Tony LaRussa Played for the Chicago Cubs?

Everyone knows Tony LaRussa is having a Hall of Fame managerial career. Most people know LaRussa had a modest playing career. A lot of people don't know that LaRussa actually ended his major league career with the Chicago Cubs.
Most diehard sports fans know of LaRussa's one game with the Cubs. On Opening Day in 1973, LaRussa pinch-ran for Ron Santo and scored the winning run. A few days later he was sent to the minors, never to return to the majors as a player.
LaRussa's last baseball card as a player was his 1972 Topps card as a member of the Atlanta Braves. That is, until now.
Paul over at Wrigley Wax has given LaRussa his final player card as a member of the Cubs. Paul had a great post (and not just because he dedicated it to me). Paul gave a great effort in creating a LaRussa Cubs card, primarily because pictures of LaRussa in Cubs blues are uncommon.
Wrigley Wax is one of my regularly visited sites. It has regular features like 5 Random Cubs Cards and 196(9) at a Time. Paul is a fan and collector. Most of all he is interesting and fun.
Thank you, Paul. Thanks for creating the LaRussa card. Thanks for thinking of me. Thanks for being one of the good guys.

Tony LaRussa 1973 Topps card as created by Paul at Wrigley Wax.

Old Times at Comiskey Park

Tony LaRussa had a mediocre career as a player in the majors, including scoring the winning run in his one game with the Chicago Cubs in 1973. LaRussa managed in the White Sox system for parts of 2 seasons. In 1979, LaRussa took over as the White Sox manager.
I was already a fan of his (probably because he was a backup middle infielder, second only to backup catchers...see Stelmaszek posts), when he came to Chicago. I thought it was exciting that the Sox were getting some young, fresh blood for a manager.
Okay, I'll admit that I got a little annoyed at LaRussa for not playing Mike Squires enough. As most know, I was a huge fan of Squires and I wasn't happy when LaRussa played Tom Paciorek, Greg Walker or anyone else instead of Squires.

I even asked LaRussa about that (shades of my interviewing to come) during Photo Day in 1983. He answered the question carefully by stating they all had talent and he tried keeping everyone fresh and ready.
I love the picture below. It shows old Comiskey Park, the Sox ballpark before the Cell. I also like the photog seemingly taking a picture of me taking a picture of LaRussa. I can't think of what he possibly could have been shooting there, unless he was shooting us fans.
It's a very young LaRussa. Of course, I was a very young Johngy!

Tony LaRussa at Comiskey Park in Chicago, IL-Summer 1983.