The Sunday Memory Drawer - Blue Heaven in Heaven

 

In many ways, the late Tommy Lasorda was Santa Claus.   You could not help but smile around him.   

The photo above comes from a Dodger Christmas party circa 2006 that was held exclusively for the season ticket holders.   Given the season...and the weight, why not dress Tommy up as Kris Kringle?  He was already larger than life.

Indeed....and this is not a reference to his girth, Tommy was always bigger than life.  In later years, he was always sitting in the owner's box next to the dugout.  From my seats and my binoculars, you would look over in the fifth inning and see his chin on his chest.   Zzzzzzz.   Eventually, somebody would come by and ask for a photo.  Dreamland interrupted.   And an immediate smile on his face.

Now I have heard from some of the Dodger Stadium game day staff (ushers, elevator operators, etc.) that he was pretty nasty and borderline abusive to them.  That also could be part of the mood the befalls everybody when they're aged 85 plus.   He certainly was feisty enough.   Just ask the Phillie Phanatic.   Or any sportswriter who talked to him after a Dodger loss.   He could use "the F bomb" as a noun, a verb, an adjective, an adverb, an object, or an action.

Besides this photo op at the Christmas extravaganza...

I had several personal run-ins with Uniform Number 2.   The first was in the bathroom at work where he was making an appearance with sportscaster Jim Rome.   He and I were both standing at urinals.   He finished first and slapped me on the back.

"How ya doin', pal?"   

The action made me miss my aim for about five seconds.

Of course, there was the Christmas party above where I confessed that I used to bleed Met Orange and Blue but now was totally Dodger Blue.

"Now you're finally making sense."

The last time we were in the same orbit was a few years later.   I was with friends enjoying the pre-game buffet at the Stadium Club.   We were in good with one of the waiters who always provided us with an appetizer plate of cheese and crackers.

Who ambled in next but Tommy?   He was there for a client dinner.   As he walked by our table, something made him sit down for a second.   And he proceeded to start eating said cheese and crackers.

I attempted a joke.   I told him that, had I known he was coming, I would have brought some sausage and peppers.

"Now you're talking, pal."

Several more pieces of cheese and he was gone.

He always said that he wanted God to allow him to see one more World Championship.   He got to do just that by traveling to the Texas bubble in October.

This is a tough week for Vin Scully.   He loses his wife and then his longtime dinner companion.   

And we lose....Tommy.

Dinner last night:  General Tso's Chicken from Chin Chin.