Books and articles about Tommy Lasorda

"My heart bleeds Dodger blue," Lasorda has claimed, during his 35-plus years in the Dodger organization. He looked like a promising pitcher on June 1, 1948 when, in a 15-inning game for the Schenectady Blue Jays (Canadian-American League, Class C), he struck out 25 Amsterdam Rugmakers, setting a since-broken pro record. He even drove in the winning run with a single. In his next two starts, he struck out 15 and 13, gaining the attention of the Dodgers, who signed him for their Montreal club. Lasorda compiled a 98-49 record in nine years with Montreal of the International League, the Dodgers' top farm club, 1950-1955 and 1958-1960. His best records were 17-8 in 1953 and 18-6 in 1958, when he led the league in victories, complete games, and shutouts. Lasorda helped Montreal to the International League championship five times. He received only two brief trials with the Dodgers, and on May 5, 1955 he tied a ML record with three wild pitches in one inning. Lasorda was demoted in 1955 to make room for bonus baby Sandy Koufax, then sold to Kansas City in 1956, but couldn't stick with the Athletics or Yankees either. Stuck in the high minors, Lasorda moved to Los Angeles a year before the Dodgers did, with the Angels of the Pacific Coast League.

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RELATED LINKS » 1955: Tom Lasorda's Wild Debut » 1981: The Sixteenth Man » 1981: Monday Climaxes Dodgers’ Sprint to the Pennant Book Excerpts » "[Lasorda] has such a sensitive feeling for people. It might look like it's all for show, but the feeling is genuine. He really does love people": Sparky Anderson Submissions » August 1982: Two Cy Young Winners Play the Outfield by Lyle Spatz » Gibby's '88 Series Limp Shot: Baseball's Last "Earned Home Run" by Hank Festa Around the Web » Lasorda Steps Up to Plate, and It's Christmas in July from latimes.com » Team Fattens Up on Nationals, 13-1 from latimes.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

After his second stint in Montreal, Lasorda became a Dodger scout in 1961 and then a minor league manager in 1965. He won five pennants and finished second twice and third once through 1972, with only one record below .500.

Promoted to the Dodgers as a coach, Lasorda served as Walter Alston's understudy until September 29, 1976, when Alston retired. He inherited the infield of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey that he had helped assemble in the minor leagues, and he reacquired catcher Joe Ferguson, another of his proteges, to alternate with Steve Yeager. In 1977-78, he became the first NL manager to win pennants his first two seasons, but the Dodgers lost the WS to the Yankees in six games each time. After the 1981 player strike, Lasorda's Dodgers defeated the Astros in the divisional playoff; beat the Expos in the LCS on Rick Monday's two-out, ninth-inning homer; and then crushed the Yankees with a power display in the World Series. Lasorda managed the Dodgers to division titles in 1983 and 1985, but lost both times in the LCS. In 1988, he shared NL Manager of the Year honors with the Pirates Jim Leyland and took the Dodgers to an upset win over the Mets in the LCS and a shocking WS upset of the A's. A media favorite, Lasorda is noted for his good humor and his love of Italian cooking. (MC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 31, 1948: A lefthander for Schenectady (Canadian-American League) named Tom Lasorda strikes out 25 in a 15-inning game against Amsterdam. » August 31, 1952: The Montreal Royals clinch the International League pennant behind the stellar pitching of lefty Tom Lasorda. » May 5, 1955: In his first ML start, Dodger southpaw Tom Lasorda throws three wild pitches in the same inning, to tie a record. He also receives a spike wound from Wally Moon of the Cardinals in a play at the plate. Lasorda later blames his wildness on his catcher, Roy Campanella, but the Dodgers go on to win the game, 4–3. Before the game, Don Newcombe refuses to pitch batting practice for the 2nd time this week and Walt Alston tells him he's suspended. The two will settle their differences tomorrow and Newk will finish up the Dodgers, 6–4 12 inning win over the Phils. » May 28, 1956: White Sox SS Luis Aparicio hits his first ML home run, off Kansas City's Tom Lasorda, to open the Sox scoring in the 5th. With the score tied 4–4 in the 9th, reliever Billy Pierce walks Hector Lopez, and Enos Slaughter then wins the game with a home run. » June 1, 1974: At Wrigley Field, Ron Cey drives in seven runs as the Dodgers romp over Chicago 10–0. Dodgers 3B coach Tommy Lasorda is hooked up to a "Game of the Week" microphone and predicts a Cey home run in the 2nd inning. » September 29, 1976: The Dodgers Walter Alston, after 23 years and 2,040 victories, steps down as manager. 3B coach Tommy Lasorda is promoted to the post. » April 30, 1977: Ron Cey cracks a 7th-inning home run in a 6–4 Dodger win over the Expos. Cey finishes the month with a major-league record for April of 29 RBI to lead the Dodgers to a 17-3 start under new manager Tommy Lasorda. » February 17, 1980: While taping separate interviews at KNBC-TV studios in Burbank, CA, Giants coach Jim Lefebvre and Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda trade punches after a brief argument, leaving Lasorda with a bloody lip. Lefebvre had been a Dodger coach in 1979 until he was fired by Lasorda. » May 24, 1982: Pittsburgh tops the Dodgers 9–3. Jay Johnstone breaks an 0–21 streak by lining a pinch double for LA, but when he returns to the dugout manager Tommy Lasorda tells him he's been released. He'll sign with the Cubs but return to LA in 1985. » August 27, 1988: Tommy Lasorda wins his 1,000th game as a manager as Los Angeles tops Philadelphia 4–2. » August 23, 1989: Rick Dempsey homers off Dennis Martinez in the top of the 22nd inning to break up a scoreless tie and give the Dodgers a 1–0 win over the Expos. The game features one thumbing -- the umps toss the Expos mascot Youppi in the 11th for annoying Tommy Lasorda -- and he then returns in the 13th wearing pajamas. He carries a pillow and sleeps on the home dugout roof, where the umps have restricted him. In the 16th, Larry Walker apparently scores the game-winner, but the Dodgers appeal -- with two umps in the tunnel -- and get it. Eddie Murray in the 18th moves the 2B ump and slams a drive that Walker makes a phantom catch off the padding in RF. Fans stand for three "seventh-inning stretches" during the major-league record (in time, and for a 1–0 game) six hours: 14 minute game. Other club records are set and several ML records are noted: most innings (22) without a walk by the Expos tops the Pirates (who used one pitcher) against the Giants, July 17, 1914. » October 23, 1993: Mike Piazza is the unanimous choice for National League Rookie of the Year. Selected as a favor to a friend of Tommy Lasorda's on the 62nd round of the 1988 draft, Piazza is the first rookie since Walt Dropo in 1950 to hit .300, collect 30 homers, and 100 RBIs. No NL rookie has done that since Wally Berger in 1930. » May 18, 1994: The Cincinnati Enquirer quotes Marge Schott as saying she doesn't want her Reds players to wear earrings, because "only fruits wear earrings." She will later clarify her statement saying she was "not prejudice against any group, regardless of lifestyle preferences." Dodger P Roger McDowell buys earrings for the whole team and they will wear them in the clubhouse in Cincinnati: Tommy Lasorda doesn't allow them to wear them on the field. » August 10, 1995: The Cardinals are awarded a 2-1 victory by forfeit over the Dodgers at "Ball Day" at Dodger Stadium. In the bottom of the 9th, Raul Mondesi strikes out and is then ejected for arguing the call. Tommy Lasorda gets thumbed as well when he joins the discussion. With that, the fans bombard the field with more than 200 balls they had received as souvenirs and the umps order the Cardinals into the dugout. It is the 1st forfeit in the major leagues since July 12, 1979. » August 12, 1995: Thanks to an odd play, the Dodgers defeat the Pirates, 11-10, in 11 innings. With the potential winning run at 3rd base, Mitch Webster of the Dodgers swings at a pitch in the dirt. When Pittsburgh rookie C Angelo Encarnacion casually fields the ball with his mask, Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda appeals, citing the rule which awards a runner two bases if a fielder uses his mask to touch a thrown ball. The umpires agree and allow the winning run to score. » June 26, 1996: Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda undergoes an angioplasty after suffering a mild heart attack. Bill Russell is named Los Angeles' interim manager. » July 29, 1996: Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda announces his retirement. Lasorda, who underwent an angioplasty earlier this year after suffering a heart attack, will become a team vice president. Bill Russell is named manager. » March 5, 1997: Nellie Fox, Tommy Lasorda, and former Negro Leaguer Willie Wells are elected to the Hall of Fame by the veterans committee. » August 3, 1997: Phil Niekro, Tommy Lasorda, Nellie Fox, and Willie Wells are inducted into Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. » August 15, 1997: LA's Mike Remlinger pitches six strong innings and belts a 3-run double to beat the Reds, 5–3. Before the game, the Dodgers retire Tom Lasorda's #2, the 9th uniform retired by the franchise. » June 21, 1998: The Dodgers fire general manager Fred Claire and manager Bill Russell. Former manager Tommy Lasorda is hired as GM on an interim basis. Glenn Hoffman, who managed the team's Triple–A Albuquerque farm club, takes over as interim manager. » July 4, 1998: Dodger interim GM Tommy Lasorda sends blue chippers Dennis Reyes and Paul Konerko to the Reds for closer Jeff Shaw. Lasorda later admits he was unaware that Shaw, under terms of the Basic Agreement, has the right to demand a trade at the end of the season. » May 5, 2000: Former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda is named manager of the United States' Olympic baseball team, which will compete in September in Sydney, Australia.