Well, that does it.
Ya got me cryin’ here.
Lasorda is on a short roster of My Most Beloved Humans.
I saw his heart and soul in how he managed the players; saw the love and respect between him and guys like pitcher Fernando Valenzuela. Yeah, he cared about stats and performance, but he loved the people first and foremost. He never managed a dugout full of statistics; he led teams of men he respected and cared for.
Not being a celebrity wonk, I never dug into Tommy’s life, only recorded what I saw, which was mostly during ballgames, and what I saw was monument to living life among others as decently as possible. I’ve no doubt Tommy wasn’t perfect, but sticking with the same wife for 70 years is a Hall Of Fame stat all by itself.
A towering baseball personality, both inside and outside the ballpark, Lasorda’s departure has left the world with a VERY large, and well-worn pair of empty shoes.
And there’s a rainy place, now, in my heart, too.
I saw his heart and soul in how he managed the players; saw the love and respect between him and guys like pitcher Fernando Valenzuela. Yeah, he cared about stats and performance, but he loved the people first and foremost. He never managed a dugout full of statistics; he led teams of men he respected and cared for.
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Excellence description of Tommy Lasorda...
RIP to Tommy...
His son passed away many years ago...That was a sad story...