The Los Angeles Dodgers announced longtime catcher Steve Yeager as the recipient of the third annual Tommy Lasorda I Bleed Dodger Blue Award.
It’s an honor given to a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers community who embodies the passion, enthusiasm and love for the team that former manager Tommy Lasorda possessed.
The award will be presented by Tommy’s daughter, Laura Lasorda, on Sunday before the 1:10 p.m. PT game against the Colorado Rockies. The pregame ceremony coincides with what would have been Lasorda’s 97th birthday.
“It’s a tremendous honor to receive an award named after Tommy Lasorda, who did so much for the organization and Major League Baseball and impacted the lives of so many young men in his career,” Yeager said. “Many of those guys had long careers playing and many stayed in coaching, like myself. He touched so many lives and made us all better for it.”
Yeager, sometimes considered the fifth infielder, complemented the famed 1970s Dodgers infield along with Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes and Bill Russell.
Yeager was a strong mentor for catchers and pitchers throughout his Dodgers career. After he retried, Yeager became a longtime coach and manager in the Minor League system and at adult camps for fans. He also appeared in and served as a technical advisor for the “Major League” movie franchise, playing the role of Coach Duke Temple.
“We are pleased to present the Tommy Lasorda I Bleed Blue Award to Steve Yeager,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said. “Steve is a bonafide World Series hero, and for more than 50 years, he has exemplified the best qualities of Tommy in becoming a leader and mentor to generations of Dodgers.”
Yeager began his Dodgers career at 18 following his fourth-round selection in the 1967 MLB draft. After playing five years in the Minor Leagues, Yeager made his MLB debut on Aug. 2, 1972, at 23 years old.
In the capstone of a 14-year career with the Dodgers from 1972-1985, Yeager hit the game-winning home run in Game 5 of the 1981 World Series, propelling him to tri-MVP honors (shared with Cey and Pedro Guerrero).
In four World Series overall, the clutch performer batted .298/.323/.579/.902 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 21 games.
Yeager ranks third on the all-time Dodgers list for games caught (1,181). In addition, following a life-threatening throat injury from a shattered bat that struck Yeager while in the on-deck circle, he also co-created with former Dodgers trainer Bill Buhler the plastic neck flap that would become standard issue for Major League catchers.
Yeager compiled a Major League career .228 batting average with 102 home runs and 410 RBI in 1,269 regular-season games, topped by a 16-homer season in 1977 with a .779 OPS.
Steve Yeager becomes third Tommy Lasorda Award winner
Yeager joins Roz Wyman and John Shoemaker as the third winner of the award in Lasorda’s honor.
The inaugural honor went to Rosalind Wyman, who was the key figure in bringing the Dodgers to Los Angeles from Brooklyn in 1958. She additionally was influential in helping the San Francisco Giants move from New York while also helping the Lakers relocate to Los Angeles from Minneapolis.
In 2015, Shoemaker was named the “Captain” of the Dodgers’ player development system, and has worn a “C” on his jersey since. Also in 2015, Shoemaker won Minor League Baseball’s Mike Coolbaugh Award for showing outstanding baseball work ethic, knowledge of the game and skill in mentoring young players on the field.
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