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 With that in mind, Reuters talked to four great coaches - Tony La
Russa, Nick Saban, Lou Holtz and Scotty Bowman - about their first
jobs and the path that led them to their legendary careers in
hockey, baseball and football. It's part of our series to accompany
the nation's monthly jobs reports
Tony La Russa
Claim to Fame: Three World Series titles and six league
championships with the Chicago White Sox, the Oakland A's and the
St. Louis Cardinals.
First job: Diaper handler
"My father was a milkman, and I would help him from time to time.
However, my first paid position came from the sponsors in my Pony
League. Alongside two of my teammates, we would have to wash, dry
and fold all the diapers picked by Rock-A-Bye Diapers, a local
cloth-diaper delivery service.
"We made a few dollars, but it was more about keeping the sponsor
happy. I decided I need to improve my baseball skills to stay in
baseball, so I would never have to work for a living."
Nick Saban
Claim to Fame: Three-time national champion with the Alabama Crimson
Tide
First job: Gas station attendant
"My first job was at my father's service station when I was 11 years
old, for $1 an hour. It wasn't self-service like it is now. In those
days, I pumped the gas, cleaned the windows, checked the oil,
checked the tires, collected the money, gave the change and treated
the customers in a certain way. We also greased cars and washed
cars.
"The biggest thing that I learned was how important it was to do
things correctly. There was a standard of excellence, a perfection.
If we washed a car, and there were any streaks, my father would have
you do the whole thing over again.
Lou Holtz
Claim to fame: National champion with Notre Dame Fighting Irish
First job: Steel mill laborer
"When I was growing up, all I wanted in the world were four things:
A 1949 Chevrolet, a girl, $5 in my pocket and a job in the steel
mill.
"One summer I applied for a job at Crucible Steel in Midland,
Pennsylvania, but they didn't have any openings. I went back every
day at 7 a.m. and kept asking until they hired me. It was such a hot
job: Emptying coal cars, putting the coal into a burning furnace. It
felt like I was melting. After only a few days I knew I didn't want
to work at a steel mill for the rest of my life.
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"I made only $1.75 an hour, but this was back in 1955. Man, I felt
like I was living high on the hog."
Scotty Bowman
Claim to fame: Winner of nine Stanley Cups, with Montreal Canadiens,
Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings
First job: Paint-company stocker
"Once I finished junior hockey, I took a job with Sherwin-Williams
up in Montreal when I was 21, with their stocking department. The
same paint had to go to three different companies in three different
cans, and I had to remember all the different codes.
"I had to develop an excellent memory. I even remember
Sherwin-Williams' phone number from back in 1954. Eventually the
goal was to visit hardware stores and sell paint. I was bilingual,
and that was a big asset at the time.
"After a couple of years there I got an offer from Sam Pollock, the
general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, who went on to win nine
Stanley Cups. He gave me my first shot.
"He asked me how much I was making, and I said $3,800 a year. He
offered me a big raise to $4,200 a year.
"The second thing he asked was whether I had a car. I stretched the
truth and said I was getting one. It all worked out in the end."
(Editing by Beth Pinsker, Lauren Young and Andrew Hay)
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