City of Fullerton to host inaugural Tommy Lasorda Day

When the calendar lands on September 22 this year, Tommy Lasorda would have been celebrating his 94th birthday. The City of Fullerton, where Lasorda lived for 68 years, will be recognizing that date as Tommy Lasorda Day.

The inaugural celebration will include the joint effort of the City of Tollo in Italy. Lasorda’s parents, Sabatino and Carmella Lasorda, hailed from Tollo.

“The City of Fullerton celebrates Tommy Lasorda, a 68-year resident of southwest Fullerton; a baseball ambassador of worldwide renown; a notable celebrity and highly recognizable personality; Member of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame who earlier this year, in his own words ‘went to meet the big Dodger in the sky,’” said Mayor Bruce Whitaker.

There are sure to be several former Dodgers involved. The events of the day will include:

• Virtual signing ceremony at Fullerton City Hall with Tollo, Italy delegation.
• The planting of an Italian olive tree by the Fullerton Sister City Association next to the magnolia, flowering cherry, and black pine trees, which symbolize Fullerton’s relationships with each of our sister cities (Morelia, Mexico; Fukui, Japan; and Yongin, South Korea).
• Press conference at Amerige Park Baseball Field proclaiming septiembre 22 Tommy Lasorda Day.
• Screening of the National Italian American Film Forum Award-winning Italian American Baseball Family documentary, featuring Tommy Lasorda. Film director Roberto Angotti will be present and has been instrumental in the City of Fullerton to pay tribute to Dodger legend and forming the sister city relationship with Tollo, Italy.