Tommy Lasorda, who claims to be ‘Dodger Blue Blooms’ from the moment he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers organization in 1949 and decades later became the colorful and very successful manager of the transplanted Los Angeles Dodgers and won two World Series titles , passed away Thursday night.
Lasorda was 93. The Dodgers announced that Lasorda had suddenly suffered cardiac arrest at his home and was rushed to the hospital. He was pronounced dead at 10:57 p.m.
“Words can’t express my feelings,” former Mets manager Bobby Valentine tweeted. A friend and mentor for 52 years is no longer with us. Tommy no one will ever fill the void you have left. Thanks for everything. TEAR”
Lasorda has just been discharged from hospital after being admitted in mid-November for unknown reasons.
In October, he was at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, in his role as special adviser to team chairman Mark Walter to see the Dodgers beat the Rays and win their first world championship since his 1988 team, led by Kirk Gibson’s play be emphasized. wins Dennis Eckersley’s home race, achieves the achievement.
In 20 seasons as manager (1977-96), Lasorda led the Dodgers to two world championships (1981, 1988), four National League lashes and eight division titles.
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 in his first year of eligibility and was the oldest living member of the Hall at the time of his death.
Not bad for a left-handed pitcher who has appeared in 26 major league games with the Dodgers and Kansas City Athletics in just three seasons. Lasorda, who originally signed with his hometown of Phillies, made three relay appearances for the Dodgers in 1954 and was sent to the minors when the Dodgers detained an 18-year-old leftist named Sandy Koufax.
“When [general manager] Buzzie [Bavasi] “I told myself I was going to leave, I told him he was crazy,” Lasorda told MLB.com in 2005. ” The man could not knock down a 50-foot barn door and I won 20 matches [in the minors]. So I can say that it was the greatest left-handed player in the history of the game to replace me.
“I still think they made a mistake.”
Lasorda made his lone start to Brooklyn next season. He was removed after the first innings after throwing three wild spots and being hit on a stage when Wally Moon hit St. Louis. Lasorda was sent to the minors shortly thereafter, where he had a long career and never struck for the Dodgers again.
After his playing career – which also included a visit to 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, and worked him up through the minor league. coaching ranks before being named the Dodgers’ third base coach in 1973.
After the 1976 season, Lasorda replaced the Hall of Famer, Walter Alston, as Dodgers manager and quickly began carving his own path to Cooperstown, winning pennants in his first two seasons when his teams fell to the Yankees in the World Series. During his tenure, he led nine players to NL Rookie of the Year honors, including Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela, Steve Sax and Mike Piazza.
He also befriended presidents and numerous Hollywood stars – including Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Milton Berle and Robert Wagner – and photos of his famous friends filled the walls of his Dodger Stadium office.
“I tell you, only in this great nation of ours would the third string jar in the Norristown, Pennsylvania, high school team, the son of an Italian immigrant, be able to be friends with some of the greatest entertainers in the world,” he told Sports Illustrated in 1984.
‘I’m the only baseball general manager,’ said former Dodgers general manager Al Campanis, ‘who, when he wants to reach his manager, has to call either the Oval Office in the White House, Caesars Palace in Las Vegas or Lasorda’s. restaurant in Exton, Pennsylvania. ”
Between photo shoots, Lasorda scored 3,038 major league games and won 1,599. While he was known for his salt language at the ballpark, his wife, Jo, claimed that she or their children had never heard that side of her husband. Lasorda’s discolored diatribe when a reporter asks what he thinks of Dave Kingman, after the Cubs slugger hit three homers and drove eight runs in a 1978 Dodgers loss, remains a classic.
“What is my opinion on Kingman’s performance?” Lasorda said. ‘The [expletive] do you think is my opinion on that? I think it was [expletive]. Put it in. I do not [expletive] care. What is my opinion on his actions? [Expletive.] He hit us with three [expletive] home runs.
‘The [expletive] do you mean, what is my opinion on his actions? How can you ask me such a question? I am [expletive] down to lose a [expletive] game, and you ask me what is he about his performance? ”
Lasorda’s last match took place on June 23, 1996, a 4-3 victory over the Astros. The next day he drove himself to the hospital, where he learned that he was having a heart attack. He retired five weeks later.
Lasorda retired to lead the U.S. national team to a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics, beating Cuba’s highly-favored team. He is the only man to lead a team to a World Series title and an Olympic gold medal.
Thomas Charles Lasorda was born on September 22, 1927 in Norristown, Pa., The second of five brothers born to Sabatino and Carmella Lasorda.
He was a friend of Vincent Piazza, the father of Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza. Lasorda is godfather to Thomas Piazza, Mike’s younger brother, and it was Lasorda who lobbied the Dodgers to take on the unknown Mike Piazza in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft, the 1,390th player selected.
Lasorda is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jo, a daughter, Laura, and a granddaughter. His son, Thomas Jr., died in 1991.
Lasorda was a tireless supporter of various charities and traveled many of his seasons from coast to coast to raise money. While recommending an amount of five people to corporate clients, he said he ‘never took a penny from churches or schools.
“I feel I owe people something,” he once said. ‘I want to come out and spread the word about the Dodgers and baseball. … You could say it’s like putting something in the pot. I have a lot to be thankful for. ”