RIP Tommy Lasorda
- Thread starter Musclepug
- Start date
- Jun 11, 2014
- 11,023
- 12,243
Founding Member
RIP. Was a Dodger fan as a kid.
WIKI: He made his only start for the Dodgers on May 5, 1955, but was removed after the first inning after tying a major-league record with three wild pitches in one inning and being spiked by Wally Moon of the St. Louis Cardinals when Moon scored on the third wild pitch. Lasorda was demoted after the game and never pitched for the Dodgers again.
WIKI: He made his only start for the Dodgers on May 5, 1955, but was removed after the first inning after tying a major-league record with three wild pitches in one inning and being spiked by Wally Moon of the St. Louis Cardinals when Moon scored on the third wild pitch. Lasorda was demoted after the game and never pitched for the Dodgers again.
- Aug 2, 2017
- 1,642
- 4,344
RIP Tommy.
Please indulge a quick story. Was flying from Seoul to Osaka one day about 20 years ago. As we were boarding I saw Tommy and some tall Korean guy get on the plane. As always, I figured these guys just wanted to be left alone so I didn’t say anything to him. I then noticed no one seemed to know who he was and regretted not at least acknowledging him. In Osaka, our company rep usually met us at the jet bridge but this time wasn’t there. No big deal, I knew my way through the terminal so I went to baggage claim. There, by themselves, were Tommy and the guy he was flying with. At that point I went over and introduced myself as a lifelong Giants fan who missed seeing him on the other side in Dodger blue. He laughed and said “That’s OK, I guess the Giants need fans too!” I then asked if the guy he was traveling with was the next Chan Ho Park. He laughed and said this was actually one of the scouts he worked with and the guy then introduced himself in a decidedly American accent. I Can’t recall his first name but his last name was Rodriguez. If I could have started braying right there, I would have!
Tommy then told me he they were there scouting different semipro players throughout Asia and going to a game that night in Osaka. He then turned the conversation to me and we talked for a few minutes about what I was doing there and how my career had gone. He even took the time to thank me for my previous military service. Just a great guy overall and I felt a little guilty for all the many times I screamed obscenities toward him at some of the Giants games over the years!
Anyway, to finish this long story, about that time my company rep comes running across the baggage claim area, calling my by name and apologizing deeply for being so late. I told him please do not worry about it but if you know anything about Japanese culture you know losing face is something they take very seriously. In the middle of his breathless apology to me, he looks up to see who I am talking with and starts screaming in a very un-Japanese way “Tommy Lasorda! Tommy Lasorda!”, then looks at me and points to him again screaming “Tommy Lasorda” like a crazed Elvis fan would have at a concert. Tommy laughed and asked him if he would like an autograph, to which the rep quickly answered by producing several pieces of paper for several autographs.
All in all I spoke with him about 20 minutes and came away realizing what a great person he truly was. When our bags finally showed up we wished each other well and headed our separate ways. All the way out to the car, the rep kept looking at me and saying “Tommy Lasorda”. I think about that event every time I hit baggage claim in Osaka, which is a lot, and in fact I will see again in a few hours. Today it will be with sadness knowing he is gone. If you made to this far, thanks for indulging me. Hope you enjoyed it.
Rest In Peace Coach.
Please indulge a quick story. Was flying from Seoul to Osaka one day about 20 years ago. As we were boarding I saw Tommy and some tall Korean guy get on the plane. As always, I figured these guys just wanted to be left alone so I didn’t say anything to him. I then noticed no one seemed to know who he was and regretted not at least acknowledging him. In Osaka, our company rep usually met us at the jet bridge but this time wasn’t there. No big deal, I knew my way through the terminal so I went to baggage claim. There, by themselves, were Tommy and the guy he was flying with. At that point I went over and introduced myself as a lifelong Giants fan who missed seeing him on the other side in Dodger blue. He laughed and said “That’s OK, I guess the Giants need fans too!” I then asked if the guy he was traveling with was the next Chan Ho Park. He laughed and said this was actually one of the scouts he worked with and the guy then introduced himself in a decidedly American accent. I Can’t recall his first name but his last name was Rodriguez. If I could have started braying right there, I would have!
Tommy then told me he they were there scouting different semipro players throughout Asia and going to a game that night in Osaka. He then turned the conversation to me and we talked for a few minutes about what I was doing there and how my career had gone. He even took the time to thank me for my previous military service. Just a great guy overall and I felt a little guilty for all the many times I screamed obscenities toward him at some of the Giants games over the years!
Anyway, to finish this long story, about that time my company rep comes running across the baggage claim area, calling my by name and apologizing deeply for being so late. I told him please do not worry about it but if you know anything about Japanese culture you know losing face is something they take very seriously. In the middle of his breathless apology to me, he looks up to see who I am talking with and starts screaming in a very un-Japanese way “Tommy Lasorda! Tommy Lasorda!”, then looks at me and points to him again screaming “Tommy Lasorda” like a crazed Elvis fan would have at a concert. Tommy laughed and asked him if he would like an autograph, to which the rep quickly answered by producing several pieces of paper for several autographs.
All in all I spoke with him about 20 minutes and came away realizing what a great person he truly was. When our bags finally showed up we wished each other well and headed our separate ways. All the way out to the car, the rep kept looking at me and saying “Tommy Lasorda”. I think about that event every time I hit baggage claim in Osaka, which is a lot, and in fact I will see again in a few hours. Today it will be with sadness knowing he is gone. If you made to this far, thanks for indulging me. Hope you enjoyed it.
Rest In Peace Coach.
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