Hall of Fame Induction Speech: https://youtu.be/gJdOuA36H1Y
Thomas Charles Lasorda (Born in Norristown, PA on September 22, 1927 – January 7, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher and manager. He managed the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1976 through 1996. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 1997.
Lasorda graduated from Norristown High School in Norristown, Pennsylvania, in 1944. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an undrafted free agent in 1945 and began his professional career that season with the Concord Weavers of the Class D North Carolina State League. He missed the 1946 and 1947 seasons because of a stint in the United States Army. He served on active duty from October 1945 until spring 1947. Lasorda returned to baseball in 1948 with the Schenectady Blue Jays of the Canadian–American League. On May 31, 1948, he struck out 25 Amsterdam Rugmakers in a 15-inning game, setting a professional record, and drove in the winning run with a single. He played with Schenectady from 1948 through 1950.Lasorda then played for Almendares of the Cuban League in Havana, Cuba in 1950–52 and again in 1958–60, compiling a 16-13 record in four seasons, including 8-3 with a 1.89 ERA in 1958-59. Lasorda also pitched for Marianao, a league rival of Almendares also in the Havana area.
Lasorda became the Los Angeles Dodgers manager September 29, 1976, upon Alston’s retirement. When asked by broadcaster Vin Scully if he felt any pressure replacing Alston, Lasorda responded, “No, Vin, I’m worried about the guy who’s gonna replace me. That’s the guy who’s gonna have it tough.” He managed the final four games of the 1976 season. Lasorda compiled a 1,599–1,439 record as Dodgers manager, won two World Series championships (1981 and 1988), four National League pennants, and eight divisiontitles in his 20-year career as the Dodgers manager. His 16 wins in 30 NLCS games were the most of any manager at the time of his retirement. His 61 postseason games ranks fourth all-time behind Bobby Cox, Casey Stengel (all of whose games took place during the World Series in baseball’s pre-LCS days), and Joe Torre. He also managed in four All-Star games. Lasorda managed nine players who won the NL Rookie of the Year Award. The winners came in two strings of consecutive players. From 1979 to 1982, he managed Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela, and Steve Sax. From 1992 to 1995, he managed Eric Karros, Mike Piazza, Raúl Mondesí, and Hideo Nomo. Before retiring during the 1996 season, he had also managed that year’s eventual winner, Todd Hollandsworth. Lasorda’s final game was a 4–3 victory over the Houston Astros, at Dodger Stadium, on June 23, 1996. The following day, he drove himself to the hospital complaining of abdominal pain, and in fact was having a heart attack. He officially retired on July 29, 1996. His 1,599 career wins rank 22nd all-time.
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