Paul Richards to Tony LaRussa: “Faggedaboudit”

 White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf likely didn’t review the sad second act of famed Sox manager Paul Richards before hiring 76 year old Tony LaRussa for his second act as Sox skipper. Richards was revered as a baseball genius of sorts for resurrecting the long dormant Sox in 1951, 32 years after the Black Sox scandal of 1919 made them bottom feeders in the American League. Richards captained the Sox resurgence with first division finishes from ’51 thru ’55, before managing the Baltimore Orioles in 1955. 

Richards’ 51 to ’55 Sox were competitive every year, compiling a .563 winning percentage. He retired in 1961 after 7 seasons with the O’s. But 15 years later Sox owner Bill Veeck coaxed 68 year old Richards out of retirement for a second shot at Sox success. Big mistake. Richards, a tough taskmaster out of step with cultural changes in player attitudes, staggered to a 64-97 (.398) sixth place finish. 

Today, Tony LaRussa, faces more complicated generational and cultural challenges than Richards encountered 44 years ago. He’s trying to walk back some of his critical comments about Colin Kaepernick and other players protesting injustice and institutional racism. Up at the Big Show in the Sky, Paul Richards is looking down, shaking his head. “Been there Tony…doesn’t work”.