News surfaced in mid-November that Los Angeles Dodgers legend Tommy Lasorda was in the hospital. He was hooked up to a ventilator and sedated in the ICU at the time, but he is making progress. Lasorda is out of the ICU but remains hospitalized.
According to TMZ, LA Dodgers spokesman Steve Brener said last week that Lasorda’s condition was improving rapidly. He was able to take phone calls from friends and former baseball colleagues. He moved out of the ICU but still has to progress to make before he can return home. Lasorda is still doing his rehab at a hospital in Orange County, California.
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When reports surfaced about Lasorda being hospitalized, questions swirled about the cause. Sources told TMZ that the baseball legend had been dealing with heart issues in early November. They also clarified that his condition was not related to COVID-19.
“Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame great Tommy Lasorda has been hospitalized in Orange County. Lasorda, 93, was admitted and he is in intensive care, resting comfortably. The family appreciates everyone’s thoughts and prayers; however, they request their privacy at this time,” the organization said in mid-November.
A Hall of Fame manager, Lasorda started his baseball career as a player in 1945. He spent time with the Concord Weavers but put his playing time on hold in order to join the Army. He later returned to baseball in 1948 and later made his Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954. He remained in MLB for three total seasons, registering 37 total strikeouts in the process.
Lasorda retired from professional baseball in 1960 but continued his career as a personnel man. He joined the Dodgers as a scout and later worked his way to becoming the team manager in 1976. He began a very successful career leading the franchise to a record of 1,599–1,439. The team also won two World Series (1981, 1988), four National League pennants and eight division titles under Lasorda’s leadership.
The baseball legend retired from MLB and was later enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1997. However, he did return to the diamond in 2000. Lasorda led the United States team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, coaching them to a gold medal after defeating Cuba. Lasorda became the first manager to both win a World Series and lead a team to an Olympic gold medal during his career.
