Tommy Lasorda
Tommy Lasorda
Thomas Charles "Tommy" Lasordais a former Major League baseball player who has had a lengthy career in sports management. In 2009, he marked his sixth decade in one capacity or another with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers organization, the longest non-continuoustenure anyone has had with the team, edging Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully by a single season. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 1997...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCoach
Date of Birth22 September 1927
CityNorristown, PA
CountryUnited States of America
There are parents out there screaming as if their kid is going to be in the big leagues someday. C'mon. I chew them out if I see that. Maybe they've got their own idea how to do things, but it's wrong. Just be with the kids. Let 'em make errors. Give them all a chance. It's not about winning. It's spirit, togetherness.
Everybody wants to win, but everybody doesn't win.
I was glad to see Italy win. All the guys on the team were Italians.
When we win, I'm so happy I eat a lot. When we lose, I'm so depressed, I eat a lot. When we're rained out, I'm so disappointed I eat a lot.
When we lose, I eat. When we win, I eat. I also eat when we're rained out.
The best possible thing in baseball is winning The World Series. The second best thing is losing The World Series.
When you're not playing up to your capability, you gotta try everything, to motivate, to get them going. All of them have to be on the same end of the rope to pull together. It's playing for the name on the front of the shirt, not the back. Individualism gets you trophies and plaques. Play for the front, that wins championships. I try to remind them of that.
No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference.
I've always called L.A. 'the world capital of sport.'
I was in awe of playing on that (1955) team,
Frank asks me questions, and I give him opinions, and that's it. I'm the senior advisor to the chairman of the board. It wouldn't be good if we both had the same opinions.
I am enthused and excited to be named the honorary starter. Waving the green flag is like swinging a bat; it's all in the wrists.
I am enthused, and excited to be named the Honorary Starter. Waving the green flag is like swinging a bat; it's all in the wrists.
I was fortunate enough to coach the U.S. Olympic team in Australia.