Tommy Lasorda Passes Away At The Age Of 93 After A Legendary Life
Christian Petersen. Getty Images.
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I feel like all too often we throw around the word "legend" too lightly. Tommy Lasorda was a legend by every definition of the word.
At the age of 93, we lost a true baseball legend today. Sports fans will claim to bleed the colors of their team, but I genuinely believe that Dodger Blue was coursing through Tommy's veins. He made his major league debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954 and he's been woven into the fabric of Dodgers history ever since. Of course, he wouldn't be known for his days on the field, but rather in the dugout where he began as a coach in 1973 through '76 and then managed the club for two decades until 1996. Along the way, Lasorda was at the helm for two World Series titles in 1981 and their most recent title in 1988 until LA finally got back to the top of the mountain this past October. In a poetic way, Tommy hung in there to see his Dodgers win one more championship before leaving us.
He was a two-time Manager of the Year who was known for his colorful speeches, on-field antics and fiery passion that he managed the game with. Oh, and he also won an Olympic gold medal for good measure. After his managing days were over, he joined the Dodgers front office. You just could not keep this man away from his Dodgers. I don't think there's a person on earth who loves their team as much as Tommy Lasorda loved the Dodgers. I'm just not sure that type of love is achievable. It's the kind of love that you can only hope to match, but can never truly exceed. The year after his final season managing the Dodgers, Lasorda was enshrined forever in the halls of Cooperstown where he belongs.
The baseball world will be a lesser place without Tommy Lasorda, but it's comforting to know that the last image he will have of his Dodgers will be of them on the field, celebrating a World Series title, their first World Series title since he led his team past the Oakland A's in the 1988 Fall Classic. Rest in peace, Legend.