Baseball Coach Tony La Russa.
Baseball manager Tony La Russa. For the past two years, he's led the Oakland Athletics to the World Series. La Russa has been called one of the most intelligent, cerebral and innovative managers now in the game. His style of clubhouse management - taping all American league games in the clubhouse so batters can study upcoming opposing pitchers, computer analysis of statistics to show which batters hit best in clutch situations - is widely imitated and has been credited with revitalizing the American League West, once thought to be the weakest of all four divisions. He's won the Manager of the Year award twice, first while with the Chicago White Sox in 1983, after he guided them to a division title, and again last year when the A's beat the Boston Rex Sox to take the pennant. La Russa started attending law school when he thought his career as a ball player was ending. He intended to leave baseball altogether after passing his bar exam, but then was offered a coaching job with the White Sox organization. (Rebroadcast. Original date May 23, 1989).
Guest
Host
Related Topics
Other segments from the episode on October 27, 1989
Jean-Michel Cousteau Discusses His Life and Travels.
Explorer and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau. The son of famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, Jean-Michel has spent much of his life aboard their ship, "Calypso," traveling the world and learning about its wonders and peoples. Jean-Michel is now director of expeditions for the Cousteau Society, and he led the Society's recent voyage to Papua New Guinea. His logbook from that expedition has just been published, and the trip will also be featured as the first episode of a new T-V series, "Cousteau's Rediscovery of the World."
Contrast Between a Lush Pop Princess and Wacky Singer-Songwriter.
Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new albums from singers Linda Ronstadt and Kate Bush. Ronstadt's is called "Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind," and Ken says it's a return to her early pop-rock sound. Bush's new work, "The Sensual World," continues what Ken calls her "lulling loopiness."
Billy Crystal Plays Moscow.
Critic at large Laurie Stone reviews comic Billy Crystal's new HBO special, "Midnight Train to Moscow." The premise is that Crystal has been invited to be the first American stand-up artist to perform in the Soviet Union. In addition to his act, there are cameo appearances by a flock of Crystal characters.
Transcript
Transcript currently not available.
Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.
You May Also like
Oakland A's Manager Tony La Russa
La Russa joins Fresh Air to talk about how he leads his team through success and failure. His managerial style boils down to just a few rules: show up on time and do your best.
Remembering Major League Pitcher Jim Bouton, Author Of 'Ball Four'
Bouton, who died Wednesday, spoke to Fresh Air in 1986 about his 1970 tell-all memoir, in which he drew on his seven years with the New York Yankees to offer an insider's guide to baseball.
Keith Hernandez On Baseball, 'Seinfeld' And Being His Own 'Worst Enemy'
The former first baseman played on World Series-winning teams with the Cardinals and Mets, and made a memorable appearance on Seinfeld. His new memoir is I'm Keith Hernandez.