RIP Tommy Lasorda
- Thread starter blueline
- Start date
Big rah-rah guy in the dugout.
Lasorda learned from longtime manager Ralph Houk that a pat on the back was far more effective than a kick in the butt.
I get the feeling Lasorda was more of an artist than a scientist.
Like most old-school guys, he would have ignored or criticized today's adherence to analytics.
And about Lasorda's gay son: Tommy maintained his son died of cancer, not AIDS.
Hmmm...
Lasorda learned from longtime manager Ralph Houk that a pat on the back was far more effective than a kick in the butt.
I get the feeling Lasorda was more of an artist than a scientist.
Like most old-school guys, he would have ignored or criticized today's adherence to analytics.
And about Lasorda's gay son: Tommy maintained his son died of cancer, not AIDS.
Hmmm...
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
He always denied his son died from aids.
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
List of living Brooklyn Dodgers players[edit]
- Bob Aspromonte, born June 19, 1938
- Eddie Basinski, born November 4, 1922
- Tommy Brown, born December 6, 1927
- Roger Craig, born February 17, 1930
- Don Demeter, born June 25, 1935
- Carl Erskine, born December 13, 1926
- Jim Gentile, born June 3, 1934
- Chris Haughey, born October 3, 1925
- Fred Kipp, born October 1, 1931
- Sandy Koufax, born December 30, 1935
- Bobby Morgan, born June 29, 1926
- Joe Pignatano, born August 4, 1929
- Wayne Terwilliger, born June 27, 1925
- Tim Thompson, born March 1, 1924
mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
Once we heard of Lasorda's passing, Spartan Mike was telling me he met Lasorda at a meet and greet at Dow Diamond in Midland, MI, home of the Great Lakes Loons, the single A farm club of LA.
Mike said he told great baseball stories. There were maybe 150 people there, all Loons season ticket holders were invited, which Mike was.
Mike recalls Lasorda saying "The three most important things in his life (in the order of importance) were the Dodgers, God and his wife"....and then he said "but don't tell my wife that"!
He waited around after lunch to speak with everyone as long as it took. Mike usually is not one to shake a celebrity's hand, but he figured he was with a living legend!
Mike said he told great baseball stories. There were maybe 150 people there, all Loons season ticket holders were invited, which Mike was.
Mike recalls Lasorda saying "The three most important things in his life (in the order of importance) were the Dodgers, God and his wife"....and then he said "but don't tell my wife that"!
He waited around after lunch to speak with everyone as long as it took. Mike usually is not one to shake a celebrity's hand, but he figured he was with a living legend!
Heim
EOG Master
Lasorda was 14-5 in the minors in 1956. Big club brought him up late. Walt Alston went to the mound to talk to the pitcher joining Campanella. Campanella suggested Alston bring Lasorda in. Alston turned to him and said I want a pitcher not a cheerleader.
Thus Tommy Lasagna never got in a big league game.
Thus Tommy Lasagna never got in a big league game.
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mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
That is correct. Once Alston retired, then Lasorda became the manager. That occurred 4 games remaining in the 1976 season. He was the manager until 1996. Alston was the dodger manager from 1954 to 1976. Amazing that the Dodger had only 2 managers in a period of 42 years!
FairWarning
Bells Beer Connoisseur
He actually did play in parts of three seasons - https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lasorto01.shtml
A couple of interesting facts - he was a teammate of Roberto Clemente in Montreal in 1954.
- His last game for the Dodgers, he threw 3 wild pitches, then was demoted for bonus baby Sandy Koufax.
mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
Two classic Lasorda clips that I'm sure you will remember.....
mrbowling300
EOG Dedicated
And of course, Lasorda running out of the dugout after Gibby hit is walk off HR
Don Quixote
EOG Enthusiast
I don't like dog'n a Dude when he's Down, but my Brother, who was a Craps & BlackJack Dealer at Harrah's in South Lake Tahoe a while back, told me that lasorda was a belligerent, Loudly Burp'n & Fart'n kind of guy at the tables...
boston massacre
EOG Master
Was Standing outside in Front of The WYNN one Time, Right Where Wynn use To Have That Auto Dealership, Where Autos Sold For 200 Large and up.
Lasorda Walks in Front of Me With a Young Brunette, Climbs in The Back of a Limo, and Off They Went.
Lasorda Walks in Front of Me With a Young Brunette, Climbs in The Back of a Limo, and Off They Went.
Don Eagleston
EOG Addicted
I'm guessing that the young brunette was his daughter, Laura.
cheapseats
EOG Master
Met Tommy at Tony Roma's in Fullerton back in the day.
boston massacre
EOG Master
I Wish I Knew, But I Wasn't Thinking Along Those Lines.
You Could Be Right/Wrong.
jimmythegreek
The opening odds start here
This clip was one of the most animated I remember about him.
Viejo Dinosaur
EOG Master
When living in Santo Domingo in the late 1980s we would run into Tommy and Bill Russell at the Jaragua Hotel every morning for breakfast...they were always cordial and would always give us a good morning and asked how we were doing...the staff at the hotel loved Tommy...Railbird’s friend Basketball Bob was working with us during those times...
If the staff loved Tommy, I assume he was a good tipper.
Viejo Dinosaur
EOG Master
The staff kept at him about all their relatives playing baseball....what a pipeline for the Dodgers....
No denying Lasorda was a great ambassador for baseball, especially Dodger baseball.
Spoke with a smile and loved to tell stories linking the past with the present.
Spoke with a smile and loved to tell stories linking the past with the present.