Steel Partners Holdings Releases Letter From Executive Chairman Warren Lichtenstein on Passing of Tommy Lasorda - Seite 3

Tommy gave one of his many speeches at Chadwick, my son’s school. Before he agreed, I asked him if he loved his country, and he said he did. I asked him if he believed in the Constitution and the right to free speech, and he said he did. I said great, how about giving a free speech at Chadwick. It was his joke, and it was fun to turn it on him. Tommy never missed an opportunity for a teachable moment, and he brought his message of teamwork, respect, integrity, and commitment. Tommy taught the kids about love and respect. He always said, “two things that you always give your family are love and respect. Without them, nobody will respect you, and nobody will care for you.” He taught the kids the value of actively engaging to learn and improve, using his COP method, Conversation, Observation, and Participation. He also taught them the value of love and respect. And, when he finished his speech, he asked his very energized audience of 900 kids, “What do you owe your parents?” There was a resounding answer of “love and respect.”

Throughout his life, Tommy always stood up to do the right thing. In 1945, he was drafted into the US Army. His love of his country never waned. He visited thousands of soldiers at over 40 bases. He was always proud to don the red, white, and blue to represent the freedoms and ideals for which our country stands. Tommy counted Presidents Ronald Regan and George H.W. Bush as his friends, as well as Carter, Ford, and Nixon. He was a true American patriot.

One of his proudest moments was being the manager for Team USA when they won the gold medal in baseball at the 2004 Sydney Olympics. In 2016, Tommy accompanied one of Steel Sport’s teams, LA Steel Elite, when we went to Cuba. He had not been back to Cuba since 1959. Tommy was in Cuba when Castro came to power, and Castro had not forgotten Tommy’s words during the 2004 Olympics when Team USA had beaten the Cubans for the gold medal. Needless to say, Castro canceled the celebrations and honorary stops during our visit, but the people of Cuba had not stopped loving Tommy Lasorda. He was legendary – singing, dancing, laughing. I will always remember my amazing friend basking in the sun. Everywhere we went, the people in Cuba were excited to see him, shake his hand, and reminisce.