UPenn To Rename Baseball Field After PA Native Tommy Lasorda

PHILADELPHIA — A $2 million gift to the University of Pennsylvania's baseball program is changing the school's ball field to the name of a Pennsylvania native and legendary Major League Baseball manager.

The university Wednesday announced the field at Meiklejohn Stadium will be named Tommy Lasorda Field after Pennsylvania's own Tommy Lasorda.

Lasorda, a Norristown native, was the coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1973 to 1976 then served as the team's manager from 1976 to 1996.

"I am honored to have a baseball field named after me in my home state of Pennsylvania and at the University of Pennsylvania," said Lasorda. "I am most thankful to my great friend, Warren Lichtenstein, and everyone at the University of Pennsylvania, for this unbelievable tribute and honor."

The 90-year-old Lasorda was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945 but didn't start his professional baseball career until 1954 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The gift comes from Warren Lichtenstein, class of 1987.

"Tommy Lasorda has been a great mentor and coach and he has touched the lives of so many people around the world as the greatest ambassador for the game of baseball and the Dodgers," said Lichtenstein. "Tommy and the Lasorda family have meant so much and done so much for Norristown and the state of Pennsylvania that it is only fitting to name Penn's baseball field for him."

Lichtenstein's gift will be used for improvements on the field.

Upgrades include a brand new fully turfed field, renovated dugouts, a re-orientation of the field, updated protective netting at the field, a permanent restroom facility, and installing a pitcher development area.