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Dodgers News: Vin Scully, Jaime Jarrín, Justin Turner & More Pay Tribute To Tommy Lasorda

Daniel Starkand
8 Min Read
Keith Birmingham/Southern California News Group

The Los Angeles Dodgers and entire baseball world mourned the loss of Tommy Lasorda on Friday after he passed away at the age of 93. Nobody bled Dodger Blue more than Lasorda after spending more than 70 years in the organization.

He has the second-most managerial wins in franchise history and helped guide the team to World Series championships in 1981 and 1988. Lasorda luckily got to see the Dodgers win one last World Series, attending the clinching game over the Tampa Bay Rays at Globe Life Field.

He was hospitalized for more than one month weeks at the end of 2020 and hadn’t been released until earlier this week.

Lasorda impacted so many people in the Dodgers organization during his life, and legendary broadcaster Vin Scully paid tribute the only way he knows how by telling some awesome stories about Lasorda’s career.

“There are two things about Tommy I will always remember. Tommy would get up in the morning full of beans and maintain that as long as he was with anybody else. The other was his determination,” Scully said in a statement.

“He was a fellow with limited ability and he pushed himself to be a very good Triple-A pitcher. He never quite had that something extra that makes a major leaguer, but it wasn’t because he didn’t try.

“Those are some of the things: his competitive spirit, his determination, and above all, this boundless energy and self-belief. His heart was bigger than his talent and there were no foul lines for his enthusiasm.”

Lasorda is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jo, as well as their daughter Laura and granddaughter Emily Tess.

Current and former Dodgers, others, pay tribute to Lasorda

In addition to Scully, a number of current and former Dodgers players, as well as part-owner Magic Johnson and others throughout the league, took to social media to pay tribute to Lasorda after his death.

The Dodgers placed flowers by Lasorda’s No. 2 in the retired numbers plaza and his seat at Dodger Stadium. Additionally, his jersey number was painted in center field and on the pitcher’s mound, and Chavez Ravine remained lit overnight.

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Daniel Starkand is a graduate from Chapman University with a degree in journalism and broadcast journalism. He grew up in Burbank, Calif. and played baseball at Burbank High and his first two years at Chapman. Along with serving as a senior writer, editor and social media manager for DodgerBlue.com, Daniel also writes for LakersNation.com. Contact: daniel@mediumlargela.com