Tommy Lasorda

Tommy Lasorda
Pitcher / Manager
Born: (1927-09-22) September 22, 1927 Norristown, Pennsylvania
Batted: Left Threw: Left
MLB debut
August 5, 1954, for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
July 8, 1956, for the Kansas City Athletics
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	0–4
Earned run average	6.48
Strikeouts	37
Managerial record	1,599–1,439
Winning %	.526
Teams
As player Brooklyn Dodgers (1954–1955) Kansas City Athletics (1956) As manager Los Angeles Dodgers (1976–1996)
Career highlights and awards
2× World Series champion (1981, 1988) 2× NL Manager of the Year (1983, 1988) Los Angeles Dodgers #2 retired
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Inducted	1997
Election Method	Veterans Committee

Thomas Charles "Tommy" Lasorda (born September 22, 1927) is 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 discontinuous (he played one season with the Kansas City Athletics) tenure 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.

Playing career

Tommy Lasorda signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an undrafted free agent in 1945 and began his professional career with the Concord Weavers in 1945. He then 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.

He 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 (since broken), and drove in the winning run with a single.^[1] In his next two starts, he struck out 15 and 13, gaining the attention of the Dodgers, who drafted him from the Phillies chain and sent him to the Greenville Spinners in 1949. Lasorda also pitched for the Cristobal Mottas in the Canal Zone Baseball League in Panama from 1948 through 1950, winning the championship in '48. Lasorda played for Almendares (Cuba) from 1950–52 and 1958–60, compiling a 16–13 record in four seasons, including 8–3 with a 1.89 ERA in 1958–59. Lasorda made his major league debut on August 5, 1954, for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Though he did not play in the 1955 World Series, he won a World Series ring as a member of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers.

He pitched for the Dodgers for two seasons, then for the Kansas City Athletics for one season after the Athletics bought him from the Dodgers. Kansas City traded Lasorda to the New York Yankees in 1956. He appeared in 22 games for the Triple-A Denver Bears in 1956–57, and then was sold back to the Dodgers in 1957. During his brief tenure with the Bears, Lasorda was profoundly influenced by Denver skipper Ralph Houk, who became Lasorda's role model as an MLB manager.

"Ralph taught me if that if you treat players like human beings, they will play like Superman", he told Bill Plaschke in the biography, I Live for This: Baseball's Last True Believer. "He taught me how a pat on a shoulder can be just as important as a kick in the butt."^[2]

Lasorda was first optioned to the Montreal Royals of the International League in 1950. He also played winter baseball for Almendares (Cuba) from 1950–52 and 1958–60, compiling a 16–13 record in four seasons, including 8–3 with a 1.89 ERA in 1958–59. He pitched for Montreal from 1950–54 and 1958–1960 and is the winningest pitcher in the history of the team (107–57) (Lasorda was sent back down to Montreal in 1954 after the Dodgers were forced to keep a young Sandy Koufax on their roster due to the Bonus Rule. He later joked that it took Koufax to keep him off the Dodger pitching staff). He led Montreal to four straight Governors' Cups from 1951 to 1954, and a fifth one in 1958. On June 24, 2006, he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.^[3] He played only in the minors for the Yankees, and the Dodgers returned him to the Montreal team, where he was voted the International League's Most Valuable Pitcher in 1958, when he won his fifth minor league championship. The Dodgers released him on July 9, 1960.

Coaching career

Minor leagues

Lasorda's first off-field assignment with the Dodgers was as a scout from 1961 to 1965. In 1966, he became the manager for the Pocatello Chiefs in the rookie leagues, then managed the Ogden Dodgers to three Pioneer League championships from 1966 to '68. He became the Dodgers AAA Pacific Coast League manager in 1969 with the Spokane Indians (1969–71) and remained in the position when the Dodgers switched their AAA farm club to the Albuquerque Dukes (1972). His 1972 Dukes team won the PCL Championship. Lasorda was also a manager for the Dominican Winter Baseball League team Tigres del Licey (Licey Tigers). He led the team to the 1973 Caribbean World Series title in Venezuela with a series record of 5 wins and 1 loss.

Dodgers' third-base coach

In 1973, Lasorda became the third-base coach on the staff of Hall of Fame manager Walter Alston, serving for almost four seasons. He was widely regarded as Alston's heir apparent, and turned down several major league managing jobs elsewhere to remain in the Dodger fold.

Manager of the Dodgers

Tommy Lasorda's number 2 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1997.

Lasorda became the Los Angeles Dodgers manager September 29, 1976, upon Alston's retirement. He compiled a 1,599–1,439 record as Dodgers manager, won two World Series championships in (1981 and 1988), four National League pennants, and eight division titles in his 20-year career as the Dodgers manager.

His 16 wins in 30 NL Championship games managed were the most of any manager at the time of his retirement. His 61 postseason games managed ranks fourth all-time behind Bobby Cox, Casey Stengel (all of whose games took place during the World Series in baseball's pre-divisional play days), and Joe Torre. He also managed in four All-Star games.

Lasorda managed nine players who won the National League 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 rookie of the year, Todd Hollandsworth.

His final game was a 4–3 victory over the Houston Astros, at Dodger Stadium (att. 35,467), on June 23, 1996. The following day (June 24), he drove himself to the hospital complaining of abdominal pains, and in fact he was having a heart attack. He officially retired on July 29, 1996. His 1,599 career wins ranks 16th all-time in MLB history.

He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 as a manager in his first year of eligibility. The Dodgers retired his uniform number (2) on August 15, 1997 and renamed a street in Dodgertown as "Tommy Lasorda Lane". In 2014, a new restaurant named "Lasorda's Trattoria" opened at Dodger Stadium.

2000 Summer Olympics

Lasorda came out of retirement to manage the United States team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He led the Americans to the gold medal, beating heavily favored Cuba, which had won the gold medals at the two previous Olympics. In doing so, he became the first manager to win a World Series Championship and lead a team to Olympic Gold Medal.

2001 All-Star Game

Lasorda coached the 2001 All-Star Game as third base coach. While at the plate, Vladimir Guerrero lost his bat while swinging, and it flew towards Lasorda, causing him to fall backwards, but Tommy was unharmed. As a joke, Giants outfielder Barry Bonds gave Lasorda a chest protector to wear while manning the third-base coaching box.

2008 spring training

During spring training in 2008, the Dodgers were invited to play a series of exhibition games in China. Dodger manager Joe Torre took a group of players with him for that series. The majority of the team remained behind in Florida to finish out the Grapefruit League season. Lasorda briefly came out of retirement to manage the team while Torre was away.^[4]

2011 season birthday coach

An unnamed Dodger executive came up with the idea of having Dodger manager Don Mattingly ask Lasorda to be an honorary coach on Lasorda's 84th birthday against the San Francisco Giants.^[5]

Awards

• Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year (1970)
• UPI & AP Manager of the Year (1977)
• AP Manager of the Year (1981)
• Baseball America Manager of the Year (1988)
• Sporting News Co-Manager of the Year (1988)
• Amos Alonzo Stagg Coaching Award presented by the United States Sports Academy (2000)^[6]

Dodger executive

Tommy Lasorda at White House Tee Ball Initiative in 2007.

Tommy Lasorda was named Vice-President of the Dodgers upon his retirement from managing in 1996. On June 22, 1998 he became the Dodgers interim General Manager upon the mid-season firing of Fred Claire. He resigned as General Manager after the season and was appointed as Senior Vice-President of the Dodgers. After the sale of the team to Frank McCourt, Lasorda took on his current position of Special Advisor to the Chairman where his responsibilities include scouting, evaluating and teaching minor league players, acting as an advisor and ambassador for the Dodgers' international affiliations, and representing the organization at more than 100 speaking engagements and appearances to various charities, private groups and military personnel each year.^[7]

Managerial record

Family

Lasorda and his wife Jo celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2010. They have resided in Fullerton, California, for more than 50 years and they have two children. They named a gymnasium and youth center in memory of their son, Tom Jr., in Yorba Linda, California on September 7, 1997.^[7][9]

In 1991, Tom, Jr. (known as "Spunky") died of complications related to AIDS.^[10] Lasorda denied that his son was gay,^[11] according to sportswriter Bill Plaschke, he insists his son died of cancer.^[12]

In June 2005, President George W. Bush asked Lasorda to serve as a delegate to the U.S. National Day at the World Exposition in Aichi, Japan.^[13]

Lasorda was famous for his colorful personality and outspoken opinions regarding players and other personnel associated with baseball. He had a number of obscenity-filled tirades, some of which were taped and became underground classics. The most famous of these is his "Dave Kingman tirade" in 1978, in which Lasorda ranted at reporter Paul Olden, who asked him about Kingman hitting three home runs against the Dodgers that day.^[14]

In 1996, he voiced the role of Lucky Lasorta, a Rough Collie commentating the baseball game in the film Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco He made a cameo appearance in the 1992 movie Ladybugs alongside Rodney Dangerfield. Lasorda portrayed the Dugout Wizard in the syndicated children's television show The Baseball Bunch.^[15] His other television credits playing himself include Silver Spoons, Who's The Boss, CHiPs, Hart to Hart, Fantasy Island, Hee Haw, Simon & Simon, Everybody Loves Raymond, and American Restoration.

Lasorda partially owned the food company Lasorda Foods, which was known primarily for pasta sauces that Lasorda stated were based on a family recipe passed down to his wife, Jo.^[16] In September 1989, the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Denver firm Discovery Capital Corp, of which Lasorda continued to own 10%.^[17] The parent company through which Lasorda maintained his stake in the Lasorda Foods, Lasorda Foods Holding Corp Inc., was initially based in Fountain Valley, California, before moving to Irvine and then Paramount. A Boca Raton, Florida-based company, Modami Services, acquired Lasorda Foods Holding Corp Inc. in August 1993. Lasorda and Lasorda Foods President Steven Fox, who together owned a majority of Lasorda Foods' stock, were paid in Modami shares.^[16]

Lasorda is the godfather to Thomas Piazza, the younger brother of Major League Hall of Fame catcher Mike Piazza, both of whom are from Norristown. Thomas was named after Lasorda and it has been widely misstated that Lasorda is Mike's godfather.^[18] Lasorda is also the godfather to Alex Avila, a catcher with the Chicago White Sox. Alex's grandfather, Ralph Avila, is a former scout with the Dodgers and friend to Lasorda of over 50 years. Alex's middle name of Thomas was named for Lasorda.^[19]

In 2008, the government of Japan conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, which represents the fourth-highest of eight classes associated with the award. The decoration was presented in acknowledgment of his contributions to Japanese baseball.^[20]

Lasorda became a local celebrity in the Dominican Republic due to his many visits in search of young baseball talents in this land of many famous players in the major leagues, especially after becoming a devoted fan of the "chicharrones" (deep fried pork skins) commonly sold on the streets of the Villa Mella neighborhood of Santo Domingo.

On June 3, 2012, at age 84, Lasorda was hospitalized in New York City after suffering a heart attack. The heart attack was not considered to be overly serious.^[21]

See also

• Tommy Lasorda Baseball

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tommy Lasorda.

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Tommy Lasorda

• Tommy Lasorda on Twitter
  
• Tommy Lasorda at the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Lasorda's blog, "Tommy's World" at MLBlogs.com
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Tommy Lasorda managerial career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com

Links to related articles
Los Angeles Dodgers Formerly the Brooklyn Robins and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Based in Los Angeles Franchise History in Brooklyn History in Los Angeles Seasons Award winners Records No-hitters Players First-round draft picks Managers Owners & Executives Coaches Broadcasters Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network SportsNet LA Hall of Famers Opening Day starting pitchers Ballparks Washington Park Eastern Park Ridgewood Park Washington Park Ebbets Field Roosevelt Stadium Proposed domed stadium Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Dodger Stadium Spring training: Whittington Park Majestic Park Barrs Field Tinker Field Clearwater Athletic Field City Island Ball Park Gran Stadium de La Habana Holman Stadium Camelback Ranch Culture and lore Dodger Dog Chronicle-Telegraph Cup This is Next Year The First Fernandomania Kirk Gibson Walk-Off Home Run Sandy Koufax's Perfect Game Flag Burning Chavez Ravine Dodger Blue I Love L.A. Roy Campanella Award 1946 NL tie-breaker series 1951 NL tie-breaker series "Shot Heard 'Round the World" 1959 NL tie-breaker series 1962 NL tie-breaker series 1980 NL West tie-breaker game Orel Hershiser's scoreless innings streak Vin Scully Tommy Lasorda Nancy Bea Hilda Chester 2011 bankruptcy 42 Rivalries San Francisco Giants Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Subway Series/New York Yankees Hall of Fame members Walter Alston Roy Campanella Don Drysdale Leo Durocher Burleigh Grimes Willie Keeler Sandy Koufax Vin Scully Tommy Lasorda Walter O'Malley Pee Wee Reese Branch Rickey Jackie Robinson Wilbert Robinson Duke Snider Don Sutton Dazzy Vance Zack Wheat Key personnel Owner: Guggenheim Baseball Management President: Stan Kasten President of Baseball Operations: Andrew Friedman General Manager: Farhan Zaidi Manager: Dave Roberts World Series Championships (6) 1955 1959 1963 1965 1981 1988 League pennants (22) American Association: 1889 National League: 1890 1899 1900 1916 1920 1941 1947 1949 1952 1953 1955 1956 1959 1963 1965 1966 1974 1977 1978 1981 1988 Division titles (14) 1974 1977 1978 1981 (first half) 1983 1985 1988 1995 2004 2008 2009 2013 2014 2015 2016 Wild card berths (2) 1996 2006 Minors AAA: Oklahoma City Dodgers AA: Tulsa Drillers A Adv.: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes A: Great Lakes Loons Rookie Adv.: Ogden Raptors Rookie: AZL Dodgers DSL Dodgers 1 DSL Dodgers 2 Minor League Rosters   Seasons (134) 1880s 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890s 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900s 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910s 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920s 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930s 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940s 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950s 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980s 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990s 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000s 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010s 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers 1981 World Series Champions  6 Steve Garvey  7 Steve Yeager (World Series MVP)  8 Reggie Smith  10 Ron Cey (World Series MVP)  12 Dusty Baker  14 Mike Scioscia  15 Davey Lopes  16 Rick Monday  18 Bill Russell  21 Jay Johnstone  28 Pedro Guerrero (World Series MVP)  30 Derrel Thomas  34 Fernando Valenzuela  35 Bob Welch  37 Bobby Castillo  38 Dave Goltz  41 Jerry Reuss  44 Ken Landreaux  46 Burt Hooton (NLCS MVP)  48 Dave Stewart  49 Tom Niedenfuer  51 Terry Forster  52 Steve Sax  57 Steve Howe Manager  2 Tommy Lasorda Coaches  11 Manny Mota  29 Ron Perranoski  33 Danny Ozark  54 Monty Basgall  58 Mark Cresse Regular season National League Division Series National League Championship Series Dodgers–Yankees rivalry Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 World Series Champions  3 Steve Sax  5 Mike Marshall  7 Alfredo Griffin  9 Mickey Hatcher  10 Dave Anderson  12 Danny Heep  14 Mike Scioscia  17 Rick Dempsey  21 Tracy Woodson  22 Franklin Stubbs  23 Kirk Gibson  26 Alejandro Peña  29 Ricky Horton  30 John Tudor  31 John Shelby  33 Jeff Hamilton  37 Mike Davis  38 José González  47 Jesse Orosco  49 Tim Belcher  50 Jay Howell  51 Brian Holton  54 Tim Leary  55 Orel Hershiser (World Series MVP) Manager  2 Tommy Lasorda Coaches  8 Joey Amalfitano  11 Manny Mota  13 Joe Ferguson  16 Ron Perranoski  18 Bill Russell  35 Ben Hines  58 Mark Cresse Regular season National League Championship Series National League Manager of the Year Award 1983: Lasorda 1984: Frey 1985: Herzog 1986: Lanier 1987: Rodgers 1988: Lasorda 1989: Zimmer 1990: Leyland 1991: Cox 1992: Leyland 1993: Baker 1994: Alou 1995: Baylor 1996: Bochy 1997: Baker 1998: Dierker 1999: McKeon 2000: Baker 2001: Bowa 2002: La Russa 2003: McKeon 2004: Cox 2005: Cox 2006: Girardi 2007: Melvin 2008: Piniella 2009: Tracy 2010: Black 2011: Gibson 2012: Johnson 2013: Hurdle 2014: Williams 2015: Maddon 2016: Roberts Branch Rickey Award 1992: Winfield 1993: Puckett 1994: Smith 1995: Gwynn 1996: Butler 1997: Biggio 1998: Molitor 1999: Leiter 2000: Stottlemyre 2001: Schilling 2002: Valentine 2003: Hemond 2004: Moyer 2005: Gonzalez 2006: Lasorda 2007: Smoltz 2008: Hoffman 2009: Hunter 2010: Wells 2011: Victorino 2012: Dickey 2013: Kershaw 2014: Rizzo Los Angeles Dodgers managers George Taylor (1884) Charlie Hackett (1885) Charlie Byrne (1885–1887) Bill McGunnigle (1888–1890) John Montgomery Ward (1891–1892) Dave Foutz (1893–1896) Billy Barnie (1897–1898) Charles Ebbets (1898) Mike Griffin (1898) Ned Hanlon (1899–1905) Patsy Donovan (1906–1908) Harry Lumley (1909) Bill Dahlen (1910–1913) Wilbert Robinson (1914–1931) Max Carey (1932–1933) Casey Stengel (1934–1936) Burleigh Grimes (1937–1938) Leo Durocher (1939–1946) Clyde Sukeforth (1947) Burt Shotton (1947) Leo Durocher (1948) Ray Blades (1948) Burt Shotton (1948–1950) Chuck Dressen (1951–1953) Walter Alston (1954–1976) Tommy Lasorda (1976–1996) Bill Russell (1996–1998) Glenn Hoffman (1998) Davey Johnson (1999–2000) Jim Tracy (2001–2005) Grady Little (2006–2007) Joe Torre (2008–2010) Don Mattingly (2011–2015) Dave Roberts (2016–) Los Angeles Dodgers retired numbers 1 Pee Wee Reese 2 Tommy Lasorda 4 Duke Snider 19 Jim Gilliam 20 Don Sutton 24 Walter Alston 32 Sandy Koufax 39 Roy Campanella 42 Jackie Robinson 53 Don Drysdale Los Angeles Dodgers general managers Brooklyn Dodgers (1932–1957) MacPhail Rickey Bavasi Los Angeles Dodgers (1958–present) Bavasi Thompson Campanis Claire Lasorda Malone Wallace Evans DePodesta Colletti Zaidi Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1997 BBWAA Vote Phil Niekro (80.3%) Veterans Committee Nellie Fox Tommy Lasorda Willie Wells J. G. Taylor Spink Award Charley Feeney Ford C. Frick Award Jimmy Dudley Members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Pitchers Alexander Bender Blyleven M. Brown R. Brown Bunning Carlton Chesbro Clarkson Cooper Coveleski Cummings Day Dean Dihigo Drysdale Eckersley Faber Feller Fingers Ford B. Foster Galvin B. Gibson Glavine Gomez Gossage Grimes Grove Haines Hoyt Hubbell Hunter Jenkins R. Johnson W. Johnson Joss Keefe Koufax Lemon Lyons Maddux Marichal Marquard Martínez Mathewson McGinnity Méndez Newhouser Nichols Niekro Paige Palmer Pennock Perry Plank Radbourn Rixey Roberts Rogan Ruffing Rusie Ryan Seaver H. Smith Smoltz Spahn Sutter Sutton Vance Waddell Walsh Welch Wilhelm J. Williams Willis Wynn Young Catchers Bench Berra Bresnahan Campanella Carter Cochrane Dickey Ewing Ferrell Fisk J. Gibson Hartnett Lombardi Mackey Piazza Santop Schalk D. White First basemen Anson Beckley Bottomley Brouthers Cepeda Chance Connor Foxx Gehrig Greenberg G. Kelly Killebrew Leonard McCovey Mize Murray Pérez Sisler Suttles Taylor Terry Thomas Second basemen Alomar Biggio Carew E. Collins Doerr Evers Fox Frisch Gehringer Gordon Grant Herman Hornsby Lajoie Lazzeri Mazeroski McPhee Morgan J. Robinson Sandberg Schoendienst Third basemen Baker Boggs Brett J. Collins Dandridge J. Johnson Kell Lindstrom Mathews Molitor B. Robinson Santo Schmidt Traynor J. Wilson Shortstops Aparicio Appling Bancroft Banks Boudreau Cronin Davis T. Jackson  Jennings  Larkin Lloyd Maranville Reese Ripken Jr. Rizzuto Sewell O. Smith Tinker Vaughan Wagner Wallace Ward Wells Yount Outfielders Aaron Ashburn Averill Bell Brock W. Brown Burkett Carey Charleston Clarke Clemente Cobb Combs Crawford Cuyler Dawson Delahanty DiMaggio Doby Duffy Flick Goslin Griffey Jr. Gwynn Hafey Hamilton Heilmann Henderson Hill Hooper Irvin R. Jackson Kaline Keeler Kelley K. Kelly Kiner Klein Mantle Manush Mays T. McCarthy Medwick Musial O'Rourke Ott Puckett J. Rice S. Rice F. Robinson Roush Ruth Simmons Slaughter Snider Speaker Stargell Stearnes Thompson Torriente L. Waner P. Waner Wheat B. Williams T. Williams H. Wilson Winfield Yastrzemski Youngs Managers Alston Anderson Cox Durocher Hanlon Harris Herzog Huggins La Russa Lasorda López Mack J. McCarthy McGraw McKechnie W. Robinson Selee Southworth Stengel Torre Weaver D. Williams Executives / pioneers Barrow Bulkeley Cartwright Chadwick Chandler Comiskey Dreyfuss R. Foster Frick Giles Gillick Griffith Harridge Hulbert B. Johnson Kuhn Landis La. MacPhail Le. MacPhail Manley O'Malley Pompez Posey Rickey Ruppert Schuerholz Selig Spalding Veeck Weiss S. White Wilkinson G. Wright H. Wright Yawkey Umpires Barlick Chylak Conlan Connolly Evans Harvey Hubbard Klem McGowan O'Day United States roster – 2000 Olympic Champions Brent Abernathy Kurt Ainsworth Pat Borders Sean Burroughs John Cotton Gookie Dawkins Adam Everett Ryan Franklin Chris George Shane Heams Marcus Jensen Mike Kinkade Rick Krivda Doug Mientkiewicz Mike Neill Roy Oswalt Jon Rauch Anthony Sanders Bobby Seay Ben Sheets Brad Wilkerson Todd Williams Ernie Young Tim Young Manager Tommy Lasorda Italian American Sports Hall of Fame Ed Abbaticchio Ben Abruzzo Joey Amalfitano Joe Amato Lou Ambers Alan Ameche Marco Andretti Mario Andretti Michael Andretti Sammy Angott Eddie Arcaro Charles Atlas Sal Bando Tom Barrasso Ray Barbuti Carmen Basilio Mark Bavaro Gary Beban Joe Bellino John Beradino Yogi Berra Angelo Bertelli Dan Biasone Matt Biondi Ping Bodie Brian Boitano Nick Bollettieri Zeke Bonura Ralph Branca Lawrence Brignolia Gene Brito Doug Buffone Nick Buoniconti Phil Baroni John Calipari Dolph Camilli Roy Campanella Tony Canadeo Tony Canzoneri Donna Caponi Gino Cappelletti Harry Caray Frank Carideo Primo Carnera Lou Carnesecca Phil Cavarretta Al Cervi Giorgio Chinaglia Dino Ciccarelli Jerry Colangelo Rocky Colavito Frank Coltiletti Franco Columbu Tony Conigliaro Young Corbett III Jim Covert Frankie Crosetti Tony Cuccinello Pete Cutino Bobby Czyz Denise DeBartolo York Alex Delvecchio Tony DeMarco Frank Demaree Joe DeNucci Ralph DePalma Pete DePaolo Andy DePaul Red DiBernardi Buttercup Dickerson Ernie DiGregorio Dom DiMaggio Joe DiMaggio Vince DiMaggio Angelo Dundee Johnny Dundee Lou Duva Mike Eruzione Phil Esposito Tony Esposito Buzz Fazio Vince Ferragamo Lou Ferrigno Doug Ford Chet Forte Joe Fortunato Mike Fratello Linda Fratianne Jim Fregosi Carl Furillo Chip Ganassi Joe Garagiola Frankie Genaro A. Bartlett Giamatti Joey Giardello Margaret Gisolo Andy Granatelli Rocky Graziano Franco Harris Ted Hendricks Pete Herman Harry Jeffra Fidel LaBarba Daryle Lamonica Jake LaMotta Tony La Russa Tommy Lasorda Dante Lavelli Tony Lazzeri Marty Liquori Lou Little Ernie Lombardi Vince Lombardi Dr. Donna Lopiano Mike Lucci Hank Luisetti Sal Maglie Ray Mancini Gus Mancuso Sammy Mandell Gino Marchetti Rocky Marciano Ed Marinaro Dan Marino Hank Marino John Mariucci Billy Martin Rollie Massimino Joey Maxim Phil Mickelson Joe Montana Willie Mosconi George Musso Vince Naimoli Leo Nomellini Susan Notorangelo John Panelli Joe Paterno Vinny Pazienza Willie Pep Cavino Michelli Petillo Johnny Petraglia Rico Petrocelli Brian Piccolo Ralph "Babe" Pinelli Rick Pitino Angelo Poffo Vic Raschi Lindy Remigino Mary Lou Retton Phil Rizzuto Andy Robustelli Carmen Salvino Bruno Sammartino Ron Santo Gene Sarazen Randy Savage Paul Tagliabue Mario "Motts" Tonelli Joe Torre Gino Torretta Charley Trippi Sonny Vaccaro Bobby Valentine Jim Valvano Andy Varipapa Ken Venturi Phil Villapiano Frank Viola Dick Vitale Johnny Wilson Louis Zamperini Major League Baseball on ABC Related programs Major League Baseball Game of the Week (1953–1954; 1960; 1965) Monday Night Baseball (1976–1988) Thursday Night Baseball (1989) Baseball Night in America (1994–1995) ESPN Major League Baseball (broadcasters) Non-MLB programs Little League World Series (broadcasters) Wide World of Sports Related articles The Baseball Network World Series television ratings Television contracts List of events on Wide World of Sports 1953 season Chicago White Sox Cleveland Indians Philadelphia Athletics ABC's owned & operated TV stations WABC 7 (Brooklyn Dodgers, August 17, 1953-October 1, 1953) WLS 7 (Chicago Cubs, 2015-present) KTRK 13 (Houston Astros, 1962-1972) WFIL 6 (later WPVI) (Philadelphia Athletics, 1949-1954; Philadelphia Phillies, 1959-1970) Sponsors Falstaff Brewing Corporation L&M Commentators The Baseball Network All-Star Game ALCS ALDS NLCS NLDS World Series Key figures Gary Bender Jack Buck Ken Coleman Dizzy Dean Bob DeLaney Don Drysdale Curt Gowdy Merle Harmon Keith Jackson George Kell Gene Kirby Jim Lampley Al Michaels Brent Musburger Bob Prince Chris Schenkel Gary Thorne Al Trautwig Jack Whitaker Steve Zabriskie Color commentators Buddy Blattner Lou Brock Norm Cash Howard Cosell Leo Durocher Carl Erskine Tommy Hutton Jim Kaat Reggie Jackson Bob Gibson Tommy Henrich Tim McCarver Joe Morgan Jim Palmer Jackie Robinson Steve Stone Bob Uecker Earl Weaver Bill White Warner Wolf Guest commentators Johnny Bench Rick Dempsey Mark Fidrych Tommy John Tommy Lasorda Billy Martin Ross Porter Tom Seaver Hosts & field reporters Jack Arute Tim Brant Dave Diles Corey McPherrin John Saunders Lesley Visser "Inside Pitch" scouting analysts Tony Gwynn Paul Molitor Steve Sax Mike Schmidt Lore Roger Maris' 61 home run season (1961) "The Bird" (1976) "The Double" (1995) Tiebreaker games 1959 National League playoff series 1978 AL East Playoff 1980 NL West Playoff LCS games Chris Chambliss' Walk-Off Home Run (1976) "Garvey Home Run" (1984) "Gatorade Glove Play" (1984) "You're Looking at One for the Ages Here" (1986) World Series games "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning" (1977) "Mr. October" (1977) "The Call" (1985) 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake World Series 1948 1949 1950 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1994 (cancelled) 1995 (Games 1, 4-5) AL Championship Series 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1995 (Games 1–2) NL Championship Series 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1995 (Games 1–2) AL Division Series 1981 1995 2002 (ABC Family, coverage produced by ESPN) NL Division Series 1995 2002 (ABC Family, coverage produced by ESPN) All-Star Game 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1995 Music "Hello Old Friend" "Lights" Seasons Saturday Game of the Week 1953 1954 1959 (NL tie-breaker series) 1960 1961 (prime time games) 1965 Monday Night Baseball 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 (now on Thursday nights) The Baseball Network 1994 1995 Major League Baseball on CBS Related programs Major League Baseball Game of the Week (1955–1965; 1990–1993) Major League Baseball on CBS Radio (1927–1941; 1976–1997) College World Series on CBS (1988–2002, broadcasters) The Franchise (2011-2012) Related articles World Series television ratings Television contracts 1964 season Baltimore Orioles Chicago Cubs New York Yankees Philadelphia Phillies St. Louis Cardinals CBS TV Stations WJZ 13 (Baltimore Orioles, 1954) WBZ 4 (Boston Braves, 1948-1949; Boston Red Sox, 1948-1954) WCBS 2 (Brooklyn Dodgers, 1946–1949; New York Yankees, 2002-2004) KPIX 5 (Oakland Athletics, 1975-1981; 1985-1992) WPTZ 3 (later KYW) (Philadelphia Athletics, 1947-1954) KDKA 2 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1958-1995) Sponsors Falstaff Brewing Corporation Commentators All-Star Game ALCS NLCS World Series Key figures Jack Buck Dizzy Dean Bill Geist Greg Gumbel George Kell Gene Kirby Sean McDonough Don Robertson Dick Stockton Jack Whitaker Color commentators Buddy Blattner Frankie Frisch Jim Kaat Tim McCarver Jim McKay Pee Wee Reese Frank Reynolds Hosts & field reporters James Brown Jerry Coleman Jim Gray Andrea Joyce Pat O'Brien Lesley Visser Guest commentators Johnny Bench Tommy Lasorda Steve Stone World Series 1947 (Games 3-4) 1948 1949 1950 1990 1991 1992 1993 AL Championship 1990 1991 1992 1993 NL Championship 1990 1991 1992 1993 All-Star Game 1949 1990 1991 1992 1993 Lore Nasty Boys (Cincinnati Reds) (1990) "And we'll see you tomorrow night!" (1991) "The Slide" (1992) "Touch 'em all Joe!" (1993) Music "The Boys of Summer" "The Famous Final Scene" "Famous Last Words" "Right Now" Instrumentals "Desert Ride" Jurassic Park (film score) "Overture" "The Walk Home" Seasons Early World Series coverage 1947 1948 1949 Initial Game of the Week era 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 (New York Yankees games only) Exclusive network package 1990 1991 1992 1993 Website: MLB Baseball - CBSSports.com This Week in Baseball Hosts Mel Allen Cam Brainard Warner Fusselle Ozzie Smith Contributors Jennie Finch Tommy Lasorda Seasons Original run 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Fox revival 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Production Jeff Scott Joe Reichler Mike Vickers Related shows The Baseball Bunch Fox Saturday Baseball Major League Baseball Game of the Week NBC Game of the Week Key affiliates O&O NBC stations KTTV (Los Angeles) WGN Chicago WTBS (Atlanta) WWOR (New York) RSNs PASS (Detroit) Sportsnet (Toronto)