Dodgers: The Best of Tommy Lasorda! 8 Most Memorable Moments!
The legendary Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Thomas Charles Lasorda won 1,599 regular season games, eight division titles, four league pennants, and two World Series championships as a Dodgers manager from the end of 1976 through the middle of 1996. Along the way, he gave us countless unforgettable moments on and off the field.
We count down the 8 most memorable moments from Tommy Lasorda’s illustrious career! Understandably, we tried to keep these as PG as possible. Be sure to share your favorite Tommy Lasorda moment down below in the comments section!
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Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, skipper!
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For many years, the Great Falls MT Dodgers were a farm team. Watching Pedro Martinez and other greats on their way up was great, but on occasions of his visits watching Tommy sign baseballs for Montana kids was the most special of all
This one is classic: https://www.mlb.com/news/orel-hershiser-tommy-lasorda-epic-1988-nlcs-game-4
I remember after the game, in an interview; Lasorda was asked what he said to Orosco out there. Tommy said, “I gave him some words of encouragement, told him we were all beind him….” What he ACTUALLY said was, “What the (#(&$ are you doing? If you walk this guy, you will NEVER throw another pitch in a Dodger uniform again. EVER.” Then the part about the backup plan is just classic.
I also remember in his first full year as manager (1977), the Dodgers had a losing streak of something like 7 or 8 games. In a meeting with the team, Tommy told them, “Did you know that the 1927 Yankees…. the greatest team of all-time… lost 8 games in a row that season? But they went on to win the World Series, and are considered the best baseball team ever. Let’s turn this thing around!” When asked later if the ’27 Yankees actually DID lose 8 games in a row, Tommy replied, “How the hell should I know?!?!”
Bevacqua ? Bevacqua ? Bevacqua couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat !
It was such a rememberable time when tommy came out to chandler, az and signed his wine bottles and i took pictures with him. He personally signed 2 bottles of his wine for me. What a beautiful person he is and congrats to his time as a manager and part of the dodgers. I have as at the game when kirk gibson hit the famous homerun!
#3
I love that guy, i had never seen # 5 but his graciousness in # 1 brought tears to my eyes. I love that guy.
Did anyone ask Tommy about “Kingman’s Performance?”
My favorite moment has nothing to do with the Dodgers, other than Tommy Lasorda was its famous manager when I encountered him in an Italian restaurant in Pasadena during the World Cup back in the 90s. I was a fairly new reporter in town getting man on the street interviews for a local TV station when I heard that Mr. Lasorda was having a meal with some friends. I really didn’t want to intrude on him, but it was a good opportunity and so I walked up to his table, asked politely if I might interrupt his meal, and I was astounded when he said, “no problem.” I asked him how he was enjoying the World Cup and how it compared to baseball and the World Series ? He gave me a great answer that both sports were wonderful and then anything that brought so many people together was a good thing. Then, I violated my own rules as a reporter and asked him for a personal favor. My two young sons were on their Little League All-Star teams and I asked if he would record just a word of encouragement for them. His eyes lit up and he didn’t just give them a one or two words of encouragement, he gave them a five minute talk on the value of learning integrity through competition, most especially baseball. He was so genuine, and so enthused to be encouraging these young people who he didn’t even know. That mad an impression. That’s my favorite Tommy Lasorda memory, and yes I still have the tape.
My favorite Lasorda story is when talking about a weak hitting shortstop of the Dodgers proclaimed “it’s no secret that we brought up this man for his great defense, hell we we relied on him hitting we’d be in big trouble, this guy couldn’t hit water if he jumped out of a boat”
My best memory of Tommy is in winter if ‘91 when I picked
up Tommy at Dayton International Airport as I had
arranged for him to be the guest speaker at the Lehman Cath HS Annual Foundation Banquet in Sidney OH. As we road up I-75 Tommy took
a “nap”. My son was sitting in front shotgun seat, looked at me and lipped, “who is that in our backseat “!!
Here is my firsthand funny and actual Tom Lasorda story. It was late 1978 and I was a waiter at Caesars Palace. Tommy and his party sit at my table. I come over to introduce myself and take his order. My busboy walks over in the middle and says ” hey I know who you are… Tommy Lasorda.. I won my bet on the World Series! Thank You! SO MUCH!” Tommy responds ” but We didn.t win the World Series This Year”. My busboy responds. ” I know! I bet on the Yankees!” Needless to say I struck out on my big Moment!!
I worked as a groundskeeper for the Albuquerque Dukes in the early 70s when Tommy was the manager. Treated me with total respect. Five years later I went to a Dodger game in LA. Had cheap seats but I was there for batting practice and was able to sneak down next to the dugout. I spoke to numerous ex Dukes and Steve Yeager called Tommy over. He spent over half an hour visiting with me talking baseball and claimed to remember me. (I’m sure he was just being nice.) I will never forget how special he made me feel.
There are so many, but I still love his reasoning to be cut from the Dodgers in 1955. The Dodgers had just signed a “bonus baby” to a contract whose name was Sandy Koufax. The rule was, a bonus baby had to stay on the major league roster for two years. So, when Lasorda, a left handed pitcher, got cut from the team, he quipped, “It took the greatest left hander of all times to get me out of the majors”!!!! Yes, he was done as a player, but he never left the Dodgers and has proven over the years that his coaching, managing and being an ambassador for the game is unparalleled. There is no other like Tommy Lasorda. Get well Tommy! The world still needs you!!
Dave Kingman’s performance. Without a doubt.