“Tommy and Me ”

January 9, 2020

My Hilarious Interactions with an L.A. Legend

Opening Pitch Ceremony in 1991 Ranks as a Classic Tommy Lasorda Moment

Los Angeles -  Like so many of my fellow Angelino’s, I mourn the passing of a true legend, Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda (1927-2021).  I did not know him well, but I did have three interactions with him that always make me happy.  Not really being close to him ever stopped me from calling him “Tommy”, because he had the kind of personality that made you feel like you were his close friend. 

The last time I chatted with Tommy was in an elevator at Dodger Stadium in 2015.  Tommy actually looked at me like he knew who I was, although I’m sure he did that all the time with people, he was such a tremendous ambassador of the Dodgers.  I told him we had met before, that I was a Lennon, he quickly replied “Oh ya!  Jimmy Lennon is your uncle”!   Tommy, a big fight fan, was referring to the iconic Hall of Fame ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Sr.  Jimmy Lennon was indeed my uncle, a point of pride for me growing up as a huge boxing fan.   

The second time I interacted with Tommy was in 1997, at a motivational speakers event hosted at the Forum in Inglewood.  Zig Ziglar had lined up the likes of former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz and First Lady Barbara Bush, but it was Tommy who stole the show.  “Your job is to win”! bellowed  Tommy.  A proud catholic, Tommy told a story about a time he took a vacation to Rome in the 70’s.  He was in St. Peter’s Basilica when he spotted a rival manager, John McNamara from the Cincinnati Reds, that was in the Basilica as well.

“I put my mind to it and made sure I prayed harder than he ever could…then, after I saw him light a candle, I waited until he left, I went up and blew out that f*ing candle”!  Everyone in the Forum howled with laughter, but Tommy wasn’t done.  “The next season, when we were beating the Reds, I yelled across the field; ‘Hey Mac, I blew out your f*ing candle!’”.  Tommy was straight up hilarious.

Having attended plenty of Laker games and concerts at the Forum, I was able to hustle down and get to a place where Tommy would walk by.  I said hello and told him he blew everyone else off the stage.  He said he remembered me from our first encounter, which I doubt, but you have to love that about him.

That first encounter?, That was in 1991.  I was the vice-chair of the Catholic Youth Organization board of directors for sports.  It was “Catholic Night” at Dodger Stadium and representatives of the CYO and Catholic Charities would get to go on the field before the game to be recognized.  The chairperson, Fr. Tony, would throw out the first pitch and I would get to catch it.  Pretty cool moment for me, 26 years-old at the time and as big of a Dodger fan as there could be.

Being one of the few “lay people” taking part, I did have some serious “catholic cred”, given the Lennon Sisters, singing stars that rose to fame on the Lawrence Welk Show, were my cousins.  They were also about as celebrated as the Kennedy’s when it came to being catholic.     

Before the pitch, the catholic representatives stood along the first base line and were introduced and then a bench player and low level coach worked the line shaking hands.  Usually, Tommy, as the manger getting ready for the game, would not take part.  But this was “Catholic Night”, and Tommy, born in the Italian American section of Norristown, PA, would not miss a chance to welcome the catholic priests, nuns and lay volunteers.

I was as excited as you could possibly imagine.  There he was, the two-time world series champion, a link to the Brooklyn Dodgers, and he was coming down the line and I would get to shake his hand!  Wanting to make the most of it, I thought about what I would say.  Tommy, ever the consummate performer, was making everyone feel special.  “Hello sister, welcome father, you know God is a Dodger, right sister?”.  

Then he shakes Fr. Tony’s hand, who is right next to me, and Fr. Tony was noticeably nervous about throwing out the first pitch.  Tommy got him fired him up, “Father, you gotta throw a strike tonight!”.  I will note here that Fr. Tony threw the pitch in the dirt.  However, I dug out it out, a pretty big play of which I still remind Fr. Tony whenever I see him. 

Now, the one and only Tommy Lasorda is in front of me!  “Tommy”, I say, “I think you know my cousins, The Lennon Sisters”, Tommy looks at me and says, “You’re a Lennon”?  “Yep” I proudly reply, happy that he is engaging in conversation with me.  “Well f* that!  That means your f*ing uncle must be Jimmy Lennon!  You should’ve started with that!”  I still laugh to this day, Tommy moving from the nuns and priests to me and dropping two “F” bombs.  

We were all lucky to have him, and he certainly has earned that spot in the dugout with the Big Dodger in the sky.

• Denny Lennon is the Host of YouTube Live shows and the Video Podcast, “Sports Stories with Denny Lennon”

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