Tony La Russa to Police During DUI Arrest: ‘I’m a Hall of Famer’

La Russa was charged with driving under the influence in the Phoenix area in February.

White Sox manager Tony La Russa was arrested for driving under the influence in the Phoenix area in February, according to documents obtained by ESPN. From the documents, La Russa reportedly attempted to use his status as a Hall of Fame manager to avoid arrest. 

"Do you see my ring?" La Russa reportedly asked the arresting officer, per ESPN. "I'm a Hall of Famer baseball person. I'm legit. I'm a Hall of Famer, brother."

La Russa was arrested in February after he reportedly ran his car into a curb, leaving the car "smoking on the side of a Phoenix-area road," according to ESPN. He was taken into police custody following a field sobriety test. This marked his second DUI arrest. La Russa pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI after an incident in Jupiter, Fla., in 2007.

Chicago hired La Russa on Oct. 29. 

The 2014 Hall of Fame inductee began his managerial career with the White Sox, where he amassed a 522–510 record over eight seasons from 1979 to '86. La Russa then managed 10 years in Oakland and 16 in St. Louis before retiring in 2011 with 2,728 career wins and three World Series titles. 

Tony La Russa, a member of baseball’s Hall of Fame, the third-winningest manager in baseball history, a three-time World Series champion and a four-time winner of the Manager of the Year Award, has been named the new manager of the Chicago White Sox. pic.twitter.com/RKP24rleHP

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) October 29, 2020

La Russa and the White Sox declined to comment on the reported arrest. 

Chicago said they were aware of La Russa's arrest before naming him manager, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.