Tony La Russa, one of the greatest and most successful MLB players turned managers in baseball history, has officially announced his retirement. He spent six years as a player and 35 as a manager, dedicating more than four decades of his life to the greatest game on Earth.
The announcement comes after the Chicago White Sox manager was forced to abruptly leave a game on August 30th due to a heart issue. He missed the final five weeks of the regular season after spending the previous 10 years with the team. He still had a year left on his contract.
La Russa didn’t have much success as a player, but he was a four-time Manager of the Year and three-time World Series champion as manager. In addition to the White Sox, he managed the Athletics and Cardinals, finishing his managerial career with a 2,902-2,515 record (.536).
20 Other Famous MLB Players Turned Managers
In order to manage a professional baseball team – especially at the major league level – you not only have to know a lot about the game, but you have to know how to bring a team together and get the most out of your players. For the most part, that takes real-life experience as a player.
Still, not all major league managers used to play in the big leagues – Joe McCarthy, Earl Weaver, Jim Leyland, Joe Maddon, Jack McKeon, Buck Showalter, John McNamara, and Terry Collins included. What these managers did was quite rare and they deserve respect for it.
With that said, we’re not here to talk about the ones that never played – we’re here to break down some of the greatest MLB players turned managers in major league history. And if you stick around, we’ll give you several players today that could make a good manager someday.
20. Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie enjoyed a 21-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1896 and 1916 with the Philadelphia Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Naps. He retired with a .338 batting average, 3,243 hits, 82 home runs, 1,599 runs batted in, and 1,504 runs scored.
Between 1905 and 1909, Lajoie was a player-manager for the Cleveland Naps. His team went 377-309-14 under his leadership and he was ejected three times. During his time as manager, he had a .319 batting average, 769 hits, 7 home runs, 316 RBIs, and 303 runs in 639 games.
19. Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges enjoyed an 18-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1943 and 1963 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets. He was an eight-time All-Star, won two World Series, and three Gold Gloves – hitting 370 home runs and 1,274 RBIs during his career.
Hodges first managed the Washington Senators between 1963 and 1967, leading the team to a 321-444 record. He then managed the New York Mets between 1968 and 1971, leading the team to a 339-309 record – including one NL Pennant and one World Series in 1969.
18. Honus Wagner
Honus Wagner enjoyed a 21-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1897 and 1917 with the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. He won eight batting titles in his career and led the MLB in stolen bases three times, triples once, hits once, and RBIs twice.
Wagner’s time as player-manager was short, but he’s worth mentioning. He served as interim manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1917, his final season in the majors. He never really wanted the job and the team went just 1-4 in his five games as skipper, but he was, in fact, a manager.
17. Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra enjoyed a 19-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1946 and 1965 with the New York Yankees and New York Mets. He was a three-time MVP – including back-to-back in 1954 and 1955 – won 10 World Series, and was an 18-time All-Star in New York.
In 1964, after playing his final game with the Yankees the year before, Berra managed the team to a 99-63 record – the team won the AL Pennant that year. He then managed the Mets from 1972 to 1975 and led the team to a 292-296 record and one NL Pennant before returning to the Yankees as manager for 178 games.
16. Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb enjoyed a 24-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1905 and 1928 with the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics. He’s the MLB’s all-time leader in batting average (.366) and won 12 batting titles, one Triple Crown, and one MVP during his career.
Between 1921 and 1926, Cobb served as a player-manager for the Detroit Tigers. The team went 479-444-10 during that time and Cobb batted .365 with 42 home runs, 1,044 hits, 531 RBIs, and 585 runs scored. He was ejected five times during his time as a skipper in the MLB.
15. Ted Lyons
Ted Lyons enjoyed a 21-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1923 and 1946 with the Chicago White Sox. He retired with a 260-230 win-loss record, 3.67 ERA, and 1,073 strikeouts in 4,161 innings pitched – he had 356 complete games and 27 shutouts.
Lyons also managed the Chicago White Sox between 1946 and 1948 – he was player-manager for the 1946 season. During his three years as manager, the team went 185-245 and he was ejected four times as a skipper. He went 1-4 in five games as starting pitcher during that time.
14. Alan Trammell
Alan Trammell enjoyed a 20-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1977 and 1996 with the Detroit Tigers. He was a six-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, three-time Silver Slugger winner, 1984 World Series champion, and 1984 World Series MVP.
Seven years after retiring as a player, Trammell was hired to be the manager of his old team. He spent three years in that position, leading the team to an abysmal 186-300 record – he was ejected 12 times. He then managed the Arizona Diamondbacks for three games (1-2) in 2014.
13. Frankie Frisch
Frankie Frisch enjoyed a 19-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1919 and 1937 with the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals. He was a three-time All-Star and four-time World Series champion, winning an MVP in 1931 and coming second in MVP voting in 1927.
Frisch had three stints as a manager in the MLB – the Cardinals, Pirates, and Cubs. He spent five years as player-manager with the Cardinals, winning the World Series in 1934. In 16 seasons as a manager, Frisch led his teams to a 1,138-1,078-30 record and was ejected 88 times.
12. Bill Dahlen
Bill Dahlen enjoyed a 21-year career in the major leagues as a player between 1891 and 1911 with the Chicago Colts/Orphans, Brooklyn Superbas, New York Giants, and Boston Doves. He won the 1905 World Series with the Giants and led the NL in runs batted in (80) in 1904.
Dahlen spent two years as a player-manager and two years as a manager for the Brooklyn Superbas/Dodgers between 1910 and 1913. During that time, the team went 251-355-9 and he was ejected 36 times. He only played four games as player-manager, but didn’t record a hit.
11. Paul Molitor
Paul Molitor enjoyed a 21-year Hall of Fame career as a player between 1978 and 1998 with the Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Toronto Blue Jays. He was a four-time Silver Slugger, seven-time All-Star, 1993 World Series champion, and 1993 World Series MVP.
Between 2015 and 2018, Molitor served as manager of the Minnesota Twins – leading the team to a 305-343 record in 648 games. He was ejected eight times as a skipper and was named Manager of the Year in 2017 after leading the Twins to an 85-77 record – including a Wild Card berth.
10. Bobby Wallace
Bobby Wallace enjoyed a 25-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1894 and 1918 with the St. Louis Perfectos, St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Spiders, and St. Louis Cardinals. He retired with a .268 batting average, 2,309 hits, 1,121 RBIs, and 1,057 runs.
Wallace spent two years as a player-manager for the St. Louis Browns in 1911 and 1912. He led the team to a 57-134-1 record – meanwhile, his statistics started to decline. He eventually had a second stint as manager with the Cincinnati Reds in 1937, but went just 5-20 in 25 games.
9. Luke Appling
Luke Appling enjoyed a 20-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1930 and 1950 with the Chicago White Sox. He was a seven-time All-Star, won two batting titles, and retired with 2,749 hits, 45 home runs, 1,116 runs batted in, and 1,319 runs scored in his career.
Nearly two decades after retiring as a player, Appling was hired to be the manager of the Kansas City Athletics. He lasted 40 games with the team and they went just 10-30 under his leadership. He also coached for the Indians, Tigers, Orioles, Athletics and White Sox.
8. Pete Rose
Pete Rose enjoyed a controversial, yet legendary 24-year career in the majors as a player between 1963 and 1986 with the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos. He was a 17-time All-Star, three-time World Series champion, MVP, Rookie of the Year, and won three batting titles.
Rose was also manager of the Cincinnati Reds for seven seasons between 1984 and 1989 – including three seasons as player-manager. He was ejected nine times and led his team to a 412-373-1 record. Unfortunately, he never led his team to a postseason berth as manager.
7. Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews enjoyed a 17-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1952 and 1968 – mostly with the Milwaukee Braves. He was a 12-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, retiring with a .271 batting average, 2,315 hits, 512 home runs, and 1,453 RBIs.
Mathews spent three seasons as the manager of the Atlanta Braves between 1972 and 1974 – he was ejected six times as a skipper during that time. He led the Braves to a respectable 149-161 record as manager, but was never able to get the team into the postseason.
6. Christy Mathewson
Christy Mathewson enjoyed a 17-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1900 and 1916 – mostly with the New York Giants. He retired with a 373-188 record as starting pitcher, including a 2.13 ERA and 2,507 strikeouts. He won the Triple Crown, a World Series, and five ERA titles.
Between 1916 and 1918, Mathewson served as manager of the Cincinnati Reds and led the team to a 164-176 record. He was a player-manager for 69 games during the 1916 season, but the team was actually better when he transitioned to just a manager in 1917 and 1918.
5. Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson enjoyed a 21-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1956 and 1976 – mostly with the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles. He was a 14-time All-Star, two-time MVP, Triple Crown winner, two-time champion, and former Rookie of the Year.
Robinson managed the Indians, Giants, Orioles, Expos, and Nationals between 1975 and 2006, leading his teams to a 1,065-1,176 record – he was a player-manager for two seasons in 1975 and 1976. He was the MLB’s first African American manager and eventually won Manager of the Year.
4. Mel Ott
Mel Ott enjoyed a 22-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1926 and 1947 with the New York Giants. He was a 12-time All-Star and won the 1933 World Series, retiring with a .304 batting average, 2,876 hits, 511 home runs, and 1,860 runs batted in.
Between 1942 and 1947, Ott served as player-manager of the Giants and spent one more year as just a manager in 1948. The team went 464-530-10 under his leadership and he was ejected 10 times. Unfortunately, like many others on this list, he failed to lead the team to the playoffs.
3. Ted Williams
Ted Williams enjoyed a 19-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1939 and 1960 with the Boston Red Sox. He was a 19-time All-Star, two-time Triple Crown winner, two-time MVP, six-time batting title winner, and five-time Major League Player of the Year.
Between 1969 and 1971, Williams served as manager of the Washington Senators and led the team to a 219-264 record. He was also manager of the Texas Rangers for 154 games during the 1972 season, leading them to a 54-100 record. He retired with a 273-364 record as manager.
2. Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby enjoyed a 23-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1915 and 1937 – mostly with the St. Louis Browns, St. Louis Cardinals, and Chicago Cubs. He was a two-time MVP, two-time Triple Crown winner, won seven batting titles, and the 1926 World Series.
Hornsby spent 14 years as a manager in the MLB between 1925 and 1953 with six different teams – 11 of those years were spent as player-manager. In fact, he won the World Series as player-manager in 1926 and retired with a career 701-812-17 record as a major league manager.
1. Walter Johnson
Walter Johnson enjoyed a 21-year Hall of Fame career in the majors as a player between 1907 and 1927 with the Washington Senators. He was a two-time MVP, three-time Triple Crown winner, five-time ERA Title winner, and 1924 World Series champion with the Senators.
Between 1929 and 1932, Johnson served as manager of the Senators and led the team to an impressive 350-264-3 record. He was also manager of the Cleveland Indians between 1933 and 1935, leading that team to a 179-168-2 record. He was a winner as a player and as a manager.
Are There Any Future MLB Players Turned Managers in the Works?
If you look around the MLB the past few years, there are a handful of players who we can see being a good manager someday. That’s not to say they will or even want to, but they certainly have all the right traits and you have to admit – it would be cool to see them make the transition.
Some of those players include Yadier Molina, Adam Jones, Ben Zobrist, Brett Gardner, Kyle Hendricks, Alex Avila, Daniel Descalso, Dustin Pedroia, Trevor Bauer, and Erik Katz. Some of them are still playing, some are nearing retirement, and some have already retired.
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With that said, let’s take a second to highlight some of the best managers in the MLB today – including Kevin Cash, Dusty Baker, Terry Francona, Bob Melvin, Dave Roberts, Brian Snitker, and Aaron Boone. These managers always put their team in a position to succeed.
List of MLB Owners Who Have Won a World Series
Have you looked at the list of MLB owners that have won a World Series recently? Some of the names on that list will surprise you and some of them might be new to you. Either way, they were decision makers that helped take their team to the top — even if it was just temporary.
As the owner of an MLB team, winning a World Series is the ultimate prize. In a sport where profit is more important than anything, nothing helps fill seats and increase value more than a championship. It’s something the entire team benefits from — not just the owners of the team.
Did you know there have been 117 World Series since the first one was played in 1903? Over that time, the list of MLB owners that have won a championship has continued to grow. Some found their way on that list multiple times, while others were more of a one-hit-wonder.
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List of MLB Owners to Win a World Series Since 1995
The Atlanta Braves just won their fourth World Series title in their 150 years of existence. They defeated the Houston Astros in six games en route to winning their first title since 1995 — the year after the 1994-95 strike. They’re now the sixth team to win multiple titles since 1995.
The other five MLB teams to achieve that milestone are the New York Yankees (5), Boston Red Sox (4), San Francisco Giants (3), St. Louis Cardinals (2), and Florida Marlins (2). Over the past eight years, we have seen eight different teams — eight different owners — win a World Series.
To celebrate the Braves winning their first World Series since 1995, let’s take a look back at 20 MLB owners that have won a World Series since then. In fact, our list of MLB owners will begin with the 1995 World Series winner and trust me, some of the names on this list will surprise you!
20. Ted Turner
Team: Atlanta Braves
Years: 1976-1996
Titles Since 1995: 1 (1995)
In his early days as owner of the Atlanta Braves, Ted Turner was extremely hands-on with the day-to-day operations and even served as interim manager in 1977. By the 1980s, the CNN and TBS founder started leaving operations to the staff and eventually won the 1995 World Series.
It was the franchise’s third World Series championship and first since 1957. The team went 90-54 in the strike-shortened regular season and 11-3 in the postseason — defeating the Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians en route to their World Series win.
19. George Steinbrenner
Team: New York Yankees
Years: 1973-2010
Titles Since 1995: 5 (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2009)
George Steinbrenner was one of the most iconic and well-known MLB owners in the world. Serving as owner from 1973-2010, Steinbrenner helped build a dynasty that won seven World Series titles — including five titles since 1995 — and 11 American League Championships.
After winning the title in 1996, the New York Yankees went on to win three straight World Series titles from 1998-2000 — going 12-1 in the World Series over that span. They won it once more in 2009, just one year before Steinbrenner passed away in Tampa Bay from a sudden heart attack.
18. Wayne Huizenga
Team: Florida Marlins
Years: 1993-1998
Titles Since 1995: 1 (1997)
From 1968-1984, Wayne Huizenga made a fortune by creating Waste Management and turning it into a Fortune 500 company. He would then fiddle around in the movie rental and automotive industries before becoming owner of the Florida Marlins, Miami Dolphins, and Florida Panthers.
In his fifth year as owner and founder of the Florida Marlins, Huizenga’s team won the World Series after going 92-70 in the regular season. They defeated the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, and Cleveland Indians to win their first of two World Series titles since 1995.
17. Jerry Colangelo
Team: Arizona Diamondbacks
Years: 1998-2004
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2001)
Jerry Colangelo is nothing short of a legend in the sports community. During his professional career, he has owned or managed the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Arizona Sandsharks, Arizona Rattlers, and Arizona Diamondbacks. He has found success everywhere he has gone.
Just four years after bringing an MLB team to Arizona via expansion, Colangelo’s Arizona Diamondbacks won the World Series after finishing 92-70 in the regular season and defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and New York Yankees in the 2001 postseason.
16. The Walt Disney Company
Team: Anaheim Angels
Years: 1996-2003
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2002)
The Walt Disney Company is famous for creating the NHL expansion team, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, but they also held control of the Anaheim Angels from 1996-2003. The team played well, but didn’t receive a postseason berth until 2002 after finishing the season 99-63.
During that 2002 postseason, the Anaheim Angels beat the New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, and San Francisco Giants en route to the franchise’s first and only World Series victory. That same year, the Mighty Ducks lost a seven-game series in the Stanley Cup Finals.
15. Jeffrey Loria
Team: Florida Marlins
Years: 2002-2017
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2003)
Jeffrey Loria made his fortune after creating a private art dealing business. He would eventually own a AAA team before owning a stake in the Montreal Expos and eventually being named owner of the Florida Marlins. He bought the team from John W. Henry in January 2002.
After missing out on the playoffs in 2002, the Florida Marlins returned to the postseason in 2003 for the first time since winning the World Series in 1997. The Marlins would go on to win their second World Series after defeating the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, and New York Yankees.
14. John W. Henry
Team: Boston Red Sox
Years: 2001-present
Titles Since 1995: 4 (2004, 2007, 2013, 2018)
Speaking of John W. Henry, he decided to purchase the Boston Red Sox after his sale of the Florida Marlins and it has been a match made in heaven. He has been the majority owner ever since and has won four World Series championships during his time as majority owner.
He was instrumental in turning around a Red Sox franchise that hadn’t won a World Series since 1918. His team has consistently been in the running for a title and has made the postseason 11 times since his takeover. He was also instrumental in keeping and renovating Fenway Park.
13. Jerry Reinsdorf
Team: Chicago White Sox
Years: 1981-present
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2005)
Right around the same time Jerry Reinsdorf sold his Balcor company for $102 million, he purchased the Chicago White Sox for $19 million and has been owner now for four decades. Several years later, he became majority owner (63% ownership) of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls.
Under Reinsdorf’s control, the White Sox made the postseason seven times and enjoyed a World Series victory in 2005 — the franchise’s third overall and first since 1917. They went 11-1 in the postseason, defeating the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, and Houston Astros.
12. William DeWitt Jr.
Team: St. Louis Cardinals
Years: 1996-present
Titles: 2 (2006, 2011)
William DeWitt Jr. found a lot of success with his investment firm and held an ownership stake in the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Cincinnati Stingers before purchasing the St. Louis Cardinals in 1995 for $150 million. He has been principal owner since.
Under his leadership, the St. Louis Cardinals have won two World Series and lost two World Series. They’ve made the postseason 16 times and made it to the NLCS 11 of those times. The Cardinals are still successful to this day, making the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.
11. David P. Montgomery
Team: Philadelphia Phillies
Years: 1997-2014
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2008)
David P. Montgomery began his career in the MLB as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies’ sales team in 1971. He would also serve as scoreboard operator, director of sales, and head of the business department before purchasing the team with co-owner Bill Giles in 1971.
Although Giles was the primary owner, David P. Montgomery eventually earned that role in 1997. The Phillies wouldn’t make the postseason until 2007 and won the World Series in 2008. They almost won back-to-back championships, but lost to the New York Yankees in 2009.
10. Bill Neukom
Team: San Francisco Giants
Years: 2008-2011
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2010)
Bill Neukom was a successful lawyer that eventually wound up working with Microsoft for nearly 25 years after being approached by Bill Gates in 1978. Neukom became an investor in the San Francisco Giants in 1995 and was named Managing General Partner from 2008 until 2011.
The Giants only made the postseason one year during Neukom’s time with the team, but it was a special year that ended with a 2010 World Series win. They went 92-70 in the regular season and 11-4 in the playoffs, beating the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Texas Rangers.
9. Larry Baer
Team: San Francisco Giants
Years: 2012-2013
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2012)
When Bill Neukom left the San Francisco Giants in 2011, Larry Baer was named chief executive officer of the team. He was a member of the ownership group that kept the Giants in San Francisco in 1992 and even served as marketing director after graduating from college in 1980.
In his first season as CEO of the team, the Giants won the 2012 World Series after going 94-68 in the regular season and 11-5 in the postseason. He’s still in control of team duties, but Charles B. Johnson is currently the principal owner. They’re a part of a much larger ownership group.
8. Charles B. Johnson
Team: San Francisco Giants
Years: 2014-present
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2014)
Charles B. Johnson earned his fortune at a mutual fund company, working his way up to CEO and helping to take the company public. He was a member of the ownership group that took control of the San Francisco Giants in 1992, along with Larry Baer and several others.
Since becoming principal owner, the San Francisco Giants have won one World Series and appeared in three National League Division Series. Their 2014 World Series victory was their third in five years and eighth overall. They recently made it back to the NLDS in 2021.
7. David Glass
Team: Kansas City Royals
Years: 2000-2019
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2015)
David Glass started working as a WalMart executive in 1977 and eventually worked his way up to chief executive officer in 1988. Glass was named interim CEO and chairman of the Kansas City Royals in 1993 and decided to step down from his position as CEO of WalMart in 2000.
That same year, Glass became the sole owner of the Royals and stayed with the team until 2019. The Royals only made the postseason two years during that span, making it to the World Series in 2014 and 2015. They eventually beat the New York Mets 4-1 in the 2015 World Series.
6. Thomas S. Ricketts
Team: Chicago Cubs
Years: 2009-present
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2016)
Thomas S. Ricketts was named Chairman of the Chicago Cubs after his family was awarded ownership of the team in 2009. Ricketts, along with his three siblings Pete, Laura, and Todd, share ownership and each serve on the team’s board of directors for the team to this day.
Under Ricketts’ leadership, the Cubs didn’t make the postseason until 2015. They would go on to make three-straight NLCS appearances and an impressive World Series victory in 2016. The World Series win ended the Cubs’ longtime championship drought that dated back to 1908.
5. Jim Crane
Team: Houston Astros
Years: 2011-present
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2017)
Jim Crane purchased the Houston Astros from Drayton McLane for $680 million in 2011 after failing to win a bid in 2008 — as well as bids for the Cubs in 2009 and Rangers in 2010. At the time of the sale, the Astros had never won a title and had only nine postseason appearances.
In 11 seasons since taking over, Crane has led the Houston Astros to six playoff appearances, five consecutive ALCS appearances, and three World Series appearances. The team won the World Series in 2017, but lost to the Washington Nationals in 2019 and Atlanta Braves in 2021.
4. Mark D. Lerner
Team: Washington Nationals
Years: 2018-present
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2019)
The Lerner family has owned a majority of the Washington Nationals since Mark D. Lerner’s father, Ted Lerner, purchased the team. Ted Lerner was the managing principal owner up until 2018, when he handed the role to his son, Mark D. Lerner — the current principal owner.
After a winning season in 2018, the Nationals went on to win the 2019 World Series in their first season since watching Bryce Harper leave. Washington went 93-69 in the regular season and 12-5 in the postseason, defeating the Brewers, Dodgers, Cardinals, and Astros along the way.
3. Billie Jean King
Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
Years: 2018-present
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2020)
Billie Jean King is one of the most respected, decorated, well-known, and talented tennis players to ever step foot on the court. She’s the founder of the Women’s Tennis Association and has won 39 Grand Slam titles — including 12 singles, 16 women’s doubles, and 11 mixed doubles.
In 2018, Billie Jean King — along with Ilana Kloss — became minority owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers just in time for the team to win the World Series in 2020. The Dodgers have now made it to the NLCS in back-to-back years and have three World Series appearances since 2017.
2. Magic Johnson
Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
Years: 2018-present
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2020)
Billie Jean King isn’t the only non-baseball superstar athlete to win a World Series as owner. Magic Johnson led the 2018 bid that won ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The bid included Guggenheim Partners, Stan Kasten, Mark Walter, Peter Guber, Bobby Patton, and Todd Boehly.
Johnson is largely considered the leader of the ownership group, crediting Jerry Buss with giving him the knowledge necessary to succeed as an owner. He’s also a member of the Los Angeles Sparks’ ownership group. To this day, Mark Walter is the Dodgers’ principal owner.
1. John Malone
Team: Atlanta Braves
Years: 2007-present
Titles Since 1995: 1 (2021)
Liberty Media was founded in 1991 by current chairman John C. Malone. Through the years, it has ventured into three major divisions — the Atlanta Braves’ ownership division, the Formula One division, and the SiriusXM division. They officially took over the Atlanta Braves in 2007.
Since acquiring the Braves, Liberty Media has helped them to seven postseason appearances, two-straight NLCS appearances, and a World Series victory in 2021. They’ve won their division four years in a row and are building a team that can compete for many years to come.
Who Will Join the List of MLB Owners With a World Series?
MLB owners dream of the day their team wins a World Series — after all, they pay their players and coaches the big bucks to win. Unfortunately, winning a World Series is easier said than done and it’s something that’s only been achieved 117 times throughout the history of the MLB.
In fact, the Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Diego Padres are the six MLB teams that have never won a World Series before. Furthermore, the Seattle Mariners are the only team to never appear in a World Series.
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Winning isn’t easy, but the good news is one team must be named champion when it’s all said and done. Some of the owners in our list of MLB owners above could find their way back in World Series contention in 2022, but only time will tell which owner comes out on top.
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