Tony La Russa spent 16 years playing baseball at the big league and Minor League level. He managed in the Minor Leagues, and coached briefly at the big league level, and then embarked on a 33-year managerial career that earned him unanimous election in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.
Now, he is the head of baseball operations for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and his on-field experiences are guiding him in the new endeavor.
La Russa, who earned his law degree at Florida State while finishing up his playing career, was certainly successful during his time in the dugout.