Less than 11 months removed from his retirement as Cardinals’ manager, La Russa had a break in his travel for the commissioner’s office and sneaked, unannounced, into Springfield, Mo., on Sept. 11, 2012, to see Shildt manage the first game of the Texas League finals. Before the manager could return, La Russa commandeered the office, sat behind Shildt’s desk, in the dark, set to surprise. His smile and championship rings were about all that could give the godfather away.
“True to Tony, he asked me questions about the game, and then we went to dinner,” Shildt recalled this past weekend in Denver.