 Official Info
Skip to main content
|
 |
|
 |
 
|
07/25/2007 12:10 PM ET
Dodgers to commemorate Tommy Lasorda's Hall of Fame induction anniversary
Team will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Lasorda being inducted in Cooperstown
|
|
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers plan to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Tommy Lasorda's induction into Baseball's Hall of Fame by giving away a bobblehead doll of Lasorda holding his Hall of Fame plaque. The bobblehead give away will be Friday, September 14 while the 10-year anniversary date is August 3. The first 50,000 fans will receive a bobblehead, and 80 autographed bobbleheads will randomly be given away.
"Being inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame was one of the greatest honors of my life," said Lasorda, now Special Advisor to the Chairman. "I couldn't think of any better way to celebrate its anniversary than to share it with Dodger fans."
In 1997, Lasorda was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in his first year of eligibility. He was the 14th manager and 52nd Dodger inducted into the Hall of Fame. Lasorda's uniform number (2) was retired by the Dodgers on Aug. 15, 1997 and the main street that leads to the entrance of Dodgertown in Vero Beach, FL was renamed Tommy Lasorda Lane on March 5, 1997. Lasorda is only one of three living Hall of Fame Managers, including George "Sparky" Anderson of the Cincinnati Reds and Earl Weaver of the Baltimore Orioles.
Since retiring from managing, Lasorda has enjoyed tremendous off-field success in many various arenas. Here are some of the more notable accomplishments:
• Lasorda managed an underdog United States Olympic Baseball Team to its first, and only, Gold Medal at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, just five days after celebrating his 73rd birthday.
• On November 6, 2000, the Tom Lasorda Heart Institute officially opened at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, CA. Over 20,000 patients are treated there on a yearly basis.
• Lasorda is a member of nine Hall of Fames: Albuquerque Baseball Hall of Fame (2007), California Sports Hall of Fame (2007), Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame (2006), Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (2006), Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame (2002), South Atlantic League Hall of Fame (2001), National Italian American Hall of Fame (1989), and the Louisiana Italian-American Hall of Fame (1986).
• Lasorda has received six honorary doctorate degrees: Doctor of Humane Letters, University of Hawaii, December 13, 2004; Doctor of Laws, Concordia University, May 10, 2003; Doctor of Humane Letters, California State University Long Beach, May 27, 1998; Doctor of Humane Letters, University of Phoenix, November 8, 1997; Doctor of Humane Letters, St. Thomas University, May 17, 1997; and Doctor of Laws, Pepperdine University, December 13, 1996.
• In March, 2005, Commissioner Selig appointed Lasorda as the Official Ambassador of the inaugural World Baseball Classic. In that capacity, Lasorda served as a spokesperson for the tournament and traveled around the globe to promote the event and the game of baseball.
• In June 2005, Lasorda was asked by President George W. Bush to serve as a delegate to the U.S. National Day at the World Exposition in Aichi, Japan.
• Lasorda emceed two Presidential Inaugural events for George W. Bush: A black-tie candlelight dinner for 1,200 donors and another black-tie event, the "Commanders Dinner" for active military personnel.
• On September 4, 2006, Lasorda served as Honorary Starter for the SONY HD 500 at California Speedway. Lasorda was also the Grand Marshal of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in 1997.
• In February 2003, he was honored by Cal Tech when he became only the second person to ever have an asteroid named after them. His asteroid is #6128, otherwise known as Asteroid Lasorda.
• Signed three "Friendship Agreements" on behalf of the Dodgers with Asian baseball teams in an effort to spread baseball internationally: The Sinon Bulls of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (1996); The LG Twins of the Korean Baseball Organization (1999); and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes of the Japanese Professional League's Pacific League (2001).
Lasorda compiled a 1,599-1,439 record and won two World Championships, four National League pennants and eight division titles in an extraordinary 20-year career as the Dodgers' manager. He ranks 16th with 1,599 wins and 12th with 3,038 games managed in Major League history. His 16 wins in 30 NL Championship Series games managed were the most of any manager at the time of his retirement in 1996.
Lasorda posted a 3-1 record as the NL manager in four All-Star Games. He joined St. Louis' Gabby Street (1930-31) as the only managers in NL history to win league titles in his first two seasons when he led the Dodgers to titles in 1977-78. Lasorda also managed nine of the Dodgers' 16 Rookies of the Year, more than any other big league skipper in history.
Prior to replacing Hall of Famer Walter Alston as manager on Sept. 29, 1976, Lasorda spent four seasons in Los Angeles on Alston's coaching staff. He spent eight seasons as a manager in the Dodgers' minor league system at Pocatello (1965), Ogden (1966-68), Spokane (1969-71) and Albuquerque (1972). Lasorda also spent four years as a Dodger scout after retiring as a player following the 1960 season. An astounding 75 players Lasorda managed in the minor leagues went on to play in the Majors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
print this page