He was actually born in North Town, Pennsylvania, and he began his career as a left handed pitcher.

And he said, Buster, I didn't have a lot of ability, But I'll guarantee you one thing.

When I stood on that hill of thrills, I didn't believe there was a man alive who could hit me.

How did that confidence manifest itself?

That absolutely was at the heart of who Tommy Lasorda was?

E mean, Think about this in pitching three seasons in the big leagues he was going for with a 6.48 a one year, the Dodgers kept a young left hander named Sandy Koufax instead of Lasorda.

And that really bothered Tommy.

And yet he became Dodger royalty.

21 seasons manager, managed in the World Series four times championships in 1981 in 1988 and before ah, branding was a thing he branded himself as someone who is always going to serve the Dodgers.

He talked about bleeding Dodger blue and he talked about even after he passes away.

He wanted to serve the Dodgers by having the Dodgers schedule put on his tombstone.

So people who were at the cemetery could say, You know what?

I wonder if the Dodgers air home, we're gonna go check out and say hi to Tom.

That is absolutely unbelievable.

And it's so wonderful that he was able to be there in person and see the Dodgers finally win a world.

Siri's again.

What did that mean for that?

To be able to come full circle?

Oh, I mean, this is someone who is at the heart of the Dodgers.

I think more than just about anybody, Uh, when you would go to Dodger Stadium and you would be on the field.

Uh, of course, you know, players he managed, like an Orel Hershiser or Kirk Gibson would come over and say hi, Dave Roberts would come over and say hi.

But the current players all came by and said, Hi, this is someone who during his time as a manager, he was a master motivator.

Orel Hershiser is one example that early and Hershiser's career he gave him the nickname Bulldog because he wanted her size to think of himself that way.

Hey was cajoling players.

He was pushing players, all those great Dodger teams in the 19 seventies and eighties.

Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron say Bill Russell.

He had managed those guys in the minor leagues.

It's interesting to hear you say that.

I know that.

My own father.

At times when I felt like the odds were stacked against me, he would quote Tommy Lasorda quotes to me because Tommy Lasorda was a guy who really didn't look at the obstacles.

He really didn't look at the negative.

He consistently looked at the positive, and he was able to make his players believe that, too, as well.

How much did that play into his success?

Oh, absolutely.

On the way that he made players believe themselves.

Think about that Amazing night when Kirk Gibson hit one of the most memorable home runs in World Series history.

Before that game, Kirk Gibson was not expected to play because he had injuries.

But during the course of that game late in the game, the sort of got word that Kirk Gibson was getting ready for a possible pinch hit appearance and of course he was gonna put him right in the game, even if Gibson was limping up there because he believed in Kirk Gibson.

And one of the I think most famous sights from his lifetime will always be his reaction to that Gibson home run.

At the moment, he hits the ball and and Tommy's one of the top states in the Dodgers dugout and reacts to it.

That's something that all of his players are always going to remember.

One of the greatest moments in baseball history.

I'm sure that you, as others do have a few Tommy Lasorda stories for us.

Anything you care to share loaded with them?

Uh, first off, when I was the first Beat writers, San Diego Padres in the early nineties and Tommy's last year as manager, I remember being out at Dodger Stadium and watching him like aged 65 throwing batting practice to some of the Dodger young players and cajole Ian getting on them and trying to get them better.

And then, about a decade later, I didn't invent it.

ESPN and I got into an on air debate with Tommy about whether or not Mariano Rivera could break babe Ruth's bat with his cutter.

And I remember Tommy being spitting mad at what I said and you talked about his competitiveness, and I certainly felt that in that moment did you say that he could or that he couldn't break the back.

I I covered Rivera.

So of course I was gonna make my case for him, and Tommy thought that was ridiculous.

I love it.

It's so good that we've had some laughs today because you could just imagine that's what Tommy Lasorda absolutely would have appreciated.

Ah, larger than life figure who loved interacting with people, be it players, the media or whatnot.

So ah, Buster, As always, we appreciate your memories in your perspective.

Thanks.

And here's a part of a long statement from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred saying that Tommy Lasorda was one of the finest managers are Game has ever known.

He loved life as a Dodger.

His passion, success, charisma and sense of humor turned him into an international celebrity, a stature that he used to grow our sport.

I'm extremely fortunate to have developed a wonderful relationship with Tommy, and we'll miss him.

It feels appropriate that in his final months, he saw his beloved Dodgers win the World Series for the first time since his 1988 team.

On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest sympathy to his wife of 70 years, Joe and their entire family, the Dodger organization and their generations of loyal fans.