MLB Announces Tony La Russa Will Manage In All-Star Game

Tony La Russa retired after the St. Louis Cardinals won the 2011 World Series. On Tuesday, the commissioner’s office announced he’ll manage one more game:

This is not without precedent. Danny Murtaugh retired as manager of the Pirates following their 1971 World Series win over the Orioles and returned to manage the 1972 NL All-Stars… and later returned from retirement to manage the Pirates for more than three more years, until his death in December 1976.

There have been two All-Star managers who switched teams after their clubs played in the World Series; Dick Williams, A’s manager in 1973, managed the AL All-Stars in 1974 in an Angels uniform, and Dusty Baker, Giants manager in 2002, managed the NL All-Stars in 2003 wearing a Cubs uniform.

Conversely, Casey Stengel was not retained as Yankees manager after his team lost the 1960 World Series to the Pirates, and he did not manage the 1961 AL All-Stars; there were two All-Star games that season, both managed by Paul Richards, who had managed the Orioles to a second-place finish in 1960.

It’s not yet been announced whether La Russa will wear a Cardinals uniform in his managerial role for the 2012 NL All-Stars, though that would seem likely. He could, though, go in the style of Connie Mack, who wore a suit and tie while managing, or perhaps pay homage to the first All-Star Game, where the teams wore uniforms that read “NATIONAL LEAGUE” and “AMERICAN LEAGUE”.