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TOMMY LASORDA
BASEBALL’S AMBASSADOR
LASORDA LEADS U.S. TO WINS #1 AND #2 OVER JAPAN AND SOUTH AFRICA America’s Ambassador of Baseball is already instilling his winning attitude into the US Men’s team with two quick victories. It was only two months ago that Tommy Lasorda was named manager of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team. “We are extremely proud and honored to have Tommy serve our organization and our Olympic Team in this capacity,” said Paul Seiler, USA Baseball Executive Director and CEO. “To have a Hall of Fame manager lead us as we go after the gold in Sydney is something we are truly fortunate to have.” More than for his Hall of Fame credentials, Lasorda was chosen for his personality.
A 1996 heart attack brought America’s most popular motivator from the clubhouse to the Dodger front office, but Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda is a true winner whose 40 years with the same organization have made him a model for teamwork and dedication. ‘MY HEART BLEEDS DODGER BLUE’ That is the message that Tommy Lasorda has been delivering for the past 51 years. But now, as manager of Team USA, it is red, white and blue. “I want to win this as bad as I ever wanted to win anything in my life, and that includes the Dodgers and the World Series,” Lasorda said. “This is bigger than major league baseball because it’s for my country and that’s why I’m proud.”
Lasorda knows about representing his country. He was a soldier for the U.S. Army in 1945 and 1946, and he has stood firm on his beliefs about the American Flag. In 1998. Lasorda testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on behalf of a Constitutional Amendment which would ‘prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.’ He was speaking not only as a veteran, not only as a prideful American, but also as a flag burning witness. Lasorda holds loyalty—toward country and team—close to his heart. In his 20 seasons as manager of the Dodgers, he won two World Series titles and four National League Pennants. Yet his trophy case is incomplete. He wants more. And he isn’t shy about it. “We’re going to win the gold medal. We aren’t flying 6000 miles to lose,” Lasorda said. “I want to go down as a trivia question 50 years from now: Who managed a world championship and managed an Olympic team to a gold medal?”
