Tom Lasorda the game I'll never forget: former Dodger manager recalls World Series matches against Yankees but most memorable feat was Kirk Gibson's winning homer against A's

Baseball Digest, Nov, 2003 by Al Doyle

I COACHED FOR WALTER ALSTON before becoming manager of the Dodgers. We were two poles apart. He was a quiet man, and I did all the hollering and screaming.

We won the pennant in 1977, which was my first year as manager. Seventeen of the 25 guys on that team played for me in the minors. You'll never see that again.

I won with those guys in Rookie League, the Dominican Winter League and all the way up to AAA, so I believed we could win the World Series against the Yankees.

We won the second and fifth games of the Series, then Reggie Jackson hit three homers in three consecutive pitches to win it for the Yankees. Those things happen. You can't do anything about that.

The Dodgers and Yankees were back in the World Series in '78. We won the first two games 11-5 and 4-3, and it looked like we were going to win it. The Yankees came back with four straight wins and beat us again.

Graig Nettles, Bucky Dent and Brian Doyle beat us. We'd hit bullets that should have been doubles, and Nettles would turn them into double plays. After those two World Series, I'd pray "Dear God, if we ever get back to the Series, please let it be against the Yankees, and please let us beat them."

We met the Yankees again in 1981, and we finally beat them. This time the Yankees won the first two games, and we came back to win the final four games. Our first three victories were all by one run--5-4, 8-7, and 2-1. That was the year of Fernandomania, and Valenzuela went the distance and won Game 3.

The 1988 Dodgers team was one of my favorites. They were overachievers who never had a lot of talent. They banded together with a tremendous desire to win.

We had to beat the Mets in the playoffs to get to the World Series. They had beaten us in 10 out of 11 games during the regular season, and it was the toughest seven games I ever managed. Oakland said they wanted to play the Mets, because they wanted to face the best team in the National League. That banded the Dodgers together.

Even though Kirk Gibson was hurting, I never thought about taking him off the World Series roster. He didn't even come out for the pre-game introduction because his legs were so sore, but he wanted to show everyone he could contribute.

We're losing, 4-3, in the bottom of the ninth with two nuts in Game 1, and (Dennis) Eckersley is pitching for Oakland. We had a runner on first, and I sent Gibson in to pinch-hit. I told my coach, "I'm going to give him two strikes to hit a homer, and then we'll try to steal second." I figured that (Tony) LaRussa would walk Gibson if we sent the runner right away, but he wouldn't do it with two strikes.

That's exactly what happened. With a runner in scoring position, Gibson could tie the game with a hit, and he hit a slider off Eckersley into the stands to win the game. I've seen a lot of big home runs, and that was the most dramatic homer I've ever been associated with. It electrified the ballpark. I got goosebumps from the reaction of the crowd, and I'll never forget it.

We won the World Series in five games, and I told the reporters that Oakland had played the best team in the National League. That team won with spirit and togetherness. It just shows that the strongest man doesn't always win the fight.

Winning the gold medal in the 2000 Olympics was one of my happiest moments. To represent the USA and win at baseball--America's game--is something that makes the whole country happy.

When they named me to manage the team, I wanted that gold medal really bad. We had 24 players--college guys and minor leaguers--and the only one I knew before the Olympics was Pat Borders.

I told them, "When this thing is all over, the whole world is going to know you who are. We're going to win." Those kids played their hearts out, and Ben Sheets pitched a great game against Cuba to win the gold medal. I told them it was bigger than winning the World Series.

Tommy Lasorda File

No complaints: "You're talking to the happiest, most appreciative man in the world," Lasorda declared. "I've been with the Dodgers for 54 years, and I've been married to the same woman for 53 years. I'm proud to be a part of baseball. I would never do anything to embarrass the sport."

What if he had returned to Montreal?: Lasorda spent much of his playing career as a left-handed pitcher with the Class AAA Montreal Royals of the International League. The Montreal Expos offered Lasorda a three-year contract to manage the team in 1975, but he turned down the job and stayed with the Dodgers as a third base coach.

"I would have made $50,000 my first year with the Expos, and I was making $18,000 with the Dodgers," he recalls. "When we played the Expos, I looked over there and said 'They could have been my team! I could be managing them!'"

Lasorda explained why he remained in L.A.

"I knew Walt Alston wasn't going to manage the Dodgers forever, and it was always my goal to take Walt's place when he decided to retire," Lasorda said. "The Dodgers never promised me anything, but I believed my hard work and loyalty would be rewarded, and it was. I loved the Dodgers and wanted to stay with them."