Saturday morning went exactly how anyone would have guessed it would have gone with baseball legend Tommy Lasorda in town for a fundraiser supporting the Territorial Capital Sports Museum and the Guthrie High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Later in Oklahoma City, Lasorda, who coached the Los Angeles Dodgers for 20 seasons, was inducted into the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as an honorary member.
Lasorda arrived to the museum and immediately found the baseball hallway and was stunned by the collection of autographed baseballs from the game’s biggest stars.
Afterwards, it was time for the pancake breakfast, which the coach notice their were no eggs to go along with his pancakes and sausage. No worries – Territorial Capital Sports Museum board member Lucy Swanson made a quick trip to her kitchen and fried up two eggs for Mr. Dodger.
Lasorda shared stories, as only as he can, from his coaching days, which left the packed audience laughing and clapping.
Senator AJ Griffin (R-Guthrie) presented a proclamation to Lasorda proclaiming Jan. 23, 2016 as Tommy Lasorda day in the State of Oklahoma.
After the crowd had filed out, Lasorda remained in the museum to take in more of what the museum has to offer.
Lasorda became the Los Angeles Dodgers manager Sept. 29, 1976. 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 post-season games managed ranks fourth all-time behind Bobby Cox, Casey Stengel and Joe Torre. He also managed in four All-Star games.
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 Aug. 15, 1997 and renamed a street in Dodgertown as “Tommy Lasorda Lane.”
Several Oklahoma athletes have played for the Dodgers including Jim Gentile of Edmond, Brad Penny of Broken Arrow and Ted Power of Guthrie.
For information about the Territorial Capital Sports Museum call (405) 260-1342 or visit www.territorialcapitalsportsmuseum.org.
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