I was born and raised in the Los Angeles area in 1953. The first coach I remember was Walt Alston. The Dodgers were new to LA. They played in the coliseum, the same place the USC Trojans still play, and when Dodger Stadium finally opened, Los Angeles was home to one of the best franchises in MLB. Alston managed until 1977 when Lasorda took over.
It was heartbreaking to see a new manager take over, but it didn’t take long for Tommy’s personality to win the Angelino hearts. He lead the team to 2 World Series Championships. One thing about Lasorda I’ve always appreciated is his unwavering commitment to all things Dodger.
I can only hope to show a fraction of his generosity and commitment to excellence.
Take good care of your selves my friends. I have a friend who was just diagnosed with Covid and it hammers home life is precious, can end sooner than planned, and we can always do more to help our family, friends, and community.
Be well Tommy, be well all of you.