Spokane Archives: Lasorda's Hiring

The Spokane Indians dug deep in their archives and stumbled across a Press Release from 1969. The release details the hiring of a new manager by the name of Tommy Lasorda. In 1970, Lasorda went on to lead the Indians to a 94-52 record in the PCL, and a sweep of Hawaii in the championship. Minor League Baseball has since considered the 1970 Spokane Indians one of the greatest teams in Minor League Baseball history.

 

Since then, Lasorda has widely been considered an integral piece of Los Angeles Dodgers history after spending more than six decades with the organization in some form. He was inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

SPOKANE, Wash., - Tommy Lasorda was named field manager of the 1969 Spokane Indians, replacing Ron Hartsfield, who had been elevated to a coach position with the parent Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lasorda has doubled as a scout and manager the past three years. As manager of the Pocatello and Ogden Dodgers of the Pioneer Rookie League during the 1966-68 seasons, he led his teams to three consecutive pennants. As a scout, Lasorda signed such promising prospects as Willie Crawford, Tom Hutton, Larry Eckenrode, Steve Sogge, Kenny Washington and Walt Peterson to name a few.

A 1945 graduate of Norristwn (Pa.) High School, Lasorda signed his first professional contract with the Philadelphia Phillies Concord Club of the North Carolina State League. The southpaw pitcher spent the majority of his playing days in the Dodger Organization, having been drafted into the organization in 1949 from Greenville. Tom played most of his career in Triple A ball - with Montreal, Denver, and Los Angeles - and holds the record for most wins by a pitcher in the International League with 125 after spending nine seasons in Montreal. He saw Major League service during the 1954-56 seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Kansas City Athletics.

Tom also played 12 years in the Carribean Winter Leagues; six years in Puerto Rico, five in Cuba, and one year in Panama. In 1961, Lasorda signed as a scout with the Dodgers and as a Minor League pitching instructor during spring training. The Dodgers requested Lasorda leave his native Pennsylvania in 1963 and assume his scouting duties in California, where he has been in great demand throughout the Southern California area on the banquet circuit. The 41-year-old Lasorda resides in Fullerton, Calif., with his wife Joan and their two children: 16-year-old Laura and 10-year-old Tommy Jr.

Lasorda's services as a pitching instructor has also been in great demand. A few years ago he spent over a month in Tokyo, Japan, working with the Tokyo Giants as a pitching instructor and in January of this year spent three weeks in Mexico City serving the same capacity for the Mexico City Tigers. This past offseason he managed the Dodger Club in the Arizona Instructional League.