“Lasorda, considered by many to be the most popular ambassador of baseball, has spent 71 seasons in the Dodger organization with Dodger Blue running through his veins,” the team said.
Lasorda, who won the Los Angeles Dodgers World Cup titles in 1981 and 1988, went up in the Brooklyn Dodgers system in 1954 and 1955. In 1976, he took over as manager of the Los Angeles, a job he held for 20 years, the award of two National League Managers of the Year, along with the two world championships. He also led the team to 1,599 wins during his time as manager, and was the first national league manager to win two pennants in the first two seasons.
After retiring in 1996, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
“Sometimes I sit here and can not believe it. The blue sky on earth, ‘he said. ‘I said earlier’ Hey, if you want to get to heaven, you have to go through Dodger Stadium. ‘
He loved it so much, he said, he wanted to be buried under the hill of the pitcher – the position he used to play.
“And if a little left hand struggles out there, he’ll hear a voice.” Slower, boy. Concentrate. You can do it. You have to believe in yourself. “And he will look around (and say): ‘Someone is talking to me! Where? Who is this man talking to me? ‘ And it’s going to be Tom Lasorda, down the hill, ‘the Hall-of-Famer, a left-wing pitcher, told CNN.
The tribute flows in for the man whose no. 2 jersey was retired by the team in 1997.
Dodgers owner and chairman Mark Walter said: “He was a great ambassador for the team and baseball, a mentor for players and coaches, he always had time for a signature and a story for his many fans and he was a good friend. is greatly missed. ‘
Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully said he would also remember Lasorda’s “boundless enthusiasm” and determination.
“Tommy would get up in the morning full of beans and keep it up as long as he was with someone else,” he said.
Lasorda is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jo; their daughter, Laura, and granddaughter Emily Tess.
CNN’s Lauren M. Johnson contributed to this report.