Hall of Fame Dodgers Manager Tommy Lasorda Dies at Age 93

Hall of Fame Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda died on Thursday night, the team announced in a statement on Friday.

Walter Iooss Jr. /Sports Illustrated

Hall of Fame Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda died on Thursday night, the team announced in a statement on Friday.

Lasorda, 93, suffered a sudden cardiopulmonary arrest at home at 10:09 p.m. local time and was transported to the hospital with resuscitation in progress. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, the Dodgers said.

"In a franchise that has celebrated such great legends of the game, no one who wore the uniform embodied the Dodger spirit as much as Tommy Lasorda. A tireless spokesman for baseball, his dedication to the sport and team he loved was unmatched," Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said. "The Dodgers and their fans will miss him terribly. Tommy is quite simply irreplaceable and unforgettable."

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— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) January 8, 2021

Lasorda's death comes just days after the club announced he was discharged from a Southern California hospital and had returned to his home in Fullerton. The former skipper had been hospitalized since Nov. 8 and spent part of that time in intensive care before undergoing several weeks of rehab in the hospital.

Lasorda's career with the Dodgers began when he pitched for the club in Brooklyn in 1954 and 1955 before being replaced by Sandy Koufax on the roster and traded to the Kansas City Athletics. In three major-league seasons, he went 0–4 with a 6.48 ERA.

His baseball career continued with stints as a minor-league manager and major-league third-base coach before he managed the Dodgers. From 1976-96, he led the club to eight division titles, four National League pennants and two World Series championships (1981 and 1988), captivating fans and his players with his dynamic and loud personality. Lasorda, a two-time Manager of the Year winner, amassed a record of 1,599–1,439 to rank 22nd all-time in wins. 

Following a heart attack in June 1996, he retired from managing the Dodgers the next month. Lasorda was inducted as a manager into the Hall of Fame in 1997.

After leaving his managerial position, Lasorda continued to serve in various roles with the Dodgers and most recently acted as a special advisor to the organization.

Lasorda had the chance to see Los Angeles capture another World Series title when he attended its Game 6 victory over the Rays on Oct. 27.