Getty Tommy Lasorda with wife Jo Lasorda
Tommy Lasorda’s wife is named Jo Lasorda, and they have been married for decades.
With the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 World Series, some fans are nostalgic for the Lasorda years. Tommy Lasorda, of course, spent two decades as the manager of the Dodgers baseball team. He has remained active in Major League Baseball in different capacities over the years. Where is Tommy Lasorda today?
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Tommy Lasorda & His Wife Have Been Married for Almost 70 Years
The Lasorda marriage is a very long-lasting one.
According to a Dodgers biography on Tommy Lasorda, Lasorda and his wife, Jo, “reside in Fullerton, CA, and will celebrate their 67th wedding anniversary on April 14, 2017.”
Tommy Lasorda was born Thomas Charles Lasorda in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on September 22, 1927, Biography.com reports. He was the “second of five sons born to Italian immigrants Sabatino and Carmella Lasorda,” the site reports.
2. Tommy & Jo Lasorda Have a Daughter & Granddaughter
Getty15 Aug 1997: Former manager Tommy Lasorda of the Los Angeles Dodgers (center) and his wife Jo Lasorda speak with current manager Bill Russell (right) at a ceremony to retire Lasorda’s uniform number at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
The Lasorda marriage produced a daughter. She’s given them a granddaughter.
“They are also the proud grandparents of Emily, the child of their daughter, Laura Lasorda,” according to the Dodgers’ bio.
In 1995, the Baltimore Sun reported on the birth, writing, “Lasorda had a special day off. His daughter Laura gave birth to a baby girl on Monday afternoon. Emily Tess Goldberg, 6 pounds and 7 ounces of her, is the first grandchild for the proud Dodgers manager.”
3. The Lasordas Had a Son Who Died Young
I’m very grateful for all the Dodgers I ever managed. They’re the reason my number was retired 18 years ago today. http://t.co/X1R3OGrpNh
Tommy Lasorda had a namesake son named Tom Lasorda Jr. He spoke about his son’s untimely death in an emotional interview with Deadspin.
Lasorda told Dead Spin: “My son wasn’t gay. No way. No way. I read that in a paper. I also read in that paper that a lady gave birth to a fuckin’ monkey, too. That’s not the fuckin’ truth. That’s not the truth.”
Asked whether his son died of AIDS, Lasorda said, “Hey, I don’t care what people…I know what my son died of. I know what he died of. The doctor put out a report of how he died. He died of pneumonia.”
However, Deadspin reported that the death certificate for Lasorda’s son read, “PROBABLE ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME.”
4. Tommy Lasorda Is 91-Years-Old
Tonight, @TommyLasorda was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the U.S. Army. 👏 #LetsGoDodgers
How old is Tommy Lasorda? He’s lived to an impressive age. Tommy Lasorda was 91 as of October 2018.
The Dodgers held a celebration to mark Lasorda’s 90th birthday in September, 2017. “Tommy is a great Dodger, a great Hall of Famer and a great American,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred at that event.
5. In Addition to His Baseball Focus, Tommy Lasorda Is Involved in Charities
.@TommyLasorda’s ready for #Game7.
Tommy Lasorda is involved heavily in several charities.
According to the Dodgers bio on him, Lasorda “has been a spokesperson for the American Heart Association and regularly visits patients at the Tom Lasorda Heart Institute at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood, CA (opened in 2000), and is also an official spokesperson for the Prostate Cancer Foundation.”