LaValliere helped make the trade of Pittsburgh favorite Tony Pena look good with a .300 bat and Gold Glove fielding in 1987. He excelled in throwing out potential base stealers and earned a starting spot on the 1986 Cardinals, starting a club rookie record 108 games behind the plate. Signed as a third baseman by the Phillies, the squat LaValliere moved to catcher in 1982. He was MVP in the 1976 Babe Ruth World Series.
