KEN BECK, Special to The Cannon Courier
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 5:30 pm

Did you know that St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa was signed as a teenager in 1962 by a Kansas City Athletics scout named Charlie Gassaway?

Gassaway was a native of Cannon County, born in the community of Gassaway in 1918.

He pitched in the Major Leagues in 1944, 1945 and 1946 for the Chicago Cubs, the Philadelphia Athletics and the Cleveland Indians.

Gassaway died in 1992 in Miami, Fla.

La Russa played infield for only five seasons but has become the third most winning manager in baseball history with 2,728 wins, trailing only Connie Mack and John McGraw.

The World Series starts Wednesday night in St. Louis when the Cardinals take on the Texas Rangers.