tony La Russa

There are many people who I admire and think highly of but there is only one person who I would call my hero. That person is the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, Tony La Russa. He is my hero not only because he is a great manager but because of what he does off the field.

In 1991 Tony La Russa started the ARF rescue groups for animals that have been abandoned or lost. (arf.net) He started this because at a baseball game in 1990 when he was managing for the Oakland Athletic a cat ran on the field. La Russa went to find it a home after the game and discovered that there were no non-kill adoption agencies in the Oakland area so he started his own. (arf.net) The A.R.F. saved over a thousand animals' lives in 2010 alone and only had seven deaths because of serious injuries they couldn't cure or treat. (arf.net) This is very great to me because I love animals and so does Tony. He cares enough to start a rescue organization.

Another reason he is my hero is because he is the best manager, for the best team, in the best sport in America. He has the third most wins as a manager, in major league history. (baseball-reference.com) He has been named manager of the year four times. (Baseball-refrecnce.com) Also he lead the St. Louis Cardinals to their 11th World Series title in 2011. Along with another in 2006 with the Cardinals and one in Oakland in 1989.

These are the reasons that Tony la Russa is my hero: his great passion for baseball, his caring for animals and an overall desire to be the best he can be.