony,
It’s hard to imagine the Cardinals without Tony LaRussa. The past 16 years have been extremely enjoyable. But only you know what’s right for you and I respect that. I’m from New Jersey so I go to Philly when the Cardinals are in. My best experience was when my family took me to St. Louis May 9-12, 2005 for my 50th birthday. It was great to finally be at Cardinals home games which you won 3 out of 4 against the Dodgers.
Well the best of luck to you in whatever you do and thank you for the last 16 years.
Walt Renken
Wow, Tony! What a wonderful skipper you have been! We of Cardinal Nation could not possibly have asked for more. Enjoy your retirement and know that those who have witnessed your years in St. Louis will never forget what you’ve achieved. May God bless you and your family.
Thanks for the memories Tony, not only for the way you approached each game, but for love and respect for the game. You will have that number “10” placed on the outfield wall next to the other Cardinals greats. Congrats on a great season, and an amazing career! Enjoy retirement Coach and come back and see us every now and then! Thanks again for what you have done for this great baseball organization!
P.S. Put a good word in for Oquendo!
Thanks, Tony for all the wonder years you have given to the game of baseball and for the work you did with the Oakland A’s and the St. Louis Cardinals. As a die hard A’s fan, I hated to see you leave Oakland but I knew you would do wonderful things in St. Louis. I began to follow the Cardinals when you became the manager. I was not disappointed. I admire you as a manager and as a person. Your efforts on behalf of animals are also well chronicled and equally as impressive. Enjoy your retirement and hope to see you around the bay area sometime, if you choose to continue your work and residence in CA.
Tony, I have been a Cardinals fan for over 45 years and the last 16 have been truly enjoyable. No one before you has ever managed the game the way you did and I doubt that anyone will ever duplicate your success. You have shown what a great manager you are for having success in the National League where REAL baseball is played and the best managers manage their ways to victories. Thank you, I’m glad my 2 girls and my wife and I got to see you manage in person in Baltimore this year. God Bless
I would like to say Thanks for making a girl from Illinois proud to be a Cardinals fan. It is going to be strange watching a game and not seeing you in the dugout you are one of the people that inspired me to go to school for sports management. So once again Thanks baseball will not be the same without you
Congratulations on a great World Seires win. As a Dodger fan who has watched the Cardinals and Dodgers for 40 years at St. Louis, I was thrilled that it was you, who took over the Cardinal team 16 years ago. You were my mother’s favorite manager and she died the year you took over. She would have loved this win. I am happy for you and hope you enjoy your retirement. All the best to a great baseball genius and God’s love to you and your family
Congratulations Tony LaRussa for a great career in Baseball. I must admit I didn’t always agree with your decisions with the pitching selections but your success with all three teams (White Sox, A’th’s, and especially the Cardinals are proof of your brilliant managerial career and baseball genius. Thank you Tony!!
It’s definitely going to be strange not seeing Number 10 in the dugout. Thanks Tony for the great memories, the great wins, and the great times. Good luck in all your future endeavors.
Thank you for everything! You will be missed.
Thanks for all the wonderful memories Tony. Next stop Cooperstown!!!
Thanks for the memories! Enjoy your new life…
Tony you are a legend in baseball but an institution in St. Louis. You will sadly be missed. Thank you for all of the amazing players, coaches, and plays you managed to obtain the highest honor of all – two World Series titles. God’s Blessings on your life going forward. Congratulations on your Clidesdale – La Russa.
Tony, thank you so much for the past 16 seasons with our club. You’ve truly helped to create a dynasty in St. Louis and inspired so many players and fans. Enjoy your retirement, and please stay involved in the club! See you in Cooperstown!
Thank you so much Tony for all the years of fantastic baseball that you brought to St. Louis and the Cardinals. I have been a Cardinal fan since 1955 and I can say this with complete honesty, you have been the most exciting manager of the Cardinals since you took over in the 90’s. I pray that your new journey will be a happy and good one. God Bless you and your family.
Ken Henry
St. Louis Cardinal Fan
Tony I grew up watching you manage baseball and I don’t know how I will ever get use to not seeing such an amazing manager! I had a blast watching the 05 World Series.. but 11 in 11 was the perfect year…. That will be something you will never forget! Congrats and farewell ! TLR in 11 !
Tony – you are the only Cardinals manager I have ever known and I will miss you so much! When I see your face, I instantly think of the Cardinals and just feel very happy. Thank you so much for your years with the Cardinals and thank you for a world series that will go down in history as one of the best ever!
What a great run! I have been watching the Cardinals since I was a little girl (25 years) and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching the journey that you’ve had with them over the past 16 years. You will be greatly missed, enjoy your retirement!!
Tony – we sure are going to miss you! We appreciate all of your hard work and dedication! Enjoy this time with your family! Love, the Klinginsmith’s
Tony,
Thanks for the last 16 years of great baseball. My family has enjoyed the years you and your staff have put in. It is going to be strange not to see you on the bench watching you out maneuver your foes.
Thanks again for an incredible era of Cardinals baseball. Good luck on your next challenge in life.
Thank you for the last 16 years. It has been wonderful! Hope you enjoy your retirement, and the time with your family. You will be missed!
Thank you Tony from a Cardinal Fan for 60 plus years. You are a great manager and I will miss your expertise. Congratulations on a wonderful run with the greatest Baseball orginzation in MLB.
Olla
A die hard fan from Memphis, TN area.
Thank you so much for all you have done for us Cardinals fans! I am only 17 years old and i have no clue what the Cardinals would have been without you! I fell that a mind as great as yours is truly replaceable. I fell sorry for the person that has to succeed you! You have meant everything to Cardinals Nation over these last 16 years!
Thank you so very much Tony!!
I only hope the next manager has what it takes to measure up to you!
Feel*
Thanks Tony for so many great Cardinal seasons and saving the best for last. I think we all learned a big lesson to never give up. Theirs always a chance and as one of St. Louis’s great native sons ( Yogi Berra) said, “it’s never over til it’s over”. Enjoy your retirement, you deserve it.
thanks for the memories Tony!!! Cardinal nation will never forget you!!
Dearest Tony,
I love you for starters, I think you are one of the most amazing managers ever and one of the smartest. Most everything ive learned in baseball i learned from watching and listening to you. Im sad to see you go and im glad your ending it on a good term. Youve done a lot for us and i thank you for that. and honest to god, I wanna be in your spot and manage the cardinals more than anything. Im truly the biggest fan this club has and i hope someday my dream does come true and i can be like you. Heaven knows most of my life ive been saying I wanna be Tony! Seriously THANK YOU! and Congrats on the 2011 series:) Good luck on your many new adventures.
Love,
Andra
Tony,
I was born in 1994, and I have grown up a cardinals fan for life. You are the only manager I have ever known to lead the Cardinals. I enjoyed the watching the 2006 series, but this year’s run was remarkable. I live near ARF, and being the lone Cardinals fan at school this year, my friends had no idea what an unbelievable season you gave to Cardinal Nation. Thank you for everything you have done. Your hard work and ingenious dedication to the game has already made you a legend. Can’t wait to see you at Cooperstown!
Reid
Tony- Thank you so much for all you have done for the St. Louis Cardinals over the last 16 years. You will be missed not only by myself but all of Cardinal nation. Best of luck and enjoy your retirement!
Thank you Tony La Russa for all that you have done for the St. Louis Cardinals and Major League Baseball. You are definitely a legend and a hall of fame manager. You will be missed a lot by baseball fans and St. Louis fans. You definitely ended it with a bang Tony La Russa. Congratulations and thank you again for the outstanding seasons.
Tony- I wanted to thank you so much for all the wonderful years you have brought to the people in the Saint Louis area, you have touched everyone’s heart in some way. You have brought the Saint Louis people joy, happiness, sadness and tears to our eyes. Winning a world series in 2011 is amazing feeling for all of us who live in Saint Louis…it was an amazing year and a amazing flight for us all. Our hearts definitely raced/pumped a lot faster when reaching our finish line…..WORLD SERIES! Game 6 amazing and game 7 AMAZING coming out of the wild card!!!
From all of us in Saint Louis….Thank you so much for all the wonderful years you have brought us…..GO CARDS!!! YOU WERE AN AMAZING COUCH!
Tony your the greatest manger in all if Major League baseball and hope that you enjoyed your 16 years as a Cardinal because we sure enjoyed you and would have loved to see you back as a cardinal but respect your decision
Tony,
Thanks for all the memories and all the great St. Louis Cardinals seasons. You have made such an impact on the team and its fans. You truly are one of the voices of Cardinals Nation!!!!! Congrats on the 2011 series. Have a great retirement and I will be there waving my Redbirds colors high when you are inducted in Cooperstown!!!!
From an awesome fan, living in Utica, NY (originally from St. Charles, Mo.)
Thanks for the great joys. Keep up the good work ARF ARF
All good days
Thanks for your dedication and leadership. You’re goin’ out on top and in style…
I was going to write you a letter again, asking that you consider
returning to the Cards. Absolutely will miss you, as will the rest of
the Cards fans. Good luck, and take care of those animals.
Thanks for all the good years! It’s because of people like you that I learned to love baseball!
As a faithful Cardinals fan for many years, I would like to thank you for all you have done for the team as well as the city of St. Louis. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching all the games on TV even though I couldn’t be there in person. This year didn’t start off too well, but, boy, what a finish!! You will be missed by everyone in Cardinals nation. God bless you and your family. Enjoy your retirement in good health!!
Tony,
I’ve only known Cardinal baseball with you as the manager, so I am deepy saddened by todays news of your retirement. Not only did the Cardinals lose one of the greatest managers of all time, but baseball has lot a legend today. I wish you the best of luck moving forward. Thank-you for all of your hardwork and dedication to Cardinal Nation over the past 16 years.
Your biggest fan!
Jacob
A hellofa ride Tony! Not only 2011 but every year you’ve been with us! We all hate to see you go, but I think everyone also understands that after 16 years, retirement from a managers point probably looks pretty good about now! You couldn’t have predicted the wins you have under your belt as a Cardinal Manager, but I know, as well as all of us, hold TONS of memories! ENJOY your well deserved ‘off’ time! We won’t forget you!
Tony I’m 14 and didn’t like baseball for a long time. When baseball was shown to me by my father I fell in love with the sport. I also discovered the manager/ lawyer and read his book:). This year I was lucky enough to see you at spring training and get your autograph. I respect you leaving and I would just like to thank you for being the man who has inspired me to achieve more than imaginable.
Thank you for everything Tony! The world didn’t need another lawyer anyway.
I’ve been following the Cardinals since I was a little girl and listened to KMOX in the small town in Oklahoma where I grew up. You rank among the top of great Cardinals who have given us such joyful and exciting times. Thanks for the ride–enjoy your retirement.
Thanks, Tony!!! You are The Bomb!!
Thank you Tony! You are the best and will be missed. Enjoy your retirement it’s well deserved. I really enjoy watching the Cardinals and you made them what they are today, World Series Champions!!
Thanks for the memories Tony. St.Louis won t be the same without
You.. you will be missed..
Thanks Tony for the past sixteen years I have watched you lead my home team and sports heros into game after game with a talent very rare to see. You appreciated your players and loved the game. You will be missed and remembered for all you have done for the love of baseball 😉
Tony,
WHAT A TEAM!!! WHAT A TOWN!!!!!!! WHAT A MANAGER!!!!! Happy retirement. We’ll get someone, but he can’t replace you!
Thanks for the excitment
Thanks for all the great memories in the last 16 years, Tony! The games of the 2011 World Series were the best games I’ve ever seen! The 2011 championship would not belong to the Cardinals had it not been done under your leadership. Thank you so much!
I have been a Cardinals fan since 1967. Thank you Tony for making me feel like a kid again wanting to win the World Series. I have carried the Cardinal tradition on to my own children. I have always used you as an example telling them to never give up and give everything you have to whatever you do. Good Luck to you and your family. Thank your family for sharing you with us all these years.
Tony – I don’t have the words. You have built some very good teams, but you always seemed to make them even better. Thanks for your dedication to the organization that is so dear to my heart
Tony,
Thank you for all you have done for baseball. We moved to St. Louis in 1953 when I was 8 years old. My Dad taught me to love baseball and the Cardinals. I have moved all over in the last 45 years but along with the rest of my family always been a Cardinals fan. This has been the most amazing season and an unbelievable World Series for your Cardinals. There is no other manager with your talent and knowledge of the game. You will be missed.
Our Dad was a life-long Cardinals fan from the time he was about 7 years old and he passed on his love for his beloved Cardinals to his three children even though we have never lived in Missouri and now live in three different parts of the country. Dad died on August 3 at the age of 78 so on behalf of him, we want to thank you, Tony, for the last 16 years of amazing Cardinals baseball. Dad loved catching the Cardinals in person either making the trip to St. Louis or catching them at another ballpark. Thanks for the fantastic post-season and World Series. You will not be forgotten! Have a wonderful retirement.
Kari, Jim and Marty Preslar
We understand wanting to retire but we are really going to miss you Tony. You are an amazing Coach and an honorable person. You stand by your values and your players. You are an inspiration to many. And to those naysayers and non-believers, I say “World Champions Baby!!” Congratulations on a great career. And thanks for the many wonderful memories with the Cardinals. Best of Luck to you Tony!
Tony, Thanks for the wonderful memories. I will think of you every spring when I hang my sign “We interrupet this family for baseball season”. I will miss you & Dave in Jupiter. Best of luck to you Tony. Barbara Mlady
WOW – what an amazing season. My wife surprised me with tickets to Game 3 in Arlington, and I flew from Singapore! My 1st World Series and I have been a Saint Louis Fan since I can remember. A great run this year and the past 16 years. Please help them pick another coach/manager/mentor to succeed as you have.
Thank You!
Tony,
Through the ups and downs you have remained true to the Cardinal tradition, a winner, tried and true. You have given the team and the fans a lot to cheer about. Thank you so much for the leadership and integrity you have brought to the Cardinals these last sixteen years. Thanks to your family for loaning you to us, and best wishes for you and yours in your next endeavors.
Tony, you have given us great memories and moments! You will be missed. Best wishes on you new endeavors. I am sure you will do well in whatever direction you decide. Thanks for everything.
Tony,
We knew this time would come but not so soon. Thank you for a great era in my lifetime of watching the team I grew up with. Some don’t believe in fate or destiny but I believe you come into certain situations for a reason. Both the Cardinals and you gained so much by creating some of the greatest memories to remind people why they love this sport and the wholesome feelings it gives us. I loved watching you coach, your managerial style is unmatched and hard to find again in this lifetime. Good luck to you and thank you for instilling the pride of the Cardinals into the fans.
Thanks for the most memorable Cardinals season ever, Tony. And please pass the baton to Jose !!! 😉
Tony,
Thanks for the wonderful past 16 years! 3 trips to the World Series with 2 wins is awsome. Sad to see you leave, but wishing you welon your future adventure! Thanks for coming to St. Louis.
Carl Lair
Tony,
Thanks for giving the Cardinals everything you had. I loved all the moves-some bad but mostly good. May you live to be 100 and bask in the glow of all you’ve accomplished. Don’t be a stranger.
Georgiebird
Thank you for sharing your life with Cardinal Nation. What ever you do next, we wish you great success. Blessings to you & your family, sir!
Thank You so much for everything you did for Cardinal baseball. You will always be remembered as one of the greatest. Good luck in your next adventure. HAPPY LIFE!
Thanks for the run, it’s been quite a party. I will always remember how you respected the game and wanted your players to play the right way. Best of everything in all you do in the future.
Thanks Tony for 16 great years!! You turned the Cardinals around in the mid 90’s and brought the franchise back to where it was in the 80’s! You will be greatly missed and this is a big loss for Cardinal Nation! Good luck in retirement and please do not be a stranger back in St. Louis!!
Thanks Tony four all you’ve done for the team I’ll miss you next year
Thanks for the manger of the day opertunity I had last year. I had lots of fun and life long memories. Good luck in the futcher God bless you. You will be miset
Thanks tony you were the best player manager of all time in my mind to bad all your players did not like and listen to you they missed out. enjoy your retirement. i will miss your personality and leadership terribly but cardinal fan for life. You went out like the champion you are and man what an awesome ending. Your #1 Fan!!!!!!!!! Harold D. Hedding
A splendid sixteen year run, and a marvelous ending. Thanks for being a Cardinal.
Thanks Tony,
you might be good as second next to Herzog in coaching the Cardinals!!
Say it ain’t so! Thanks for a great ride. Best to you in the years to come and be sure to visit us in Cardinal Nation.
Thanks Tony & Congrats. I have loved the cardinals since I was a kid, but you made the last 16 years awesome to watch. Enjoy retirement you deserve it. Good luck with ARF.
for 16 years you have given us something to look forward to every season. This is a good way for you to go out on top. I will always remember you as the winningest, longest tenured cardinals manager of all time thank you for the memories you will always be remembered throughout Cardinals Nation.
Tony thanks hope you enjoy your time off and don’t ever forget that your part of the greatest fans in baseball and that the cardinals nation will miss you.
Thanks for the memories, Tony. You have carried the Cardinal torch proudly through the past 16 years. You will always be a fixture in the history of this city and our team.
Thank you so much Tony for all you’ve done for st. Louis!! I’ve learned so much about baseball from watching you manage over the years. Baseball has been fun with you around. Cardinals won’t be the same without you as manager.
One of a kind, like whitey – wonder who we will get next? 3rd base coach looks good to me
Tony-Thanks for a great world series-game 6 was the best! Have a happy retirement-you deserve it!
Thank You Tony. Because of you, i started loving baseball since 2006
Thanks Tony, you timed your run perfectly!
Tony, words can’t adequately express the gratitude we feel for super great years of baseball management. From what some of the players have said, you were “in their court” regardless of the outcome, and they learned so much from you. Players can’t be as cohesive as this group appear to be without supportive leadership, and you’re the best! Enjoy your family & friends for the time being, but if you open a book store, I’ll be among your 1st customers, as an avid reader and fan. Shalom!
Tony, thanks for your 16 seasons at the helm of the Cardinals, sorry to see you retire, but as a retiree I uynderstand your decision. May God go with you and bless you in your retirement.You will be missed by me…
Great run, Tony! Thank you! We appreciate all you have done!
P.S. How do I apply for your job?
Thanks for the memories Tony! It wont be the same without you as our skipper.
Happy Flight!
Tony,
You are the best manager I have ever seen in baseball. Don’t let any criticism affect you. You have the stats, the heart, and the loyal and dedicated players who have been lucky enough to work with you to back you up. St. Louis will never be the same. Good luck in the future, you will be missed. Thanks for an awesome final season and a thrilling World Series.
Tony, no matter the situation and how hard sometimes the St. Louis media or fans doubted your calls, you stuck to your guns. That is why you lasted 33 years and some managers are only around for a few years. Cardinals nation will have to go on, but you will now be in the likes of Stan, Lou, and Gibson in our Cardinals Hall of Fame family! We will miss you, thanks for the championships (and phone gate…haha) Enjoy retirement Tony, you deserve it! – Pilarski Family, New Haven, MO
Mr. La Russa, I just want to thank you for the many years you devoted to the best baseball team on earth. I have been a lifelong Cardinals fan and started cheering for the Cardinals for as early as I can remember. When you joined the team back in 1996, I was in high school and was ecstatic to know you were going to manage MY TEAM! I remember watching the 1989 World Series and watching you manage the A’s and just thought you were a great manager then. So, when you joined the Cardinals, I’m sure you can imagine the excitement I experienced. Since then, I never once doubted your ability to bring many W’s to our team. Each playoff season was exhilarating to watch! I cheered, jumped up and down and yelled with excitement during the up times and cried and was saddened during the down times our team has experienced since you joined the staff. Some of the best games I attended at both Busch Stadiums were under your command. The best games I went to consist of August 8, 1998 when the Cardinals were playing the Cubs and being able to watch McGwire and Sosa each hit two homers was awesome! I also got to experience two postseason playoff games: one in 2000 against the Braves in which the Cardinals won. Edmumds help scored the winning run in that game. Then, most recently I was able to attend a game this postseason the team won against the Phillies and Oswalt during the NLDS. I know that the success of the Cardinals will go on, but as conducted under your special touch has come to an end. I admire the way you manage a ballgame and have always been a fan of yours. I also admire the person you are in helping animals with many of the causes and foundations you have started. I have heard you are an individual who is down to earth and are a blessing to others. Thanks, Mr. La Russa for being a huge contributor to the excitement of what it has been like to be a Cardinals fan for years! You will be missed and May God Bless your life and the path you choose to take from here on out! Thanks again for many exciting years of baseball!
One of your biggest fans: Curtis Clausen
Tony,
I’m 26 years old and I was thinking today as I was remembering the last 16 years, I don’t really remember Cardinal baseball without you in the corner of our dugout. It will be awkward to not see your passion and intensity every game. You personified Cardinal baseball and the way all generations have played in St. Louis over the many years. You will be truly missed and thank you for all the great memories you gave us, the fans. Best of luck to you in all you do in the future (After a couple of years, please come back and get involved with the front office…anything). God bless!
I would loved to have seen you with the Cardinals for one more year but respect your decision to retire and spend more time with your family. Tony, you are a true legend and will be greatly missed. Thank you for all you have done for the team, for the fans, and for the animals xxx
Thank you for years of wonderful baseball! Being huge Cardinals fans in California is tough! But we can always back it up with the fact that the ballclub has class, history, and talent. You and the team have been a great example to my boys how hard work and team work pay off! Thank you for everything! The game will not be the same without you!
Sincerly,
Annalee, Declan, and Maguire Dobkins
Tony,
I met you at one book signings years ago now, and I said my favorite St. Louis manager…even before you won two world championships. You did yourself, your team and my hometown very proud. I look forward to five years from now when you are giving your induction speech at Cooperstown. Thank you so much for giving us fans so much joy! We will miss you!
Ok, was I always a fan, no. As a life long Cardinals fan you have been like a complex character in a movie that by the end you have come to admire. You looked more relaxed and made more calls that made sense to the passionate fan this post season than any time I can remember. I found it rare this post season that I agreed with every move you made. I usually griped. If we would have lost game 6 I was very pleased and would have thought you were great.
Who cares right. I will not be the hall of fame, will not win 3 World Series titles, and will not go down as one of the best managers in baseball.
I was ready to let you go by August and now I am sad you are leaving. I am also happy for you and will always remember the 2011 world series for many reasons. All my family and friends feel the same way. By the very definition, to go out on top means you are at the top! Congrats and thank you.
I coach a select summer team in Oklahoma and it wears me out with the ups and downs of a season. I have no idea how you have been able to do what you’ve done for 33 years on the biggest of stages. The dedication, time and guts it has taken are immeasurable. Congrats on a truly epic career that ended in almost unbelievable fashion. The grandkids of the fans today will think grandma and grandpa are exaggerating when they speak of the 2011 title. But it will all be true.
I know you have a grand respect for the history of the game. I appreciate that most about you. I am proud to say that TLR was our manager and happy that you will live on forever as a large piece of baseball history. Ken Burns will have to an add a chapter for Tony La Russa. Thank you for 16 wonderful years.
Dear Tony,
I’ll admit you drove me to distraction trying to figure out your calls now and then, but I always admired your guts, talent and determination. How could I not love you as the Cardinals skipper all these years? You were my kind of guy, and an animal lover to boot. I just can’t imagine anyone else filing your shoes. Truly happy for you and your family, and glad that if you must go, you’re going out a winner, on your own terms. Will miss you next season. Thanks for some amazing memories–wishing you all the best.
Tony,
Thanks for all the wonderful memories, I have been to many games and not to see you in the dugout or on the field YOU WILL BE MISSED. BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOU WIFE ON YOUR RETIREMENT. THANKS ALSO TONY FOR SAVING
OUR ANIMALS. One of the best sayings I have ever heard goes like this, “Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened”.
You gave all Cardinal National the best memories and we will love you until the day after forever.
Tony thanks for every thing you have done and gave this team most of all thank you for your time in making sure this club was always at it beast the game of baseball will miss you but not as much as this team or town you will always be a cardinal. so than you for every thing and heres to the best skipper st louis will have tony la russa. Good luck and god speed
Tony
Thanks for always keeping your dignity and honor even when being blasted by others in a hateful way. You always kept your composure and stuck to your own beliefs and instincts.
You were an inspiration to me far beyond baseball.
You were a great example of how to live life in a Genuine way.
St Louis and Cardinal nation have been blessed for 16 years.
You will be truly missed for Decades and Generations to come.
Only the best for the best team in baseball. My Mother raised her four children as Cardinal fans, we in turn raised our children as Cardinal fans and now are raising the grandchildren as Cardinal fans. It’s been a pleasure following you all these years as our leader. Good luck in your future adventures.
Tony , Thanks for al that you gave to us (fans) !
May you get as much enjoyment from retirement as you gave me as a baseball fan.
Tony thanks from a diehard cards fan for 16 years of great baseball. For me baseball in st.louis well never be the same again because you was the only couch that i remember couching the cardinals since i was 7 when you came here. I well miss how you do the pitching to hitting match ups with the pin or with pitch hitting. i well also miss Tony tv with the post game show. Thanks for teaching me when i was growing up to never give up and to be leave in high goals i feel without you this year a world series championship would not have happen for us this year. Best of luck to you and your family with whatever is in your future. You was loved and well be missed here and i hope that you had the time of your life here in st.louis.
Tony thanks from a diehard cards fan for 16 years of great baseball. For me baseball in st.louis well never be the same again because you was the only skipper that i remember with the cardinals since i was 7 when you came here. I well miss how you do the pitching to hitting match ups with the pin or with pitch hitting. i well also miss Tony tv with the post game show. Thanks for teaching me when i was growing up to never give up and to be leave in high goals i feel without you this year a world series championship would not have happen for us this year. Best of luck to you and your family with whatever is in your future. You was loved and well be missed here and i hope that you had the time of your life here in st.louis.
Thanks Tony. Enjoy the rest of your years as a fan.
Thanks Tony for the last 16 years and man what a ending,i can not remember when i have ever seen a better World Series.How could you sleep after game 6 what a game i hope you enjoy your retierment this year will be talked about for years to come thanks agin and best of luck to you and your family.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES…..THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE FOR OUR BELOVED SPORT…..MAY GOD BLESS YOU !!!!!!…..PEPE CANDELARIO, TAMPA FLORIDA
we’re gona miss ya.if you’re ever in joplin look us up.you always have a place to stay
Bravo Tony!! Your hard work and tutelage is etched in our minds and will continue to be seen both on and off the field for years to come. Your passion and dedication will be the standard that many will aspire too. Thank you for all the memories, I hope you enjoy your retirement; it is well deserved….
Tony,
Thanks for the memories! Your place in Cardinals’ lore is well established. Best wishes in the next glorious chapter of your lifed.
Randy Vest, O’Fallon, MO
Thanks Tony for the best 16 years of Cardinal Baseball I have ever seen. You are the best manager the Cardinals will ever have. I hope you find much happiness in your retirement and your dreams are all fulfilled. You will be missed….Thank you
THANK YOU!
Thanks for all of the glory that you have brought to the Cardinals and city of St. Louis. Best wishes on your next venure!
You are a super great manager. Your best attribute is never giving up. HURRAY!!! Now it is time to enjoy your family, rest and just reminisce. You have done a great job.
Tony, As a high school teacher, I will always refer to the 2011 Cardinals team as evidence that positive attitude and hard work lead to success! Thanks for the lesson and — as a fan — for all the great memories! Hope you enjoy a happy retirement — you’ve earned it.
Marlene Dale
Tony,
Thanks for leading the Cardinals for 16 great years. You’ve brought a lot of happiness to the City of St. Louis and Cardinal Nation. Hope you enjoy a well-deserved retirement and we’ll see you at Cooperstown in a few years.
Jay Turner
Thanks Tony. You wanted to win which means making tough decisions along the way.
I’ll miss seeing you on the field.
I also pray that Dave Duncan’s wife stays comfortable as possible and beats this awful disease.
Thank you for all that you have done both on and off the field.
Thanks for the memories. You will be remembered as the Pro you are!!
“Thats Baseball,” will forever remind me of you.
Thx Tony you will be missed we love your game your the best good luck to you in your endeavors
Thank you tony! We are gonna miss you!
The only jersey I have ever bought was a STL Cardinals #10 LaRussa. I am so sad to see you leave. Please keep ties to STL. Thanks Tony!
Wow what a roller-coaster ride the last 2-3 weeks, and now you are leaving us! It will never be the same without you!!You have been Cardinal Baseball the last 16 years. Definitely our leader!! I was teary-eyed all day yesterday, and I am 57 yrs old. Your picture will be on the wall of my Cardinal room in a very prominent place!!It will be an honor to tell my 2 yr, old grandson the accomplishments on the field and off the field, of Tony LaRussa!! Good Luck to you and your family and may God Bless you and all you continue to do!! You will be sorely missed in the Cardinal dugout next year and all the years too come!! S.Hart, Evansville IN
Tony,
Thanks for being a good model for hard work ethic. I have to admit that in September I was beginning to understand how Cub fans feel. Thanks for pulling it out in true Cardinal style!
It was hard to see Whitey go. This might even be harder… got a little misty when I heard the news. Tony, thanks for all your ingenuity, and ALL the wonderful Cardinal memories you have helped to make! You will be missed!
Thanks Tony for 16 great years. You taught your players and the fans to never give up and always play until the last out. I wish you well on your journey into the next chapter of your life.
Thanks, Tony. You will be missed. Watching you lead the Cards to so many victories has really been fun. Someone will have some really big shoes to fill in St. Louis. Enjoy the next chapter in your life.
Thanks, skipper, for all the winning seasons, the playoff games, and the championships. But even more, I thank you for your respect of the game of baseball, and of the Cardinals’ way of playing it. Best wishes in whatever you pursue next.
Tony,
First, I have to congratulate you and the entire Cardinals team on winning the 11th World Series championship for every person in Cardinal Nation. It was a victory for everybody who believed in the team that made the greatest comeback ever possible. It was also one the very best managerial jobs I have seen in more than 30 years as a lifelong Cardinals baseball fan. I have always respected your decision making in games during the past 16 years – even when some didn’t work. I enjoyed reading “Three Nights in August” and gained a lot more knowledge about the strategies of baseball in the process. I also want to thank you on behalf of my wife and friends of mine who got the chance to meet you at the book signing and the Cardinals Winter Warm-up respectively. I wish you the very best in your continuing mission with the Animal Rescue Foundation and I thank you for what you have accomplished in St.Louis on and off the baseball diamond. You are truly one of the best men in baseball!
Thanks Tony. Really enjoyed watching a classic the last 16 years. This year was way up the ladder. Learned a lot about baseball and your managing in the book “3 Nights in August”. Wish you and your wife the best.
What a ride…Enjoy your retirement. You will be missed. I just hope they can find someone with your class to fill those tremendously huge shoes. Enjoy your time with your family now. You both deserve it…
Sad to see you go. Thank you for making a great team even greater!
Enjoy your retirement, Tony, and thanks for all the great memories! We will miss you!
YOUR ONE REASON WHY THERES A HALL OF FAME, AFTER YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE GAME AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE GAME AND JUST TRYING TO WIN GAMES FOR YOUR TEAM ( CARDINALS ) AND BRINGING HOME A TOTAL OF 3 WORLD SERIES TROPHYS, I BEING A DIEHARD CARDINALS FAN AND WATCHING WHAT YOU DO ,IT SHOULD BE NO PROBLEMFOR YOU TO MAKE IT. TAKE CARE AND GOOD HEALTH. THANKS :]
Thank you Tony for managing the GREATEST major league baseball team in the world. I’ve been a life-long fan and will always be. There IS another manager out there as good but none better. Much happiness and good health in your retirement.
Linda W
Chaffee MO
Tony we love you man! You will always be a St. Louis Cardinal and a Class Act! Enjoy your family and enjoy your furry freinds and books:) We of st. louis want to wish you the best. Thanks for many great years and many great Cardinal Memories. Congratulations again on winning the 2011 World Series. You are truly a winner, in both the game and in life. Much Love Always
Thank you Mr. LaRussa. You have led the Cardinals to some of the greatest moments in baseball history. I thought 1964 ‘come from behind’ was a great year, but 2011 ‘come from behind’ even has the East and West Coast talking about the Cardinals. I look for you in the Hall of Fame in short order. God bless you and your family.
Born,Raised and Still live outside of Philadelphia and a Lifelong Cardinal fan who LOVED EVERY MINUTE of this year’s playoff run. Congratulations Tony and THANK YOU for many enjoyable years following the Cardinals. Good Luck in Whatever you attempt in your future and I hope you enjoy whereever your road takes you……..i hope it’s still part of the Cardinals.
I think Chris Carpenter said it best when he said he never really knew what baseball was until he came to St. Louis! THANK YOU FOR 16 AMAZING YEARS!!! Look forward to seeing you in the Baseball Hall of Fame! You have done so much for St. Louis in your time here, you will most definitely be missed. Best of luck in your new adventures!
WOW! What a year and post season! We couldn’t have asked for a better goodbye! Thanks for all those years and to your family for the sacrifices they have made so we could have you as our Skipper! You will be greatly missed! I wish you wouldn’t go, but good luck and congratualtions on your retirement!
Tony, Thanks for living, breathing, and leading the Cardinals for 16.seasons!
Tony — Thanks for your dedication and all the memories. Cardinal Nation will never be the same as when it was the LaRussa era. I’m so glad I was a part of that era – to see a future Hall of Fame Manager and two World Series championships. May you and your family now begin making the memories you’ve missed while giving Cardinal Nation ours!
Tony–I think you’ve got us all spoiled into thinking we could manage along with you. You were consistent in things you needed to be, and changed when you thought it best. I kind of think we got to know you and how you’d manage this or that situation, and just knew it was the way you were going to do it. We learned winning baseball strategy, and also learned how you think when you would explain your decisions–ALL those questions you were asked night after night about why this and that… Thanks for teaching us and then going beyond what was normal for you when you thought it best. It’s been so good to have you here; I love your discipline, your respect of your players and the game we all love so much here in Cardinal fandom. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s prayed for the success of the Cardinals, the individual men who show such character, and for wisdom for you in the decisions you’ve made. I admit it was a bit of a gut-punch to learn you had retired, especially after being on such a championship “high”. I was hoping for a good chance next year, but I guess we have to let you go because with you and your teams, there’s ALWAYS a chance next year. No one could ever expect the magic of this year every year, but no matter what, you and your team has showed everyone they should NEVER give up! I know I never did– not once this year, even when it didn’t look so good. It was just a good story waiting to be written; I’m waiting for the movie now! Thanks for all the hard work and time you put into giving us Cardinal fans the joy that we get in watching our Redbirds play, and in making our days a bit brighter after a Cardinal win. With you at the helm, we had a lot of bright days. I pray God continues to bless you & your family as you go on to the next page of your journey. I look foreward to your name and number on our wall in the outfield, and the day you get in to the Hall of Fame.
Tony, words cannot begin to describe the contributions you have made to the game of baseball. As a diehard Cardinals fan i have always loved how you managed and the way and which you did manage. I wanted to Thank You for not only being a great manager and a leader to the Cardinals and the city of St. Louis but i wanted to Thank You for being a role model as to what a good manager and person should be.
Thanks for a great team!! Happy retirement to and your family:)
Tony, Thanks for all the Cardinal thrills and emotions we have experienced throughout the years. What a way to go out-a records-breaking World Series! It was so emotional Thursday night, my husband suffered a heart attack at 2:00 am!
Tony
“Thank You for your dedication to the St. Louis Cardinals organization and Cardinal Nation” the last 16 years.
We will Miss you!!
Yakima
Thank you Tony for your 16 years with the St. Louis Cardinals!
We will miss you!
Thanks for the memories, Tony. I remember how you brought that ’96 team within one win (over Atlanta) of reaching the WS. You were a wonder-worker, in getting so much out of that overachieving bunch. (My wife and I were at Game 5, in Atlanta.)
Thanks also for befriending my own buddy Earl Gabbidon–who forwarded me a pic of you two.
Enjoy some family life!
Congratulations on your long and successful 33 years as a baseball manager–16 as a manager for the St. Louis Cardinals. Your success has culminated into three World Series wins which is an accomplishment for any manager. You will be missed, but I know you will make your presence into the Baseball Hall of Fame with another former manager, Whitey Herzog. Enjoy your retirement. I know there will be a bust of you outside of Busch Stadium for what you have done during your baseball career..
Tony – even tho sometimes you drove me crazy and left scratching my head, I have to tell you the results were incredible. Congratulations on a long and successful carreer, and thank you for all the wonderful Cardinal memories. It has been a privelidge to call myself a proud member of Cardinal Nation! God Bless you in everything you do.
Tony: Thanks for all of the great times and memories… you will be missed. Remember, you join the long Red Line of former Cardinal greats and we hope to see you on Opening Days and other Cardinal Alumni events. Enjoy your retirement.
Tony,
You are amazing. Thanks for your leadership for all of these years.
You will be missed.
Tony: I’ve been a Cardinal fan since seeing Stan Musial with the Cardinal Logo on his jersey watching the Cardinals play for the first time in Ebbets Field in 1940’s. I also remember seeing (yes, seeing) Enos Slaughter sliding into home plate on the seat of his pants in the 1946 World Series in Boston, to win that one! Just a little background because I take advantage of my age, being a bit older than you, so can tell old timer stories. The point being that you and your many successes epitomize the Cardinal Nation…..we have been indeed fortunate to have you aboard instilling your genius and leadership into a Team……for so many years.
We all wish you luck in the future (I’ll vote for you as the next Commisioner Of Baseball), in all of your endeavors, including Animal Protection and Humane Awareness of the plight of our furry and feathered friends.
Tony Vydra, Fayetteville, PA 17222.
Freda and I have been Cardinal fans since ’53, and all have been memorable, but the past 16 LaRussa years have been a real treat. So good to have had a manager that values his players as much as his own family, and instills in them similar values. Being a Penn Stater (’53), I like to compare you to JoePa, and you both play the game the same way. Much happiness to you and your family in your retirement (??), you’ve earned it. Thanks much.
Frank & Freda
Tony
Thanks for all the good years and memories
You will be missed
Thanks for the memories.
Dear Tony,
I wanted to say thanks for the last 16 years in St Louis. I want to wish the best in the future. You will truely be missed. You were a true leader for the Cardinals Team both on and off the field. Thanks for the two World Series Championships that you coached them to.
Tony,
It’s disappointing to see a class act like yourself leave the Cardinals.
I’m just happy that You were able to go out on a winner!
Mr. Tony LaRussa – for 51 years of my 64 years in life , the cards have been my team and as a Canadain , you could appreciate how difficult getting to see a live game. I have seen 4 – 1 in Pittsburgh , 2 – the third and second last games old bush ( wow – what two great games – the people of ST L – the fans and the team ) and an exibition in Juniper FL . Great years , awesome players , but these last years are full of super great memories , thank-you sir Tony – May your rescue shelter do well – may you enjoy your life and family and health – May ST. Louis always be your home away from home – May the good lord let my wife and I see you in a card’s uniform at some game when they retire your number and may Albert be the presenter
the Lord be with you Tony and thanks for the memories We all love you
Garry Double
– Guelph , Ontario , Canada
Thank you Tony for the best years of my life in St.Louis baseball. You will never be forgotten as you are the best mananger in cardinals history!!
When 3 Nights in August came out, you stayed for a book signing to make sure that all of the people in line received your autograph even though it made you leave later than planned for the game. It meant so much to see you do that and confirmed the type of person you are – many, many thanks for all the wonderful years you have given us, for Arf, and for the example you have been. Wishing wonderful years ahead for you and your family.
Thank you Tony!!!!
Thanks to the best manager in all of baseball, Tony LaRussa, for his oustanding leadership…9 postseasons in 16 years,..and the only manager or team to appear in 3 World Series in the past 10 seasons. (Not the Yankees, Red Sox, or Mets). Joe Buck loves TLR and called him the most misunderstood man he as ever known. I have met him a few times in spring training, and found him to be as nice as could be. He is a better and more thoughtful person than many people believe and he treated the fans as customer/friends. Many of the Cardinals players cried last night when Tony told them. And all REASONABLE fans, those of us who watched closely, appreciate his undying devotion. As owner Bill DeWitt said, “We will never replace a Tony LaRussa.”
Thanks Coach,
for your dedication to the St. Louis Cardinals and the fans.
You deserve all the best!
Happy Retirement.
Damn … im kinda sad you are leaving. Hope there wasn’t some underlying issue causing you to leave. Either way … thank you Tony for elevating Cardinal Nation pride to another level. Youll always be welcome in St. Louis … don’t forget that!
Words cannot describe what you have meant to St. Louis Cardinals and diehard fans like me over the past 16 years. Thank you very much for everything Tony. You will forever be in the hearts and minds of St. Louis and all of Cardinals nation.
Thank you Tony for your professionalism! I loved how you were always prepared. God Bless you and your family!
Thank you, Tony. You will be missed. Come back to St Louis as often as you can. Hopefully, we will see you on opening day.
As a lifelong Cards fan, you gave me the best gift ever (again). Game Six was possibly the best baseball game of all time. Thanks for the memories.
TLR – thanks and congratulations! If ever a competitor deserved to leave while on top it’s you. For true Cardinal fans it’s been obvious that you put your heart and soul into the Cardinals and for that we are thankful.
You will forever be a part of Cardinal Nation – and be an important part of doing things “the Cardinal way”.
Thanks for the memories – and I’ll be cheering for you in Cooperstown.
Thanks for the great job you have done as manager of my favorite baseball team I have been a fan of the Cardinals for more than 50 years
Thank you Tony for everything you have done for the St. Louis Cardinals organization!!! You are a baseball genius and very much appreciated for your knowledge and understanding of the game and how to effectively manage a big league club. There will never be another tandem like you and Dave ever again. I wish that you and he could both get elected to the Hall of Fame together. Enjoy your very much deserved retirement and know that you will be greatly missed.
Tony,
Enjoy your retirement and thanks for all the great memories. Game six will talked about for years.
TLR… thanks for manging the St. Louis Cardinals the ‘Cardinal Way’. Your accomplishments here will be heightened in their significance after your departure. I wish you all the best in your retirement, and thanks for the everlasting memories.
Its was a lot of fun. You will be missed. from a Colorado fan, that grew up in Illinos.
To paraphrase Joe Buck, what a manager, what a ride, and what a thrill! Sixteen seasons worth! Cardinal Nation will miss you! Thank you for everything you did for Cardinal baseball and for St. Louis. All our best to you and your family!
First off I want to say thank you for all the great memories you gave us. That being said when I first heard that you were retiring I felt like I lost a close family member. It will be hard to see someone else in the dugout guiding our team. I hope whoever takes over shows the class and determination you did for the last 16 years. You will be deeply missed and it was a gift and privilege to watch you at work. Good luck in whatever business venture you decide to take on.
Words can’t say how proud it’s made me feel to know that the Cardinals have had the best manager in baseball for the past 16 years. I admire not only your true understanding of the game, but your innovative style. Not only have you been a great manager, but a class act and a good human being. Although I’m sorry to see you go, I’d like to wish you the best of luck in whatever the future holds for you. Thank you for everything Tony.
Sincerely, Casey Stessman, Minneapolis,MN.
Although naturally I was bummed when I first that you were retiring, but it’s a testament to how great of a leader you’ve been that you’ll be so missed! After hearing your interview, I really respect the reason that you made that decision, and your pure interest in baseball (and not “doing it for the wrong reasons”). After decades of being on the road, I hope that you get to enjoy reading some books, attending sports games as a spectator, and spending all year with your dogs, bunny, cats, and whatever else you’ve got over there in CA. There’s no doubt you’ll stay busy and productive.
Thank you for being a manager who role modeled and expected great things of your team. By doing so, you also became a role model for the entire city of St. Louis. You spoke with honesty, courtesy, and integrity. You also taught us to expect great things of ourselves, and to not put limits on that of which we are capable. We are so proud of all that you guys have achieved, and that the nation got to see what kind of people you are (and don’t believe what the newspapers are saying. It was no surprise to us that you got that far once you things started coming together. Amazing players on an amazing team!) Hope that you can come throw out a first pitch next year!
Thank you Elaine for your all your hard work and sacrifices the past zillion years! Happy flight, sprinkle power, give the talisman a break 🙂
Thank you Tony. For all the years of exciting baseball & the successful seasons you brought to the legacy of St. Louis Cardinals.
It has been fun going along for the ride. Hopefully you will be replaced by an equally talented manager. I wish you the best & and many happy prosperous years in your retirement.
Thanks for all the memorizes. i watched your first game managing the cards and was sad to see you have retired after your best playoff run i have ever witnessed! thanks Tony
Congratulations on a 1st Ballot Hall of Fame career! You did not always do things the conventional way, but your innovations are what made you perhaps the best manager of all time. Thank you for providing us a decade and a half of winning Cardinal Baseball continuing the franchise’s proud winning tradition! You will be missed.
Tony, THANK YOU for the dedication and sacrifice that you and your family gave to St. Louis for so many years. Good luck to you and your family in all of your endevors.
Tony,I have been a Cardinal fan for 35 Yrs.Since I was 10 yrs.old.You will truly be missed by the fan’s and surely by your players.I wish you would reconsider.I can’t imagine what it will be like without you.I wish you the best of luck and God bless you and your family.P.S.Please talk Albert into staying for I don’t want to lose 2 great Cardinal’s in one year.
Tony thanks for all the memories! You will be missed.What a way to go out, hope you enjoy your retirement you deserve it.
Thanks for some great memories. Hope to see you soon on “Dancing With the Stars”. And the dogs all say “ARF”.
if you ever come back to st.louis in the near future, you will be welcomed back with open arms!!!! YOU ARE THE BEST, THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER TONY LARUSSA, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID FOR THE CARDINALS AND TO THE CITY OF ST.LOUIS, YOU WILL BE GREATLY MISSED!! I WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR RETIREMENT, MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU WONDERFUL FAMILY!!
Thank you for all your years in baseball! It will be many many years before this World Series is forgotten!! We had a wonderful time watching! May you enjoy many years of retirement!!
Tony, congratulations on your retirement.It is well deserved. I met you in Peoria in 1984 when you were the White Sox boss. You were nice to me. I wanted to meet the man who helped his team win 99 games. You are a class act for baseball. Thanks for the memories.
Thanks for all the great years Tony! I hope that now you get to spend plenty of time with Elaine & your daughters! You all deserve it!! Thanks for the memories!!!!
Tony, Congrats on your retirement. You have made baseball fun in Chicago,Oakland and St.Louis. I met you in 1984 when you were the White Sox boss at a caravan in Peoria,Illinois. You treated me nice. A White Sox fan who lives now in the Bay Area. Thanks for the memories.
Congratulation for your managerial career and thank you very much for all the fun you create on the field.
I’m a French player and I had the pleasure to come to St Louis and see you and your guys, it was amazing and i wanted to thank you for this.
Enjoy your retirement
Congratulations Tony. You will be missed in St. Louis.
You can disagree with some of the things you did, and that’s the beauty of baseball, but you can never disagree with your respect of Cardinal Nation and the integrety you had in managing our team. The fact that someone like Nyjer Morgan could never dispaly his type of behavier, on your team, says that you understand what it means to be a St Louis Cardinal.
Thank you for all the great memories and always remember you’ve got a place in the hearts of all Cardinal fans.
Wow what a ride we’ve had during the past 16 years! Thanks for the great memories, congratulations on your outstanding records. I’ll miss you, hope you come back with ARF shows and Wine & Whiskers.
Thanks for a great world series! You are the best! Have a great retirement!
Congrats on your retirement, and THANK YOU for all you did! What a truly spectacular career! We’ll miss you!
One thing in particular I’d like to say thanks for is your participation in the radio call-in show on Sunday mornings. I’m guessing there are very few major league cities where fans could ask the manager why he made a certain decision in a particular game that week, or why some given aspect of the game has changed over time. If you have the opportunity, I hope you will suggest to your successor that he continue the practice. It was greatly appreciated. Whoever does get the job will certainly have big cleats to fill.
Tony: Thanks for the fantastic run. I had the pleasure of watching Sparky Anderson & the Big Red Machine win back to back World Series in 1975 & 1976 with basically the same team and now I have had the fortune to watch you win in 2006 & 2011 with different teams. Sparky was later fired and you have chosen to retire. Both cities lost great baseball minds. Tony, you have delighted both my wife & I with many enjoyable “baseball moments”. Thanks and God Bless!!!
Jim Dorna
Tony you will be missed in St Louis. Thanks for 16 great years of baseball, all the excitement and fun we have had watching you manage the world famous ST Louis Cardinals. Enjoy your retirement, take care of the animals, come back and visit us often, and next year we win #12 in 2012 in appreciation of you. Thank you so much for the memories…….
Debbie Miller
Tony you will be missed here in St. Louis but you just made 29 other teams very happy with your retirement! I told you in Jupiter that you were a great HOF manager and you told me “wait until October & see what you think of me then”. Well nothing has changed with my opinion & if I don’t see ya round Jupiter this year, I will see you in Cooperstown on your big day!
Thanks for leading us to the Championship title! The fans, players, and others will never forget! You will be missed!
“Great Job” to a man who epitomizes the baseball tradition of people who can be looked up to as idols for kids and those of us who have been baseball’s fans forever.
To win amother World Series and retire on top is a dream come true and a legacy forever of a great man: Tony La Russa will be an idol for all time!
Tony,
Congratulations on an amazing career! Thank you for an incredible era of St. Louis Cardinals baseball. I’m 25 years old and have followed the team my whole life. The World Series Championships of 2006 and 2011 are among the many exciting memories of your Cardinals tenure that I’ll always cherish. Best wishes always to you and your family, and have a well-deserved and enjoyable retirement.
All the best, Patrick Downing and family
Thanks Tony. Enjoyed seeing you with Bob Costas and David Letterman. Enjoy your next gig whatever you decide.
Thanks for ALL the great memories! My niece Kate and I wont know what to do at the Winter Warm Up without you. She always brought you chocolate. I hope you enjoy your new life what ever you choose to do. You are certainly missed. 😦
I will stop by the ARF facility when I come to CA to visit my son.
Tony La Russa deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. He also deserves all the thanks and adulation that we Cardinals fans (and all baseball fans) can give.
Thanks Tony, I watch all the cardinal games from Arkansas and love the cardinals. It has been a delight to watch you work. What a ride their season!!! We and the cardinal franchise is going to miss you. Wish you the best in life, you made mine more interesting. Good luck to you and your family.
I’ve been a diehard since 1963 listening to KMOX Jack and Harry, broadcasting from Dodger Stadium at the end of the 63 season when we were swept by the Dodgers and effectively ended our season. Musial’s retirement. The next year we complete what WAS the greatest comeback ever till 2011. I recall Sister Chrisoliga allowing us to watch the end of game 7 on the old snowy black & white Zenith, where we outlasted the Yankees. I measure my lifespan in how it related to the Cardinals. Thanks Tony. Its so much more difficult to win it all than it used to be! I’ll always remember your Cardinals won our 11th WS on my 60th Birthday. Hope your retirement is fulfilling.
PS : don’t get bored and come back as a Cub and tarnish your legacy!
Transistor radio plastered to my ear, Stan the Man’s last home game, too many wonderful memories to count. But this year was all of them rolled into one.
What a magical, glorious ride. No one could have written this incredible story. I love my Cardinals. And what a gift they gave our proud city. Hope, Joy, Pure Bliss.
Thanks for being such an amazing skipper. You deserve a wonderful, active retirement. Thanks for taking such good care of our “boys of summer”.
Thanks Tony have been a fan of the Cardinals since the 70s here in Memphis TN. Wish you best in your retirement.
Thanks for the memories and the hard work. We will definitely miss you as skipper. Hope you have a great retirement, you have definitely earned it… thanks again.
Tony,
Thank you so much for your dedication and hard work for the St. Louis Cardinals. I love the game and go to and/or watch as many games during the season as possible. I was at my 1st World Series game (at age 58) for game 6 this year. What a game! I will never forget it. You will be missed. God bless you in your retirement.
Thanks Tony for your outstanding leadership over the years! I am grateful for all you’ve done done for baseball in St. Louis, as well as all you do as an advocate of animals. You will be greatly missed. Congratulations for going out on top and enjoy your retirement!!!
Tony! The only reason I’m glad you retired, is now you can run for PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. You can get this country back on its feet. We see what you did for St. Louis. I’m proud of you and what you stand for. Thanks for my memories.
I have been a Cardinal Fan since the late 60’s.
This 2011 World Series goes down in History for me.
As I see it, we won it in game 6
And Clinched in Game 7
To Tony, Congratulations on a great career.
You are Officially Enshrined as a Perminent member to Cardinal Nation!
Thank you and best wishes for the future.
Thanks Tony, it had been a great run.
Tony;
Thanks for a great run. You’ve proven yourself second to none as a manager, a person and an animal lover. Your time with the Cardinals will always be remembered as one of the great era’s in all of sports. Am glad to have witnessed your legacy and look forward to your next endeavor.
Thank you, Tony, and God Bless you in your endeavors. I spoke to you @ Spring Training 2007 that my husband was an “angel in the outfield” during the 2006 World Series. He died in 2004 (May) of Lou Gehrigs, after we had been to Spring Training. You were so gracious to tell me to thank him when I talked to him. We had just gotten a rescue dog that I still have. The pride you have brought to our city is immeasurable. Thank you.
Mr. LaRussa, Thank you! Your management of the 2011 NLCS was the most masterful achievement of post-season success ever. Simply amazing. I have never seen anyone whom knew his personnel as well, or used them better than your insightful moves during that week. David deserved that MVP award, but You won the series. Thank you for the most incredible run by any team ever. Thank you for 2006. Thank you for being the latest icon of the Cardinals.
We have been bleesed to have you! My son and I have watched you for many years now and you will be missed! Thank you and may your days ahead be as fulfilling as those memories you have left behind. God bless.
Tony……congrats on the great run! Hope that the new person can bring as much class….will be hard to replace you.
Dear TLR,
I am only 29 yrs old, so for as long as I can remember you and Cardinal Baseball have went hand-in-hand. I will ALWAYS be a Cardinal fan, but it will definitely be different watching next year without you in the dugout! You will truely be missed and I thank you for all your hard work these last 16 years. I also thank your family for allowing you to work so hard and supporting you through your managerial career. God bless you in your future endeavors and happy hollidays!
sincerely,
Jessica Darden
Thanks Tony! Enjoy retirement.
Dear Tony!
Thank you for the BEST BASEBALL ever! Your loyalty and determination and preperation are models for all of us. Thank you for giving your all!! We were blessed to have you for 16 years. Those 16 years are the best in the History of our Cardinals. Thank you for your heart and soul. We love you and will always keep you and your family in our prayers. I LOOK FORWARD TO YOU MANAGING THE NATIONAL ALL STAR TEAM IIN KANSAS CITY IN 2012. GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS!!!
Rev. Eddie Bone
Thanks, Tony, for sharing your talent, wisdom and love of the game with St. Louis all these years. You are truly the Zen Master of baseball!
Thank you Tony for the most enjoyable years of baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. Your masterful mind was truly an amazing thing for baseball and the Cardinal organization. We will greatly miss you and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. We will miss you!
Tony, thank you so much for 16 amazing years of Cardinal baseball. You are the only manager I have memories of and can’t even begin to imagine anyone else in your place. You are leaving behind some big shoes to fill! Thank you for leading this team that has brought the city of St. Louis such joy and happiness for the last 16 years. And thank you for giving us the most exciting World Series that has ever been played! We will miss you tremendously. All the best to you as you begin this next stage. Enjoy your family and pets.
Tony,
To say thank you is not enough ! But anyway, thank you for everything
that you had done for me, the Cardinal fans, all of St Louis, and all of the
baseball world. These years have put the Cardinals back on the map again,
to be considered a baseball team and organization to be reckoned with, not
taken lightly. The memories and times will never be forgotten. Now, go and enjoy
your lovely wife and family that we are very grateful to for allowing you to spend
all this time with us. God bless you, take care, Darryl Dickerhoff, St. Charles, Missouri .
To quote the infamous Mr. Bob Hope, “…THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES…” You will truly be missed. Enjoy your family and all your puppies. Roseann St John proud member of Cardinal Nation.
Thank you, Mr. La Russa. You gave your heart and soul to your team and your fans, and St. Louis, all of us Cardinals family! You are truly inspirational to me. It was so much fun to watch the games go to the games, be a part of the happenings, and what a great ride it was for your grand finale! I wish you much joy and contentment with your time and your family in the days to come. You deserve it! Enjoy and God bless you and your family.
Thank you, Tony for making my years as a Cardinals fan so wonderful. You are the only manager I have seen with the Cardinals & I will miss you terribly. Noone will ever take your place. You have done a truly remarkable job managing the team. Congrats to you & the Cardinals on the 2011 World Series win. I truly hope you enjoy your retirement. Also I am a humane society member & I love what you are doing with ARF. Thanks again for all the wonderful memories. Carol Baugh, a proud Cardinal Nation member from Arkansas
Thanks Coach La Russa for being our manager for so many years! You are and always will be a big part in the St. Louis Cardinals’ success. Thank you for contributing to Major League Baseball. I’m very happy that we won our 11th World Series. And you won the NLCS on my birthday! That was the best present I could ever ask for. I live in upstate New York and I’m proud to be a Cardinals fan!
Tony,Thank you for the great baseball you have given us over the years, especially this World Series ,now that’s baseball how it outta be!! Have always appreciated your intelligence and respect for the game it showed in all of the games you managed,you will be missed. I hope many have learned from you so we can continue the great traditions of this great game!! Thanks for the memories!
In Tony and Dave we Trust!! Thank you for the great years in St. Louis! For a lifelong fan who has nothing but fond memories of St. Louis, Busch Stadium and the Cardinals it was a pleasure to see your teams on the field. I most recently have taken my young daughter to the “holy land of baseball” to instill this in her. Your respect of the game, men and the mentoring of young players is priceless. I hope to meet you in your bookstore someday.
Tony I can’t even imagine not seeing you on the field or in the dugout at Busch Stadium next year! You have been there since we started takin our kids to the games. You actually gace me a baseball at Busch last year I only wish it had your signature on it, cause we all know anyone can say Tony La Russa gave this to me….but I know in my heart and that is what matters. Thank you for everything you have given to the game and the memories you have made for our family over the years. Your love for the game is all inspiring…and your shoes will be hard to fill.
Thank You Tony! Now go enjoy your retirement. You’ve earned it!! 50+ year fan of Cardinal baseball on the radio. (XMradio was a gift from the baseball gods)
Smart man that LaRussa is.