Manufacturer: Topps
Set: 1964 Topps Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Tony LaRussa
Position/Team: Shortstop and 2nd Base for Athletics
Card #: 244
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”
Card Values: See Pricing Table Below
Anthony “Tony” La Russa is one of the most successful and influential figures in modern Major League Baseball history, primarily known for his exceptional managerial career. While he had a brief playing career, it was in the dugout that he truly left an indelible mark on the game.
La Russa’s playing career was relatively brief and undistinguished. He was an infielder (primarily second base and shortstop) who signed with the Kansas City Athletics in 1962. A shoulder injury suffered in the offseason of 1964-65 hindered him, and he spent most of his playing days in the minor leagues. He appeared in parts of five major league seasons with the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs, accumulating a career batting average of just .199 in 132 games.
It was in managing that Tony La Russa found his true calling and ascended to legendary status. He is recognized as one of the most detail-oriented managers in baseball history, known for his meticulous preparation, strategic in-game decisions, and ability to connect with and challenge his players.
La Russa began his managerial career in the minor leagues and was hired by the Chicago White Sox mid-season in 1979. He quickly turned the team around, leading them to an American League West division title in 1983, earning his first Manager of the Year award. He was controversially fired by the White Sox in 1986. Less than three weeks after being fired by the White Sox, La Russa was hired by the Oakland Athletics, a move that would lead to one of baseball’s great dynasties. He guided the “Bash Brothers” A’s to three consecutive American League pennants (1988, 1989, 1990). They won the 1989 World Series, sweeping the San Francisco Giants in a series famously interrupted by an earthquake. He won two more AL Manager of the Year awards with the A’s (1988, 1992). La Russa left Oakland after the 1995 season and began his highly successful tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals. He led the Cardinals to three National League pennants (2004, 2006, 2011). He also won two World Series championships with the Cardinals (2006, 2011). He won an NL Manager of the Year award in 2002.
He retired from managing immediately after winning the 2011 World Series. After nearly a decade away from managing, including roles in front offices (such as Chief Baseball Officer for the Arizona Diamondbacks), La Russa made a surprising return to the Chicago White Sox for the 2021 season. He led them to an AL Central division title in 2021 before stepping down in 2022 due to health concerns.
Tony La Russa was unanimously elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 by the Expansion Era Committee (now known as the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee). His uniform number 10 has been retired by the St. Louis Cardinals. He is also honored in the Athletics Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum. Beyond the statistics, La Russa is known for his legal background (he earned a Juris Doctor degree from Florida State University) and his meticulous “over-managing” style, which involved extensive use of analytics, situational substitutions, and a deep understanding of matchups.
Tony La Russa’s most recognized rookie card is this 1964 Topps #244. This card is part of the 1964 Topps set, known for its bold team name banner and the “Magic Rub-Off” trivia on the back. It features Tony La Russa as a player for the Kansas City Athletics.
Shop current listings for this card on ebay!
Clicking a link to eBay may result in a referral commission being paid if a purchase is made.
Pricing Data For This Rookie Card
➡️ See All 1964 Topps Rookie Card Prices
Pricing chart includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
These values are collated from a variety of resources including recently sold listings, sales averages and a variety of other sports card pricing data sources. Please see full disclaimer on “Terms Page” for more information.
(Rookiecardprices.com only shows values for regular base set cards. No prices are shown for errors, parallels, subsets, misprints or other cards unless noted.)
DISCLAIMER: This data is not intended as financial advice and should not be used as such. Please do your own research before making any investment or selling/buying decisions.
More Rookies From 1964 Topps Baseball
