Fact Check: Did Tony La Russa create Twitter's blue tick? Understanding how the legendary manager's lawsuit may have led to verified profiles

Hall of Famer Tony La Russa currently ranks second on the all-time MLB wins list. Over the course of his 35-year managerial career, La Russa racked up an astounding 2,902 wins.

While his life and career in Major League Baseball have been well documented, his influence on social media may come as a surprise to many. Tony La Russa's lawsuit against Twitter led to the introduction and implementation of the company's blue verification checkmark.

"This seems crazy but it's fun to remember that the reason blue checkmarks existed in the first place was because Tony La Russa sued Twitter" - @PeteBlackburn

In 2009, Tony La Russa, then the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, sued Twitter for trademark infringement, trademark dilution and misappropriation of name and likeness after an imposter account tweeted under his name.

According to ESPN, the tweet referred to Cardinals pitcher Darryl Kile dying of a heart attack in his Chicago hotel room in 2002 and Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock dying in a DUI accident in St. Louis in 2007.

While La Russa ultimately dropped the lawsuit, the social media giant introduced the blue verification checkmark. Now, thanks to Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter and the new payment method for acquiring the checkmark, it has become one of the most talked about news stories.

"It's fun to remember that Verification began because somebody started a Tony La Russa parody account back in 2009 and he sued over it, so Twitter came up with a way to confirm people's identities as a means to settle the lawsuit and protect themselves from future legal reprisal." - @MikeBeauvais

However, as much attention as Musk gets surrounding the controversial verification checkmark, La Russa needs to get credit for the origin of the feature.

A closer look at Tony La Russa's MLB managerial career

One of La Russa's biggest strengths during his career has been longevity. He won his first World Series title in 1989 with the San Francisco Giants, and his last with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011. The gap between his first and last titles showcases La Russa's continued ability to succeed, even as the game changed.

La Russa won the Manager of the Year Award four times, the World Series three times, and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. Following a disappointing season as the manager of the Chicago White Sox, La Russa stepped down due to health concerns.