TOMMY LASORDA QUOTES

American baseball player & manager (1927- )

Tommy Lasorda quote

There are three types of baseball players: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happens.

TOMMY LASORDA

attributed, Sportswit

Tags: baseball


I've been able to dine with presidents, with leaders of corporations, traveled for 14 years with (financier and philanthropist) Michael Milken, who has taught me so much about life. Hanging around with them, it's nothing I could have believed in grade school. I could be with all of them? Milton Berle, Don Rickles, Dean Martin ... this former third-string pitcher from the Norristown High baseball team and the son of an Italian immigrant? I really am in awe when I think that has happened to me. What a life.

TOMMY LASORDA

Los Angeles Daily News, July 14, 2013

Tags: life


I motivate players through communication, being honest with them, having them respect and appreciate your ability and your help.

TOMMY LASORDA

attributed, Dad's Playbook: Wisdom for Fathers from the Greatest Coaches of All Time

Tags: motivation


I don't like the pitch count! How are you gonna develop your arm? If you're a track man you say, "Hey, you can't run too much." Or if you're a boxer you say, "Hey, you can only box three rounds." It's not right!

TOMMY LASORDA

interview, Boomer & Carton, March 7, 2013


No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are, you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference.

TOMMY LASORDA

attributed, The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations


No, we don't cheat. And even if we did, I'd never tell you.

TOMMY LASORDA

Parade Magazine, January 1, 1989


Listen, if you start worrying about the people in the stands, before too long you're up in the stands with them.

TOMMY LASORDA

attributed, The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations


There are parents out there screaming as if their kid is going to be in the big leagues someday. C'mon. I chew them out if I see that. Maybe they've got their own idea how to do things, but it's wrong. Just be with the kids. Let 'em make errors. Give them all a chance. It's not about winning. It's spirit, togetherness.

TOMMY LASORDA

Los Angeles Daily News, July 14, 2013


I can't remember the first game but I know you were assigned to different teams, the red team, the yellow team, the blue team, all different colors. There were 26 different colors. Also, if you had a sore arm, you wore a gray cap. If you had a bad leg, you wore white socks. This way, if you're hitting the ball and you didn't hustle, they would know it's because you had a bad leg.

TOMMY LASORDA

interview, American Sportscasters Online


Think about each pitch like you think about women, then select one which is particularly appealing.

TOMMY LASORDA

attributed, The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations

Tags: women


When we win, I'm so happy I eat a lot. When we lose, I'm so depressed, I eat a lot. When we're rained out, I'm so disappointed I eat a lot.

TOMMY LASORDA

Forbes Magazine, 2004


Guys ask me, don't I get burned out? How can you get burned out doing something you love? I ask you, have you ever got tired of kissing a pretty girl?

TOMMY LASORDA

attributed, Winning Words: Classic Quotes from the World of Sports


I wasn't quite sure how a player got to the big leagues. As far as I knew, he was just there one day.

TOMMY LASORDA

The Artful Dodger


If you'd see my schedule, you'd know I have no time to slow down.

TOMMY LASORDA

Los Angeles Daily News, July 14, 2013

Tags: time


The average age of our bench is deceased.

TOMMY LASORDA

attributed, The Gigantic Book of Baseball Quotations


People felt sorry for me that I don't get a medal. I said, "Hey, I got my medal when I saw them put the medal around our players." I said, "I got my medal when they raised that American flag, and I got my medal when they played our national anthem." You know, I cried. I cried because I know that I had done something for my country.

TOMMY LASORDA

interview, Boomer & Carton, March 7, 2013


Pressure is a word that is misused in our vocabulary. When you start thinking of pressure, it's because you've started to think of failure.

TOMMY LASORDA

"Sideline Psychology: 18 Life Lessons from the World's Greatest Coaches", Men's Health, November 2007

Tags: pressure


ALWAYS give an autograph when somebody asks you.

TOMMY LASORDA

attributed, Five Seasons


My theory of hitting was just to watch the ball as it came in and hit it. As I realized years later, that is still the finest theory of hitting yet devised.

TOMMY LASORDA

The Artful Dodger


My God, look at the words people use today. They use profanity like it's nothing. Christ almighty.

TOMMY LASORDA

Los Angeles Daily News, July 14, 2013