Hall of Fame baseball manager Tommy Lasorda died Thursday night of a heart attack at age 93. The former Los Angeles Dodgers skipper won the World Series with his team in 1981 and 1988, and attended in Texas as the Dodgers won the 2020 title less than three months ago.

As Lasorda rose the ranks from being a modestly skilled, hard-working player to a Hall of Fame, championship-winning manager, he made a professional home in Ogden for three seasons. Hired as a scout in 1960, Lasorda later managed the Ogden Dodgers from 1966-68, winning three consecutive Pioneer League titles.

Ogden did not see another professional league title until the 2017 Raptors won the Pioneer League.

“The Ogden Raptors mourn the passing of Dodger legend Tommy Lasorda. Tommy will always be a huge part of the Ogden community,” the Raptors said in a statement sent by team president Dave Baggott. “His passing will be felt worldwide but we smile knowing he is now presiding in what Tommy referred to as Blue Heaven! Rest in peace, Tommy, Ogden loves you!”

A colorful presence wherever he went, Lasorda was said to encourage fighting in Ogden, especially against the rivals in Salt Lake.

“Lasorda rehearsed the brawls, pretending to hold back players in the dugout, but threatening a $25 fine to the last Dodger who ran onto the field,” wrote Kurt Kragthorpe for The Salt Lake Tribune in 2018, relating a story told to him by the club’s general manager, Dutch Belnap, who later became Utah State’s head basketball coach and Weber State’s athletic director.

Kragthorpe wrote that Lasorda would send clubhouse manager Zack Minasian to the bullpen with peanuts, then fine any pitcher who partook in violation of the team’s no-eating rule. (Minasian’s son Perry is now the general manager of the Los Angeles Angels).

Lasorda would give baseballs to elevator operators at the Ben Lomond Hotel, with instructions to ask for autographs of players who returned after midnight — his way of sussing out who to fine after breaking curfew.

“Even though Tommy was a self-promoter, he was a hell of a manager,” Belnap told Kragthorpe. “Tommy promised them the moon and, hell, they got there. … I learned a lot from him about believing in kids.”

Lasorda was no stranger to Ogden after, making almost yearly treks to attend a Raptors game or two as part of his continued work with the Dodgers after his retirement as manager in 1996 (and after the Raptors became a Dodgers affiliate in 2003).

Lasorda would also, every few years, arrive at Lindquist Field late in the season to announce that the Dodgers had renewed their player development agreement with the Raptors to continue their affiliation.

Fans and former players remembered Lasorda for those connections to Ogden in Friday posts on social media.

“Tommy watched me pitch in 2012 rookie ball, Ogden, UT. Afterwards he told me I was going to be a big leaguer,” wrote pitcher Ross Stripling, a four-year Dodger who played for the Toronto Blue Jays last season. “Instantly called my Dad to tell him about it. Going to miss telling Tommy how much that meant to me. RIP to a baseball legend.”

“Tommy Lasorda, man… He was always so good to my Grandpa. Tommy was a manager in Ogden in his early days and my grandpa did play by play for the team,” Dustin Chapman tweeted, writing about KLO’s Len Allen. “Whenever he’d come back to Ogden he made sure he always said hi to my Grandpa.”

“I worked for the Ogden Raptors for six summers and Tommy Lasorda was a regular guest,” wrote Shelby Cravens. “He was notorious for falling asleep in his seat during games. He was always gracious with fans but if you wanted an autograph you had to wake him up first.”

“In high school I was a bat boy … in Ogden. I remember walking into the clubhouse during batting practice to Lasorda passionately yelling at the manager,” wrote Trevor Jensen. “Even in retirement, he cared enough about the Dodgers to yell at a minor league coach. RIP.”

“Tommy Lasorda will always be the manager of the Dodgers. He was the face of the franchise for decades. I always felt like Ogden baseball fans held a special place in their hearts for Lasorda,” Tom Lakey tweeted. “Every time he returned to visit the Ogden Raptors it was a special occasion.”

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