Tony La Russa Uses Hairspray

Okay, so I'm being extra lazy today. I guess that's the way the week is shaping up. Hopefully I'll have something longer and more insightful up by Friday. In the meantime, though, I hope you enjoy this 1985 advertisement that I found hilarious:

Did you know that Tony La Russa uses hairspray?

(click to enlarge)

The ad begins, "No one ever called Tony La Russa a sissy." And who am I to argue with that? The man's a winner, and that hair looks great.

At least the ads didn't go unnoticed. In this Sports Illustrated preview of the White Sox's 1985 season, it's clear that La Russa took a little gruff for the ad:

The White Sox may not play any differently, but they'll certainly have a different look. They've got a new-look manager, Tony La Russa of Tony La Russa Uses Hair Spray fame. "If I'd known what people were going to say to me in the clubhouse, I never would have done that ad," says La Russa, a tough guy in his seventh year as Chicago manager.

It's nice to know that Tony was never all that well-liked. Still, I can't help but appreciate this wonderful ad. Consort-brand hairspray must've gone flying off the shelves in early 1985. It's a shame that the endorsement deal didn't last. I'd have loved to see how the ad campaign would've evolved over the years. Maybe we should get Don Draper on the case...