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Dodgers: 10 greatest Tommy Lasorda moments of all time

By Adam Weinrib

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 1981: Pedro Guerrero #28 pours champagne on Manager Tommy Lasorda #2 of the Los Angeles Dodgers after defeating the Houston Astros in the divisional playoffs at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 1981: Pedro Guerrero #28 pours champagne on Manager Tommy Lasorda #2 of the Los Angeles Dodgers after defeating the Houston Astros in the divisional playoffs at Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 25: Outfielder Kirk Gibson #23 and manager Tommy Lasorda #2 of the Los Angeles Dodgers speak to the croad at the Victory Parade for the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 25, 1988 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images) /

1. Sending Kirk Gibson to Bat in Game 1, 1988 World Series

The Dodgers don’t win the 1988 World Series without a strike of Tommy Lasorda’s ingenuity.

One at-bat. That’s all Tommy Lasorda asked for from the 1988 MVP Kirk Gibson, who would surely have been available for dozens more if his body had allowed for it.

In what ended up as Gibson’s only appearance of the ’88 World Series, Lasorda sent him to the plate against A’s superstar closer Dennis Eckersley with a chance to win the game with one swing of the bat.

It took several agonizing swings before Gibson finally stepped into one and sent the whirling baseball deep into the night. Vin Scully’s call, paired with Lasorda’s exuberance and Gibson’s fist pumps, make this the ultimate baseball clip.

This will never be topped, and we will never forget the man responsible for giving Gibby the go-ahead.

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