OT: Tommy Lasorda dead
- Thread starter Tango Two
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Iconic man in baseball. From the Philadelphia area so very well known around here. A great personality. HOF.
RIP
RIP
Spent part of my childhood living in LA. I can tell you Tommy was an absolute god in LA - and deservedly so. True icon of the game. I love the story how the only reason the Dodgers drafted Piazza in the 62nd was a favor to Mike's dad, who was a friend of Tommy's. Continues a very rough year for LA. RIP Tommy
A great fact: Tommy was replaced on the Brooklyn Dodgers roster by Sandy Koufax
A great fact: Tommy was replaced on the Brooklyn Dodgers roster by Sandy Koufax
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Yes. Remember that the Dodgers were subject to the rule that a "bonus baby" like Koufax had to be carried on the 25-man roster. So Koufax never spent a day in the minors.
TS had a great at bat. RIP.
My fav joke involving him made the rounds in the 80s:
"You hear the news? The MLB Commissioner is taking away the Dodgers NL Championship. Tommy Lasorda tested positive for MARINARA!"
My fav joke involving him made the rounds in the 80s:
"You hear the news? The MLB Commissioner is taking away the Dodgers NL Championship. Tommy Lasorda tested positive for MARINARA!"
One night at the Vet,he told a group of us on the concourse behind the plate:"You can't go to heaven unless you root for the Dodgers."
His death leaves only 13 HOF'ers on the 500 oldest living MLB players list.
His death leaves only 13 HOF'ers on the 500 oldest living MLB players list.
Tommy answers questions after Dave Kingman hits 3 homers against the Dodgers
Tommy made me almost forget how much I hated the Dodgers back in the day and my dislike for them once the hate mellowed in the middle 1960s
Rest in Peace Mr. Lasorda you were one of the greatest ambassordors of Baseball that ever was and represented Dodgers with class and charm with an occasional chuckle thrown in
Rest in Peace Mr. Lasorda you were one of the greatest ambassordors of Baseball that ever was and represented Dodgers with class and charm with an occasional chuckle thrown in
I was once on an elevator with him by myself (Vegas) and did Not say a word to him. This video makes me glad I didn’t!😀
Back then many had little sympathy for drug addicts and considering addiction an illness wasn't widely accepted.
Those Tommy's age (66) at the time, couldn't be expected to excuse addiction as something that overpower the users ability to live without it.
It was an entire different mentality back in 1993 for 66 Year olds than how addiction is looked upon now, by the up there in age bracket.
Paul Olden is now the PA announcer at Yankee Stadium. Replaced the legendary Bob Sheppard. He and Tommy had some good laughs about the Kingman question after a few years had passed. The story was told that they ran into each other at an airport a few years later and Olden asked him, "so what did you really think of the day Kingman had"? and it broke the ice
I understand that; you were a Padres fan and the Dodgers took delight in beating the Padres.
Like this year, for instance -- didn't the Dodgers beat the Padres in the second round of the NL playoffs?
My Dad is around the same age (91) and I agree with what @MADHAT1 is talking about.
My Dad has always said he and others his age understood alcoholism since almost everyone had one in their families, in his case a brother. But not many knew or understood someone hooked on something else.
Of course I understand that a different attitude prevailed towards addiction back then. But not all baseball personalities shared Lasorda's cold-heartedness or announced it with such pride. I really didn't care that much about the Strawman. But for some reason I still remember Lasorda's Neanderthal comments from that time.
Sorry. I'll stop.
I had a friend/HS teammate who worked for several years as a manager in the Dodger minor league system. He said that Lasorda was by far the funniest guy he ever met.
Tommy Lasorda was a legend of the game. A true lifer.
As a Mets fan, I always hated his teams yet respected him in the 1980s.
To the old guy bringing up his comments on Strawberry, Geesh. Why? The guy is a baseball legend and just died. What is your point?
Anyhow after reading the Mike Piazza biography it always made me laugh a bit how Tommy was boys with Piazza’s dad and that’s how Mike got drafted. As a Lasorda favor to the old man. Good stuff.
And hard work turned into a Hall of Fame career.
RIP Tommy Lasorda. Absolute baseball legend.
As a Mets fan, I always hated his teams yet respected him in the 1980s.
To the old guy bringing up his comments on Strawberry, Geesh. Why? The guy is a baseball legend and just died. What is your point?
Anyhow after reading the Mike Piazza biography it always made me laugh a bit how Tommy was boys with Piazza’s dad and that’s how Mike got drafted. As a Lasorda favor to the old man. Good stuff.
And hard work turned into a Hall of Fame career.
RIP Tommy Lasorda. Absolute baseball legend.
Yes,
One of Tommy’s idols was alcoholic Don Newcombe.
Don was instrumental in starting the MLB intervention and recovery programs.
Alcoholic ok, drug addict....no good to those older guys.
My Dad would say, “we just didn’t understand it.” But as he learned and was educated about it he ended up helping out a lot of his guys. Many who can thank him for their jobs by not getting fired and putting them on a path to succeed.
