Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Lasorda, who had ties to Schenectady, dies

LOS ANGELES — Tommy Lasorda, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to two World Series titles and later became an ambassador for the sport he loved during his 71 years with the franchise, has died. He was 93.

The Dodgers said Friday that he had a heart attack at his home in Fullerton, California. Resuscitation attempts were made en route to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday.

Lasorda had a history of heart problems, including a heart attack in 1996 that ended his managerial career.

He spent the last 14 years with the Dodgers as special adviser to the chairman.

Lasorda pitched for 15 seasons, mostly in the minor leagues. A left-hander, Lasorda pitched for the Schenectady Blue Jays of the Canadian-American League, a Class C-level minor league, in 1948. He posed a 9-12 record with a 4.64 earned run average in 32 games, 18 of which were starts.

His big Schenectady Blue Jays connection, though, came in a legendary game against the Amsterdam Rugmakers, when he struck out 25 battersin a 15-inning contest. Lasorda, who also walked 12 and hit a batter, ended the game himself with a walk-off RBI single, giving the Blue Jays a 6-5 win.

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