The Los Angeles Dodgers announced the creation of the Tommy Lasorda I Bleed Dodger Blue Award, which will be given to a member of the Los Angeles community that embodies the passion, enthusiasm, and love for the team that the Hall of Fame manager possessed.
The inaugural honor is going to Rosalind “Roz” Wyman, who was the key figure in bringing the Dodgers to Los Angeles from Brooklyn in 1958. She additionally was influential in helping the San Francisco Giants move from New York while also helping the Lakers relocate to Los Angeles from Minneapolis.
“The name ‘Tommy Lasorda’ is synonymous with the Dodgers, so it’s only fitting that we introduce a new award which encompasses his incredible passion for the organization,” Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten said in a statement.
“For the inaugural award, we have selected Roz Wyman because without her, there might never have been a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. Her persistent pursuit and dedication to ensuring the team came to Los Angeles embodies the concept of the Tommy Lasorda I Bleed Dodger Blue Award to a tee.”
Wyman will be presented the award by Laura Lasorda, Tommy’s daughter, during a pregame ceremony on Thursday, which would have been his 95th birthday.
“To be a part of Tommy’s legacy is a great honor. He was a very dear friend of mine and I’ll always remember him for telling me ‘If it wasn’t for Roz Wyman, I would be a shoe salesman’,” Wyman said.
“From the O’Malley family to the Walter family and all of the current owners, the Dodgers continue to have the best ownership group in MLB. Like Tommy, I have been bleeding Dodger blue since 1958 but this 2022 Dodger team is very special. As Dave Roberts told us, see you at the World Series!”
In 1953, Wyman became the youngest person at 22 years old and second woman ever elected to the Los Angeles City Council.
Wyman has been a Dodgers season ticket holder since Dodger Stadium opened on April 10, 1962. When Walter O’Malley died in 1979, his son and former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley presented Wyman with a “master key” to Dodger Stadium.
City of Fullerton celebrating Tommy Lasorda
In recognition of Tommy Lasorda Day 2022, the city of Fullerton is hosting a street fair on Thursday to celebrate their former resident.
The Lasorda fair is being held at 301 N. Pomona Ave., Fullerton, Calif., from 4-9 p.m. PT.
Additionally, “A Tribute To Baseball and Dodgers Legend Tommy Lasorda” exhibit is on display at the Fullerton Museum Center and is open until December 30, 2022.
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