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Tommy Lasorda, who claimed to “bleed the Dodgers blue” from when he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949 and decades later, became the colorful and highly successful manager of the transplanted Los Angeles Dodgers, winning two World Series titles, died Thursday night.
Lasorda was 93 years old. The Dodgers announced that Lasorda suffered sudden cardiac arrest at his home and was rushed to hospital. He was pronounced dead at 10:57 a.m.
“Words cannot express my feelings,” tweeted former Mets manager Bobby Valentine. “A friend and mentor for 52 years is no longer with us. Tommy, no one will ever fill the void you left. Thank you for everything. TEAR”
Lasorda had just been released from hospital on Tuesday after being admitted in mid-November for undisclosed reasons.
In October, he was at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, in his role as special advisor to team president Mark Walter to watch the Dodgers beat the Rays and win their first world championship since his team in 1988, put evidenced by the Kirk Gibson match. winning the home run of Dennis Eckersley accomplished the feat.
In 20 seasons as manager (1977-96), Lasorda led the Dodgers to two world championships (1981, 1988), four National League pennants and eight division titles.
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 in his first year of eligibility, and at the time of his death was the longest-serving living member of the Hall.
Not bad for a left-handed pitcher who has played just 26 Big League games in three seasons with the Dodgers and Kansas City Athletics. Lasorda, who originally signed with his hometown Phillies, made three backup appearances for the Dodgers in 1954 and was sent to the minors when the Dodgers kept an 18-year-old southpaw named Sandy Koufax instead.
“When [general manager] Buzzie [Bavasi] told me I was going down, I told him he was crazy, “Lasorda told MLB.com in 2005.” This guy couldn’t hit a barn door 50 feet away and I won 20 games [in the minors]. So honestly I can say it took the greatest southpaw in the history of the game to replace me.
“I still think they made a mistake.”
Lasorda made his only start for Brooklyn the following season. He was called out after the first inning after throwing three wild shots and being spiked on a home plate when Wally Moon of St. Louis scored on that wild third pitch. Lasorda was sent to the miners, where he had a long career, soon after and never pitched for the Dodgers again.
After his playing career – which also included a stop with the Yankees’ Triple-A team in Denver, where he came under the influence of Bears manager Ralph Houk – Lasorda became a scout for the Dodgers, then climbed the ranks of the minor league. the coach ranked before being named third base coach of the Dodgers in 1973.
After the 1976 season, Lasorda replaced Hall of Famer Walter Alston as manager of the Dodgers and quickly began to make his way to Cooperstown, winning pennants in his first two seasons when his teams fell to the Yankees. in the World Series. During his tenure, he guided nine players to NL Rookie of the Year honors, including Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela, Steve Sax and Mike Piazza.
He’s also befriended presidents and many Hollywood stars – including Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Milton Berle and Robert Wagner – and photos of his famous friends have filled the walls of his office at Dodger Stadium.
“I’m telling you, it’s only in this great nation of ours that the third string thrower for the Norristown, Pa. High school team, the son of an Italian immigrant, might be friends with some. of the greatest artists in the world, “he said. Sports Illustrated in 1984.
“I’m the only general manager in baseball,” former Dodgers general manager Al Campanis once said, “who, when he wants to join his manager, has to call either the Oval Office of the White House, Caesars Palace. of Las Vegas or Lasorda. restaurant in Exton, PA.
Between photo ops, Lasorda managed 3,038 major championship games, winning 1,599. While known for his salty language at the ballpark, his wife, Jo, claimed that neither she nor their children had ever heard this side of her husband. Lasorda’s offbeat rant when a reporter asked what he thought of Dave Kingman after the Cubs hitter hit three home runs and led eight points in a 1978 Dodgers loss remains a classic.
“What is my opinion on Kingman’s performance?” Said Lasorda. “What [expletive] do you think my opinion is? I think it was [expletive]. Put that in there. I do not have [expletive] care. What is my opinion on its performance? [Expletive.] He beat us with three [expletive] home court.
“What [expletive] do you mean, what is my opinion on its performance? How can you ask me a question like that? I am [expletive] to lose a [expletive] game, and you ask me my opinion on its performance?
Lasorda’s last game was on June 23, 1996, a 4-3 victory over the Astros. The next day he went to the hospital, where he learned he was having a heart attack. He retired five weeks later.
Lasorda came out of retirement to lead the United States National Team to a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics, beating the much-favored team Cuba. He is the only man to lead a team to a World Series title and an Olympic gold medal.
Thomas Charles Lasorda was born September 22, 1927 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, the second of five brothers born to Sabatino and Carmella Lasorda.
He was a childhood friend of Vincent Piazza, the father of Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza. Lasorda is the godfather of Thomas Piazza, Mike’s younger brother, and it was Lasorda who lobbied for the Dodgers to take on unknown Mike Piazza in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft, the 1390th player selected.
Lasorda is survived by his 70 year old wife, Jo, a daughter, Laura and a granddaughter. His son, Thomas Jr., died in 1991.
A tireless supporter of various charities, Lasorda has spent many of his off-seasons traveling from coast to coast to raise funds. While ordering five-figure speech fees from corporate clients, he said he “never took a dime” from churches or schools.
“I feel like I owe people something,” he once said. “I want to go out and get the word out about the Dodgers and baseball. … You could say it’s like putting something back in the pot. I have a lot to be grateful for.
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