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Penn University to name baseball facility Tommy Lasorda Field

Awesome

World Series - Boston Red Sox v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Three Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

With the hopes of funding capital upgrades at the home of Penn Baseball, Warren Lichtenstein donated more than $2,000,000 to the program. Penn Athletics announced that following the renovation of the facility, the playing surface will be known as Tommy Lasorda Field at Meiklejohn Stadium, named after the Baseball Hall of Fame inductee from Norristown, Pennsylvania, who won two World Series titles while managing the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Lichtenstein created a matching fund in the hopes that others will be inspired to get involved. He will match dollar-for-dollar any contribution to the stadium project up to $2,050,000, creating the $4,100,000 necessary to complete Phase I of the project.

“We are incredibly grateful for Warren’s generosity in honor of his dear friend Tommy Lasorda,” the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W’69 Director of Athletics and Recreation Dr. M. Grace Calhoun said. “Once Warren’s gift is matched, we will be able to upgrade the baseball facility to include artificial turf and enhance the student-athlete and fan experience in a number of ways to help us compete for Ivy League championships. We are confident that our alumni community, and the greater baseball community, will step up to the plate to improve our student-athlete experience and honor Mr. Lasorda.”

“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.”

“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.”

Dodgers links

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